Durham defense rests

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Indicted Indianapolis businessman Tim Durham's fate will soon be in the hands of a jury.

Will the jury believe that Durham, James Cochran and Rick Snow pillaged Fair Finance and its investors, or that the three are the "victims" of a "perfect storm," as each side described  in closing arguments? 

The three are accused of committing fraud that left more than 5,000 investors out of more than $200 million.  The government, in its closing argument, walked the jury through the dozens of letters, emails and wiretapped phone calls that were introduced as evidence.  The government said the evidence shows the three defendants cared about themselves, not investors.  It said the three defendants had a never-ending thirst for cash, buying cars, yachts and mansions, while investors got nothing.

But Durham's lawyer painted Durham, Cochran and Snow as victims of a perfect storm of bad decisions, bad press and a bad economy.  He insisted Durham used his own money to try and save his companies and employee jobs.  None of the defendants took the witness stand. 

The jury will get its instructions tomorrow morning and then begin deliberation.  If convicted, the three face decades in jail.