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(Salt Lake City-AP) -- Trial has begun for a worker accused of falsifying air monitoring test results at the Deseret Chemical Depot, where much of the nation's arsenal of chemical weapons is stored and is being destroyed.
David James Yarbrough of Stockton faces eight counts of making false statements to a government agency.
He is accused of altering records from June 29th to August 16th of last year, falsely claiming that air monitoring units were performing at passing levels during baseline tests, while knowing that data showed the units were operating below approved performance levels.
Defense attorney Earl Xaiz told jurors that Yarbrough did not make any false statements or conceal test results.
His client believed he was following regulations as he performed the complicated, technical procedures to verify that the testing units were functioning at a level that would ensure worker safety.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
