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« Hillary Clinton is coming to R.I. on Feb. 24 | Today | 5 years later: Station fire victims to be remembered » February 15, 2008Oster trial: Jury sees and hears Oster, Picerno tapesPROVIDENCE -- The jury in the bribery and conspiracy trial of former Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster today watched and heard a taped meeting between Oster and Robert R. Picerno, who has since pleaded no contest to bribery and was wearing a transmitting device during the meeting. The roughly 40 minutes of recording covered a meeting in Oster's law office and then outside the building's main entrance. State police videotaped their encounter outside from a police vehicle about 100 feet away. The device Picerno wore allowed for an audio recording. Three video screens were arrayed in front of the jury box, as well as a larger screen. The tape began with State Police briefing Picerno on how the devices work and then heading over to Oster's office to talk local politics and about the H&H Screw Co. property -- town-controlled land at the case's heart. Oster is on trial in Providence County Superior Court on two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy. The state alleges that he and Picerno twice plotted to get bribes from would-be buyers of the H&H Screw Co. site on Route 116. The state's case contends that Oster’s role was to get the town to sell the land for $105,000 in exchange for $25,000 cash payoffs. Picerno pleaded no contest in 2004 to four counts of taking, or trying to solicit, bribes, and three counts of conspiracy to solicit bribes.
-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Mike McKinney CommentsDr John DeMello | February 17, 2008 10:04 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
The reporter here did a good and thorough job. This is the smoking gun tape that was described 6 years ago today by then Att Gen Whitehouse that showed Oster " accepting a bribe ". It is apparent to this reporter and anyone else that saw Friday's tape that Oster was not seen accepting any bribe which means that Whitehouse lied to get a headline. Whitehouse announced this lie to take attention away from his future opponent, Tony Pires, that everyone knew was announcing his run for governor on this very same day.
If anyone or any reporter saw or heard Oster taking a bribe on Friday's tapes, it would have been a top news story. Instead, it has been reported that it seemed like Oster was hearing Picerno's issues (in conspiracy with the State Police to sting Oster) for the first time. This makes this an entrapment operation instead of a sting.