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Document Analyst Testifies At Orie Re-Trial

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- As prosecutors wrapped up their case in the re-trial of State Sen. Jane Orie, they recalled to the stand former chief-of-staff Jamie Pavlot, whose signature is the focus of the controversial forged documents.

It is her signature on an end of year document for 2009 submitted in January 2010 that reconciled her comp time.

She testified she signed the original signature. But that documents discovered later that seem to have been cut and paste, were not her signature.

The discovery of the discrepancy led to a mistrial and new charges against the senator.

On the stand Thursday, U.S. Secret Service document analyst Joseph Stephens presented his analysis of not just two signatures, but four, which the prosecution says illustrates sometimes crude attempts at deception.

He analyzed 134 documents in total, but four documents in particular attracted his attention.

Stephens testified that at least three documents with the alleged signature of Pavlot were examined by him and were determined to have been copied from one original signature.

Some of the forgeries were on documents dated 2006, but he says they came from an original signature written in 2010.

The defense argues the documents were forged, but not by Sen. Orie.

RELATED LINKS:
Former Chief Of Staff Testifies At Orie Retrial (3/1/12)
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