The cross examination of Al LaPierre provided some of the strongest moments yet for Larry Langford’s defense — at least for the histrionics, if not the substance.

Langford defense lawyer Glennon Threatt pounded LaPierre, demanding to know whether he had an explicit agreement with Langford or if he had changed Langford’s votes on the Jefferson County Commission with bribes of money and clothes.

Lobbyist and confessed felon Al LaPierre

LaPierre said several times that he never had an explicit agreement with Langford. Also, LaPierre said he never told Langford that the money he gave him came from Montgomery investment banker Bill Blount.

Under redirect, LaPierre said that he assumed Langford knew the money was from Blount.

At one point, LaPierre choked up on the stand under questioning about a family crisis he’d had. LaPierre testified that once he could not find his daughter and that she wasn’t answering any of her phones. LaPierre said he called Langford while sobbing on the phone to ask Langford’s help finding her.

Through his questions, Threatt argued that Blount and LaPierre concealed the conspiracy from Langford by creating a fake paper trail to give the false impression the payments were loans.

Under direct examination from prosecutors, LaPierre said that from the very beginning he, Blount and Langford created the fake paper trail to disguise what were really bribes. Whenever, Langford asked LaPierre for money, LaPierre said he would tell Langford he did not have that kind of money and would have to make a phone call, he said.

According to LaPierre, after Langford’s testimony to the SEC, the three men met in Langford’s downtown loft apartment to sign bogus promissory notes. Langford did not seem confused or surprised to see Blount there signing the documents with him.

In other trial business, prosecutors are preparing to introduce into evidence and read to the jury portions of Langford’s deposition with the Securities and Exchange Commssion. In that testimony, Langford said things that have been proved false. For instance, SEC investigators asked Langford if Blount had bought him any clothes or other valuable items. Langford said Blount might have bought him a shirt once. In fact, Blount and LaPierre bought Langford more than $80,000 worth of clothes and jewelry, including two watches worth more than $10,000.

Defense attorneys argued that other portions of the transcript should be read to the jury. Judge Coogler seemed disinclined to grant any but a few of the defense’s request.

Trial resumes 9 a.m. Monday morning.