Dasendefensebegins

The prosecution concluded its case in the trial of Dick Dasen Sr. Friday, dropping one prostitution-related charge because a witness never appeared; then the defense took over, starting out by calling Dasen's wife to the stand.

Dasen, a Kalispell businessman, now faces a total of 13 charges related to prostitution and sex with minors.

Deputy County Attorneys Dan Guzynski and Lori Adams dismissed one charge against Dasen, 62, because the witness whose testimony corresponded with the charge wasn't going to appear in court. The woman has medical problems, prosecutors told Judge Stuart Stadler.

Attorney George Best began Dasen's defense by calling Susan Dasen to testify on her husband's behalf. The couple have been married for nearly 43 years.

Susan Dasen's gray hair was a stark contrast to the young women who have testified that her husband paid them thousands of dollars for sexual favors.

Best asked Susan Dasen to describe her husband's character.

"He's a man that can't say no," she said.

Her husband couldn't refuse people's pleas, whether it was for monetary assistance or to serve on a charitable organization's board, she said. He never asked for repayment and he always took people's stories as being the truth.

"He always believed people unless he had a reason not to," she said. "Whereas if I hear a sob story, I gotta investigate it."

She said she hadn't known about her husband's extramarital affairs.

"Dick was a good husband, believe it or not," she said.

He called her every day to see if she wanted to meet him for lunch, which she often did. And he was always home by 6 p.m. The two plan to stay married, she said.

Guzynski asked few questions during cross-examination. He established with her that to her knowledge, Dick Dasen Sr. helped people by giving money but didn't try to find people jobs.

Dasen's former secretary took the stand next.

Theresa Miller testified that in the 10 years she worked for Dasen, she saw a stream of men and women of varying ages that Dasen gave money to with no insistence on repayment.

"I couldn't stand it any more," she said. "I felt like people were taking advantage of him."

Miller said she had noticed many young women asking for help.

Prosecutor Adams was quick to pose her first question to Miller.

"You knew all along he was sleeping with them, right?" she asked.

"No," Miller replied.

Adams rapidly asked Miller several questions designed to point out that Dasen lied to people despite his good works.

"He lived two lives, didn't he?" Adams asked.

"Yes," Miller said.

Adams pointed out that Dasen's payments for sex with one woman over a two-month period were equal to what he paid Miller for a whole year of work.

"I still think he's a great guy," Miller said toward the end of her testimony.

One of the many people Dasen helped without expectation of repayment is Boyd Roth, who testified on Dasen's behalf on Friday.

Dasen gave him a house, which Roth now lives in, and the house is open for people to stay in when they need help, Roth said. And Roth said he knew of other people Dasen assisted and that he gave freely without attached conditions.

The prosecution did not cross-examine Roth.

The court adjourned for the day after Roth's testimony because the defense's next witness wasn't available.

Earlier in the day Friday, the prosecution rested its case after 12 days of testimony that has portrayed Dasen as a man who had an understood but not stated agreement with numerous young women, including teenagers, who exchanged sexual favors for money.

Many of the women said they were drug addicts desperate for money to feed their habits as well as their families. Some stated Dasen was often rough or violent during sex.

The prosecution also called on officers with the Kalispell Police Department who interviewed more than 100 people and reviewed more than 2,500 checks that totaled more than $5 million, much of which women say Dasen paid them for sex.

Questioning by the defense has shown Dasen did not demand sex in return for money and gave money to some women without favors exchanged. Witnesses also testified they occasionally lied to Dasen about their drug addictions or about their financial situations.

Detectives acknowledged some of those witnesses might have lied to police about their relationships with Dasen and some of them were offered immunity on criminal charges in exchange for their cooperation in the Dasen investigation.

Reporter Camden Easterling can be reached at 758-4429 or by e-mail at ceasterling@dailyinterlake.com