Expert witness not such an expert

Greg Tuttle

Wednesday, May 17, 2000 | 10:47 a.m.

Gary Duane Branum's resume looked good: A senior research chemist at a Texas company followed by a position as the head of clinical chemistry and toxicolgy at a nearby hospital.

At least that's how Branum described his qualifications when he testified as a witness five years ago during a court-martial at Nellis Air Force Base.

Problem is, Branum didn't work those jobs during the times he listed on his resume because he was serving time in jail for drug dealing, according to a federal grand jury indictment issued Monday.

Now Branum is charged with obstruction of proceedings for allegedly passing himself off as a expert witness at the 1995 court-martial of Staff Sgt. Phillip G. Maybery. Maybery was on trial in the military court for using heroin and passing bad checks, according to Nellis officials.

Branum presented a false curricula vitae, or resume, to the military judge in order to testify as a hired expert for Maybery's defense, federal prosecutors allege. Among his qualifications, Branum said he was employed as the senior research chemist at American Petrofina in Big Springs, Texas, between 1981 and 1983, and was a department head at a hospital in the same city between 1983 and 1987.

But in 1983, Branum was convicted in a Texas court for delivery of methamphetamine and served two years of a 10-year sentence, according to the indictment. He was released from a Texas prison in February 1985.

Branum also was charged Monday with perjury for allegedly telling the military judge at Maybery's trial his resume was up to date and accurate.