Was Shelton developer James Botti ââgreasing the wheelâ to become a big developer in Shelton?
Or was he simply following the old-time values that people in the Valley embrace when he did favors for the mayor and gave gifts to public officials?
Each perspective was argued Wednesday at U.S. District Court in New Haven during closing arguments in Bottiâs federal corruption trial.
The arguments, which lasted most of the day Wednesday, are the last word attorneys for Botti and the government get in the case.
The trial has lasted two and a half weeks.
Thursday morning Judge Charles Haight will give the jury its instructions on how to evaluate the facts, and about noon the jury will begin deliberating.
Greasing The Wheel
Assistant U.S. attorneys Rahul Kale and Richard Schechter asked jurors to find Botti guilty in their closing remarks. (Read in detail the governmentâs statements here.)
Kale said gifts and favors from Botti to public officials were his way of ââgreasing the wheelâ to get ahead as a developer in Shelton.
He corrupted the land-use process and the âânice peopleâ involved along the way, Kale argued.
âIt Doesnât Fit Togetherâ
But Dow argued that the governmentâs case is ââfatally flawedâ in that it lacks perspective.
In his closing statements, Dow repeated arguments that Botti was bombastic and canât be believed, and called into question the evidence the government put forward.
(Read Dowâs arguments in more detail here.)
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