Defense closing: Don’t "demonized" Fumo

The fate of former state Senator Vince Fumo is now in the hands of a jury of two men and ten women. The four and a half month federal corruption trial wrapped up today with a dramatic pitch to the jury by both the prosecution and the defense.

The fate of former state Senator Vince Fumo is now in the hands of a jury of two men and ten women. The four and a half month federal corruption trial wrapped up today with a dramatic pitch to the jury by both the prosecution and the defense.

Transcript:
Defense attorney Dennis Cogan accused the prosecution of “demonizing” Vince Fumo.

Cogan: “There once was somebody, you see him now brought low, you see him now exactly the way the government wants you to see him. They have demonized this man. They have done everything they could possbily do. Who would have the will to go on?  Who would have the will to go on in the face of this unrelenting onslaught of the government?”

Cogan told the jury Fumo never acted with “intent” to deceive or defraud the State Senate, the Independence Seaport Museum or the non-profit, Citizen’s Alliance. But Assistant U-S Attorney Robert Zauzmer accused the defense of misrepresenting the evidence.

Zauzmer: “We’re not demonizing by talking about everything that happened, we’re focused on the criminal activity.”

The government says Fumo used his senate staff as personal servants and helped himself to millions of dollars of goods and services from both the museum and the non-profit. The prosecution also accuses Fumo of trying to cover up the wrong-doing once he learned of the federal investigation. The jury will start to deliberate the 139 count indictment tomorrow.

Listen:
Click on the play button below or right click on this link and choose “Save Link As” to download. [audio: reports20090304fumodefense.mp3]