Crude That Wasn't

A vice-president of a Texas petroleum company contracted to deliver crude oil to an Oklahoma refinery in 1976 and 1977. Prosecutors said that of about 205,000 barrels delivered, roughly 117,250 were actually fuel oil — a cheaper, already refined product — bought through a broker, blended with condensate from natural-gas wells to disguise it, and falsely certified as crude on the invoices. He was charged with mail fraud, false statements to a government agency and interstate transportation of stolen property. In closing, his lawyer told the jury that prosecutors themselves did not believe he meant to defraud anyone; the prosecutor answered that he personally believed the man was guilty. There was no objection. The defence argued on appeal that the prosecutor's remarks required a new trial.