Mayor Mark A. Lauretti was the special guest star in most of the questioning and arguments heard on the first day of the federal corruption trial for Shelton developer James Botti.
Prosecutors kicked off the trial Monday by telling the jury that Botti bribed Lauretti with “tens of thousands of dollars” and favors such as free renovations on Lauretti’s home in his quest to get development projects approved in Shelton.
Prosecutors called Lauretti a “partner in crime” and compared Shelton officials to automobiles, saying “both are for sale.”
“The evidence will show James Botti bought public officials,” said U.S. Prosecutor Richard Schechter. “The evidence will show he believed Shelton was crooked, corrupt and that to get anywhere in that town, he had to pay off the mayor, Mark A. Lauretti.”
Lauretti was so central to the government’s case that Botti’s attorney, William Dow III, noted he would almost also be representing Lauretti as he defends Botti against the charges of conspiracy to defraud the citizens of Shelton, mail fraud and bribery.
“In a way I’m going to be representing the town of Shelton, and, in a crazy way, Mark Lauretti, who isn’t even here,” Dow said during his opening remarks Monday morning at U.S. District Court in New Haven.
Dow invoked the question on several minds: If the government has so much evidence showing Botti bribed Lauretti, why hasn’t the mayor been charged with anything?
“After an eight-year investigation, what you have here is Jim Botti sitting alone in this courtroom,” Dow said. “Although the government says they have evidence against Mark Lauretti, what they have is Jim Botti sitting alone in this courtroom.”
A message was left with Lauretti Monday evening seeking comment.
Lauretti has not been charged with any crime, and government attorneys only say the investigation is ongoing when asked if an indictment is pending.
In past interviews, he has repeatedly said he did nothing wrong — and invited the government to present their case, if they have one.
Old Time Values?
Monday’s testimony began to show how the two sides are framing their arguments.
Dow is taking the approach that Shelton, and the Valley, is an “insular,” and “unique” place where people still have 1950s values.
“People watch out for their friends,” Dow said in his opening statement. “They do favors for their friends.”
Dow’s questioning of witnesses followed this path.
He questioned local developer Barry Mucci about his relationship with building official Elliot Wilson. According to the testimony, Mucci fixed Wilson’s bulldozer “no money exchanged, just a favor between friends.”
“If you thought there was something wrong with it, you wouldn’t do it, right?” Dow asked Mucci.
“Right,” Mucci replied.
Dow also used similar questioning with Ralph Matto, a local builder who drew up the plans for Lauretti’s home renovations in 2002. Those renovations are part of the government’s case against Botti.
Matto didn’t charge Lauretti for the plans and said he has done the same for about 40 to 50 people over his 20-plus year career.
‘The Mayor Owes Me’
The government started to shape its argument by having witnesses testify about times Botti admitted to bribing public officials.
“One of his famous lines was, he would always throw out this statement: ‘The mayor owes me,’” Mucci testified.
Mucci, the developer who said he fixed Wilson’s bulldozer for free, said he worked for Botti as a subcontractor for a few months on the Crown Point development on Bridgeport Avenue. During that time, Mucci said he witnessed Lauretti meet with Botti two to four times.
Matto testified about a conversation he had with Botti about the renovations to Lauretti’s home.
Matto drew up the plans, but Botti was the builder on the project, Matto said. The two had never met until Matto stopped by one day to check in on how the project was coming.
Botti pulled Matto aside, Matto testified.
“He’s telling me he’s basically donating the material,” Matto said. “I asked him what for. He said ‘I’m trying to do him (Lauretti) a favor.’ I said ‘I think you’re a little crazy to do that. Why would you do this thing? I couldn’t understand why he would be doing such a favor for someone he didn’t know.”
“I said ‘If you’re going to do something like that, you’re better off to hand him the money and let him pay your men,’” Matto recalled. “So it looks good. So it looks proper.”
Mr. Bombastic?
Dow has said he intends to give evidence that Botti is “bombastic and hyperbolic” and what he says can’t be trusted, as a way to refute much of the government’s testimony.
Dow touched upon this argument in his cross examination of Thomas D’Addario, the owner of D’Addario Buick in Shelton.
D’Addario testified about a car sale between Botti and Wilson, the building official.
He said having Botti as a customer was “challenging,” because he often changed his mind and “deals weren’t done with Mr. Botti until the truck went out the door.”
“Would you say his statements were inconsistent?” Dow asked.
“In many cases,” D’Addario answered.
“Unreliable,” Dow said.
“In many cases.”
“Inaccurate,” Dow said.
“In many cases.”
Next Steps
The trial continues Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. It’s not clear yet when Lauretti will be called to testify.
He is one of several big names on a list of potential witnesses.
The government also plans to play wiretapped conversations where Botti talks about the alleged corruption in city hall.
A cassette tape from the June 2006 Planning and Zoning meeting where Botti’s development project at 828 Bridgeport Ave. is discussed will also be part of the record.
