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September 28, 2007

Lawyers ask court to affirm Urciuoli, Driscoll verdicts

PROVIDENCE -- Federal prosecutors are asking a federal appeals court to uphold guilty verdicts against two former hospital executives convicted in a corruption case.

They filed court papers today rejecting arguments from Robert Urciuoli and Frances Driscoll that the trial judge gave the jury flawed instructions.

Robert Urciuoli is the former president of Roger Williams Medical Center. Driscoll was a senior vice president. They were convicted last year of paying then-Senator John Celona to advance their agenda at the Statehouse.

Defense lawyers say the trial judge should not have allowed the jury to consider acts that Celona took on the hospital's behalf that were unrelated to his votes in the Senate. But prosecutors say that argument defies common sense.

The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal has permitted Urciuoli and Driscoll to remain free on bail.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 12:45 PM | Permalink

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