We're at lunch at the trial, and the City of Seattle, it seems could use a break.

Specifically, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels was grilled for about an hour by Brad Keller, lead attorney for the Sonics.

Nickels admitted that the current lease agreement between the city and the team is financially straining and a money loser. He also acknowledged the city had been working with Wally Walker as a go-between with a local, private investment group to try and coax Bennett's group to sell the group to a local ownership group, which included the strategy of getting the team to lose money by forcing them to honor the lease and stay another two years.

While Keller seemed confident and compelling in his opening statement and cross examination of Nickels, attorneys for the city seemed to stumble on themselves a couple times when attorneys for the Sonics objected to exhibits or statements.

As promised, U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman has run a tight ship, asking a member of the public to sit down when he tried to switch to a different seat, and admonishing another member of the public for coughing while Keller spoke.

About 15 Sonics fans showed up to view the trail, a much smaller number than expected. The court is about half full, with members of the media taking up the largest section of seats.

Nickels will be on the witness stand again when the trial resumes at 1:30 p.m.