"North Providence corruption trial to start; 3 officials jailed in bribery case" by Michelle R. Smith | Associated Press October 14, 2014
PROVIDENCE — Trial begins Tuesday for a well-known developer accused of paying a $50,000 bribe in a case that already has sent three North Providence town councilors to prison.
Richard P. Baccari and his development company, Churchill & Banks, have pleaded not guilty to charges of bribery and conspiracy in US District Court in Providence. They were indicted a year ago, accused of paying off the councilors to ensure they would approve a zoning change so the company could build a Stop & Shop supermarket.
The case first came to light in 2010 with the indictments of the three councilors: John Zambarano, Raymond L. Douglas 3d, and Joseph Burchfield, then the North Providence Town Council president. Later that year, additional charges were brought against Robert Ciresi, a lawyer who worked for Baccari. He was accused of being the middleman who delivered the bribe money to Zambarano in 2009.
The councilors ultimately pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy, extortion, and bribery in 2011. Ciresi went to trial, and a jury convicted him of conspiracy, bribery, and extortion. All four are serving prison terms. Another man pleaded guilty to facilitating a bribe for a different development.
Lawyers for Baccari and his company have previously argued to US District Judge John McConnell that the charges against them should be dismissed because they are accused of having the money extorted from them under threat of ‘‘economic duress.’’
‘‘All that the government’s evidence could possibly show is that the defendants reluctantly acquiesced to the councilmen’s extortionate demands,’’ lawyers John Mitchell and Anthony Cardinale wrote in a motion to dismiss the charges.
Judge McConnell denied the motion, as well as other attempts to get the case thrown out....
--more--"
