Attorneys for ex-Trustee Mike Lowe, former employees back in court

Mike Lowe

Attorneys for ex-longtime Knox County Trustee Mike Lowe and two of his former so-called ghost employees were in court Thursday to finalize trial dates and provide all parties with an update on when each side will get the information it's requested.

As it stands, Lowe will go to trial on Dec. 1; Ray Mubarak's will begin Nov. 5 and Delbert Morgan's will start on Aug. 18. The trials could last up to two weeks each.

Assistant District Attorney General Bill Bright noted that the dates have been changed a number of times because of "the massive amount of information" involved in the case. The defendants were initially set to go to trial in late 2013, and then later this summer.

On Thursday, he told Knox County Criminal Court Judge Steven Sword that his staff has turned over most of the data requested by the defense attorneys, but still has to provide and verify some cell phone records, and secure an expert witness.

He suggested that it would be a "very quick" turnaround.

Attorneys for the defendants declined to comment after Thursday's status hearing on the case.

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