Jurors begin their first full day of deliberations today in the trial of two men accused of looting Westar Energy.

The jury got the case against former CEO David Wittig and former senior vice president Douglas Lake late yesterday. Both face 40 counts of looting the Topeka utility through conspiracy, fraud, money laundering and circumventing internal controls.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Hathaway says Wittig and Lake
used every possible means to enrich themselves before they were
forced out of Westar in late 2002. Among other things, he cites accelerated bonuses and personal use of corporate aircraft.

Defense attorneys say the defendants cleared their actions with Westar's directors as required by law and acted in the company's best interest. They also said Westar lacked a clear policy on use of its airplanes.