No Verdict Yet In Botti Trial

Only one note came out of the jury room during deliberations in the James Botti corruption trial Monday.

We’re looking to stop at 4:30?” the note said.

No verdict — which means the jury will start deliberating again at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

In the fourth week of Botti’s federal corruption trial at U.S. District Court in New Haven, all that’s left to do is wait, as the 12-member jury discusses almost three weeks worth of testimony and evidence. (Read all the articles on the trial here.)

Judge Charles Haight Jr. thanked the jury for taking their time to really consider the evidence.

I think you’re to be commended for the hard work you’ve done today,” Haight told the jury after reading the note into the record. I know you will reflect carefully on what you have been saying to each other — your deliberations.”

The jury began deliberations Thursday afternoon.

Monday, the members heard more testimony read back from three Planning and Zoning commissioners who testified about the days before their approval of Botti’s 828 Bridgeport Ave. proposal.

The jury had requested to hear the testimony Friday morning, and only heard some of it before going home for the weekend.

The three commissioners were then-chairman Allan Cribbins, Leon Sylvester and Daniel Orazietti.

During the week before the vote, there was contact among commissioners at the urging of Botti and Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti, each commissioner had testified.

Prosecutors claim that during that week, Botti bribed Lauretti to help him win influence on the vote.

Lauretti has not been charged, and has denied wrongdoing — even releasing a statement this weekend that criticized the federal prosecutors for the way they have handled the case.

(Note: The timeline below outlines dates provided during testimony in the trial. Please allow some time for all the dates to load. To zoom in to dates, click on the plus signs at the bottom of the timeline or on the scroll bar at the left.) 

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