Jury Finds Perry March Guilty in Theft Trial

It took the jury less than 45 minutes to reach a verdict. Sentencing will take place on June 22 at 9 a.m.

The jury foreman said March was found guilty of theft in "the value of more than $10,000 but less than $60,000."

The jury began deliberating Wednesday afternoon in Perry March's first trial. The trial went by faster than experts expected.

"We think the jury did the only thing they could do under the facts and the law in this case," said prosecuting attorney Amy Eisenbeck.

Perry March's defense attorney Ed Fowlkes says he doesn't understand why all 12 members of the jury found his client guilty of theft.

"The Levine's weren't deprived of a dime. They aren't out a dime. They haven't lost anything. They are the same way they were ten years later as they were ten years before.

Fowlkes says the trial never should have been tried in criminal court, and that prosecutors want to use this guilty verdict in the upcoming murder and conspiracy trials.

"Surely you don't spend this kind of time and money on a case ... a theft case unless there is some other reason for it, but I can't speak for the D.A.'s office," said Fowlkes.

"There wasn't a person that Mr. March didn't deal with that he didn't betray from clients to friends, to partners, to associates, to in-laws. Everyone he came in contact with, he betrayed," said prosecuting attorney Ben Winters.

The Levines declined to comment after the verdict was delivered. Wednesday was the second day of testimony in the theft case against Perry March. His former father-in-law, Lawrence Levine, testified for the prosecution.

Stay tuned to NewsChannel 5, NewsChannel 5+ and NewsChannel5.com for more on this trial and the next two trials Perry March faces.

April 19, 2007
From WTVF News Channel 5, Nashville, TN, USA