Out of the frying pan, into the fire.

☛ TS Attorneys discard Kesser's polygraph results
Gallegos' deal: A failed polygraph test taken by Richard Kesser, a Fortuna man accused in 1991 of hiring a hit man to murder his estranged wife, was thrown out of evidence Tuesday after attorneys in his case agreed to administer a new test.

The agreement was another step in a prolonged plea deal, arranged in 2007, requiring Kesser to make a full polygraphed statement regarding the deal struck with his former girlfriend and a hit man to kill his former wife, Mary Kesser.

Under the plea agreement, if Kesser truthfully answered the questions posed in the polygraph test, and testified in any trial related to Mary Kesser's death, he was to be convicted of second-degree murder, rather than first-degree murder...

And now: ...Prosecutors in Kesser's case argued for the legitimacy of the question. A court document signed by District Attorney Paul Gallegos stated, “Kesser knew what the truth was and all he had to do was be truthful. Instead he lied. Defendant thought he could fool the examiner and he failed.”

Prosecution and defense attorneys agreed Tuesday to find a new polygraph technician to readminister the test. Kesser is expected to return to court Sept. 25...