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Opening Statements Delivered in Political Corruption Trial

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-967338.mp3

Boston, MA – Opening statements have been delivered in the political corruption trial of former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi and two co-defendants. WAMC's Paul Tuthill reports...

A federal prosecutor told the jury Thursday that Governor Deval Patrick would be among the witnesses the government would call in the trial.

DiMasi and two others are charged in a scheme to rig state contracts for the software company Cognos in exchange for payments.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Merritt says DiMasi personally appealed to Patrick to support a $15 million management software contract.

Defense attorneys said the government's case would rely on Joseph Lally, a former Cognos salesman who pleaded guilty in exchange for testifying for the prosecution.

The defense called Lally a "liar" and a "degenerate gambler."

Paul Tuthill, WAMC News.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.