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« Wake today for Providence soldier killed in Iraq | Today | State House to be lit in red, white, blue as tribute / Photo » September 11, 2006Both sides in Urciuoli trial sketch their views to juryPROVIDENCE -- In opening statements in the Roger Williams Medical Center corruption trial this morning, lawyers for the prosecution and the defense painted contrasting views of the defendants and the government’s star witness, ex-state Sen. John A. Celona. Former Roger Williams president Robert Urciuoli, former vice president Frances P. Driscoll and former Village at Elmhurst president Peter J. Sangermano Jr. are charged with conspiracy and mail fraud for allegedly stealing Celona’s honest services by hiring him to do their bidding at the State House. “A corrupt politician doesn’t act on his own,” Asst. U.S. Atty. Luis Matos said in the courtroom of Chief U.S. District Judge Ernest C. Torres. “He needs someone to pay him and tell him what matters to work on, and someone to help him hide his actions.” Matos sketched out the alleged conspiracy for jurors, describing Urciuoli as “the deal maker,” Driscoll as Celona’s “handler” and Sangermano as “the enabler” – someone who “helped make the deal go through.” Instead of working for the Village at Elmhurst, recruiting senior citizens as residents to the assisted-living center half-owned by Roger Williams, Matos said that Celona secretly did Roger Williams’ political bidding, using his office to lobby towns to increase ambulance runs, oppose or support various legislation and pressure health insurers to increase their reimbursement payments to Roger Williams. Richard M. Egbert, one of Urciuoli’s lawyers, countered that the defendants had no intention of defrauding or deceiving the public and fully disclosed Celona’s duties to the Rhode Island Ethics Commission. -- Journal staff writer Mike Stanton In his six years as a consultant, from 1998 to 2004, Celona saw his weekly pay rise from $700 to $892 to $1,000, said Matos – earning a total of $260,638. Most of the 38 counts in the indictment involve honest services mail fraud – the actual use of the federal mails to send Celona his paychecks. Egbert said that Urciuoli hired Celona for his extensive contacts among the elderly, to promote the Village at Elmhurst and other health services, at a time when Celona was in need of a job to provide for his wife and two children. “And for that good deed he finds himself here today . . . for helping another human being,” Egbert said. “Unfortunately, that human being is John Celona, a cheat and a thief who got caught. “John Celona is going to get on the stand and tell you some whoppers.” Driscoll’s lawyer, Kevin J. Bristow, followed Egbert and argued that his client, a 67-year-old woman who has devoted her life to education and working for nonprofits – is “an extremely honest and ethical person who has never committed a crime.” Judge Torres broke for lunch at 12:40 p.m. This afternoon, Sangermano’s lawyer will deliver an opening statement, and then the government is expected to call its first witness. Celona is expected to take the stand later this week. Posted by Kate Bramson CommentsPC | September 11, 2006 4:24 PM link PC, Come on. RI will never be a state that fosters economic development or true quality of life until corruption is eliminated. Celona may be a clown, but Urciuoli, Driscoll, and Sangermano got caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Maybe sending their guilty asses to jail will make the next businesses leaders think twice about giving out bribes. JD | September 11, 2006 6:47 PM link Post a commentPlease be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish. |
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ProJo 9 to 5 News Blog
Oct 2005 - March 2006
It is pretty amazing that the government's star witness is an admitted fraud and liar. On the anniversary of 9/11 - shouldn't the government be thinking about how to better spend our tax dollars. Personally I (and I think most people) are more concerned with terrorism and violence then with pursuing a case against people and basing it on the word of a man who is trying to spin tales in order to avoid jail time.