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Prosecutors are close to wrapping up their case against former state Treasurer Robert Vigil.

The government was expected to rest late Wednesday but prosecutors didn't finish with two final witnesses, both FBI agents, before U.S. District Judge James Browning dismissed jurors for the evening.

Part of the reason was an hour-long delay when defense attorneys objected to a government chart that outlines state financial transactions and what prosecutors allege are kickbacks to Vigil from commissions paid to investment advisers.

Vigil's lawyers asked to review the display for accuracy, briefly holding up the testimony of FBI Agent Margaret Russin, the lead investigator in the case.

Defense attorney Sam Bregman was expected to begin presenting his case today.

During Vigil's first trial last spring, Bregman opted against presenting any evidence, saying the government hadn't met its burden to prove Vigil's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Vigil has pleaded not guilty to 24 federal extortion, racketeering and conspiracy counts. His first trial resulted in a mistrial in May when one juror held out for an acquittal.

After Russin leaves the witness stand, the government's final witness will be FBI Agent Drew McCandless. He questioned Vigil at his home near Ribera early on the morning of Sept. 16, 2005, before placing him under arrest.

Earlier, jurors heard from state Treasurer's Office investment adviser Mark Canavan, who described a conversation with Vigil in which the former treasurer - shortly after taking office in January 2003 - outlined a strategy for reducing the size of flexible repurchase agreements.

That change led to lower commissions on the transactions, which prosecutors say in turn led to smaller kickbacks in the alleged scheme. The defense maintains Vigil reduced the state's risk by insisting on shorter terms and diversifying the state's investment portfolio.

Vigil's predecessor, Michael Montoya, began the practice of using flexible repurchase agreements. Montoya has pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme and testified for the government after agreeing to help prosecutors.

"Mr. Vigil said Michael's mistake was he got too greedy," Canavan testified.

He said Vigil told him: "When you do smaller things - little bits here, little bits there - that's the way to work it out. Pigs get fed. Hogs get slaughtered."

Bregman used cross-examination to point out inconsistencies between Canavan's testimony at the first trial and his words on the stand this week.

He also got Canavan to agree that many changes instituted by Vigil were improvements over practices used during Montoya's term.

Bregman also challenged Canavan on whether Vigil urged him to give so-called "last looks" to Guy Riordan, an Albuquerque broker for Wachovia Securities.

Canavan said he sometimes informed brokers of competitors' bids - at Vigil's direction. Such preferential treatment allowed those brokers to win state business by submitting a higher bid.

Canavan said Riordan persistently called to seek the information. He also said he gave last looks to at least one other adviser.

"Did Mr. Vigil ever pressure you to give Guy Riordan last looks?" Bregman asked.

"In those words, no. In other ways, yes," Canavan replied.

Riordan, a friend of Gov. Bill Richardson, was appointed by the governor to the state Game Commission in 2003. Richardson removed Riordan from the commission after his name came up in Vigil's first trial.