Prosecution Wraps Up Case In Trial Of Naked Harem Co-Owner

EL PASO, Texas — The prosecution wrapped up their case Wednesday in the trial of a woman accused of promoting prostitution in her strip club six years ago.

The trial of Jeannie Coutta adjourned early for the day since the witnesses for the defense had not arrived yet.

“I’ve been confused about what time my witnesses are supposed to be here,” saidCoutta.

Coutta’s defense instead called a few of the prosecution’s witnesses back to the stand, including Dwayne Ham, one of the Naked Harem’s former managers.

He told jurors Coutta and her partner, Phyills Woodall, knew exactly what their dancers were up to behind closed doors at the Naked Harem.

“Money was pouring in. Money talks and (expletive) walks. When you wake up in the morning and there’s $25,000 in the till you don’t have a tendency to get rid of that group. The goose that laid the golden egg, so you just cover your eyes,” Ham said.

Outside the courtroom, Coutta said, “I want things to be out. What’s right is right. I want the truth out about the whole situation.”

Ham claimed the owners had the power to clean up the situation at the club but didn’t.

“Every time I brought it up to her, she would demote me, she would cut my pay, she would walk away from me,” Ham said.

Coutta claims it might have looked like sex, but it wasn’t. It was just lap dancing.

“It does look like people are having sex and I went to Mike Gibson and asked him what can they do different in a private room because it looks like they’re having sex at every club,” Coutta said.

Hamalso alluded that Coutta allegedly knew about underaged dancing going on.

“They knew if a mouse farted, so to play not to know what was going on is absolutely ridiculous,” Ham said.

Coutta seemed a little nervous about the way her case was going on Tuesday, telling ABC-7 she wasn’t happy with her defense attorney. She didn’t bring that up on Wednesday.

Jurors are in for another long day on Thursday — the trial reconvenes at 7:30 a.m. The judge expects the jury to begin deliberations on Thursday afternoon.