DiMasi asks to bar witness in corruption case

DiMasi asks to bar witness in corruption case

By Associated Press  |   Thursday, March 24, 2011  |  http://www.bostonherald.com  |  Local Politics

Former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi and two co-defendants are asking a federal judge to bar testimony at their upcoming corruption trial from a man who pleaded guilty in their alleged bid-rigging scheme.

DiMasi, Joseph McDonough and Richard Vitale are charged with scheming to rig lucrative state contracts for the software company Cognos in exchange for payments, with DiMasi allegedly pocketing $57,000.

Earlier this month, another co-defendant, Joseph Lally, pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against DiMasi and the others.

Lawyers for DiMasi, McDonough and Vitale have asked Judge Mark Wolf to bar Lally from testifying. They argue that the promise from prosecutors to recommend a lower sentence and to not force Lally to forfeit his family home gives him incentive to "curry favor" by tailoring his testimony to help prosecutors.

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1325851