The free lunch fraud trial of Dougherty Co. School Board member Velvet Riggins completed another day of testimony at the Dougherty Co. courthouse.
The prosecution presented former school nutrition manager Eva Holiday, heard on tape, as she spoke to the GBI, saying that she handled Riggins' free lunch application.
She testified that Riggins personally submitted her September 2011 school lunch application to her at the central office but said that Riggins was engaged in a conversation with then school finance director Robert Loyd.
She listed question marks in the documents which was incomplete by USDA standards. She said she tried to call Riggins but submitted the request anyway.
Another former school nutrition director, Vanessa Hayes, testified that Riggins' application submitted in September 2010 should have been red flagged by the system.
She said it did not meet requirements of completion to be submitted to the USDA. She said it should have never been processed.
The defense raised questions over potential mistakes by school police and the school nutrition service over its handling of Riggins' free lunch documents, particularly one that led to her arrest.
DCSS Assistant Police Chief J. C. Phillips subpoenaed the free and reduced lunch documents filed by Riggins between 2007 and 2011. The investigation into suspected fraud began in November of 2011.
Vanessa Hayes testified that the USDA has specifics on how school systems handle the documents, which are filed more or less on an honor system. The two forms in question from September 2011 and October 2011. The prosecution contends there was a $30,000 difference in the annual income, and one more child living in the household.
While the application listed her occupation with the Girl Scouts and an annual salary of $9,000, the form should not have been submitted to the USDA, per their requirements. Defense attorney Mark Brimberry asked Hayes if the form had been handled correctly by the school nutrition staff, if they would be in court today.
Hayes went on to testify it was not her job to police the free lunch applicants, but to serve as a guardian of records.
But a potential red flag with the September application included 'shadows' in the form and incomplete information, which raised questions from the defense, leading Hayes to admit that form should not have processed in the first place.
She said that Riggins should have been contacted to verify any questions.
Defense attorney Mark Brimberry noted that potential oversight, and said that if was properly handled, it could have been cleared up, prior to Riggins being implicated of any wrongdoing.
The trial resumes Thursday morning at nine. Brimberry says he's not sure yet if Velvet Riggins will take the stand.
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Velvet Riggins seated at the defense table
Judge Stephen Goss is presiding
Vanessa Hayes testified it was not her job to police the free lunch applicants, but to serve as a guardian of records
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