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Dianne Wilkerson says she can't get a fair trial anywhere in Massachusetts thanks to US Attorney and his bra photo
By adamg on Mon, 11/02/2009 - 10:02pm
Lawyers for former state senator Dianne Wilkerson today asked a federal judge to either dismiss all the extortion charges against her or move her trial to another state.
In a motion filed in US District Court in Boston, the lawyers said the US Attorney's office made it impossible for her to get an impartial jury by handing the media not just a detailed FBI affidavit but the now infamous and "outrageous" photo of her allegedly stuffing a bribe into her bra. Attached to the motion was 150 pages of copies of Globe and Herald news articles and columns about the allegations related to an alleged liquor-license scheme and plans for a parcel of land in Roxbury.
Her lawyers noted that Wilkerson was marched in handcuffs to court, which they contrasted with the treatment given indicted state representatives Tom Finneran and Sal DiMasi. DiMasi, they wrote, was given the courtesy of an advance call to his lawyer so that he could appear in court without running a press gauntlet. Even disgraced Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci was given more privacy during procedings than Wilkerson, they wrote.
In a separate motion, Wilkerson also asked to be tried separately from City Councilor Chuck Turner, arguing that the two are really charged with separate crimes - even though the same "cooperating witness" is alleged to have given both money.
Motions filed today:
Motion to dismiss or change venue.
Motion to try her separately from Turner.
NOTE: I first heard about Wilkerson's motion to dismiss or change venue via a tweet from the State House News Service. I used the court system's online docketing site to download the motions.
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Comments
Menino's friend, right?
This would be the same Dianne Wilkerson that Tom Menino and Michael Kinneavy worked so hard on and so desperately wanted to see re-elected, right? I hope that voters remember that one tomorrow too...
Hmm...she has a point
I mean, if she hadn't taken bribes from a federal agent and cooperating witness and stuffed money into her bra in front of a hidden camera, then we all wouldn't know she's guilty before the trial begins.
Maybe she should have thought of that before she took bribes and stuffed them in her bra in front of a hidden camera. That would solve her problems right now of appearing to be guilty before the trial.
Ergo, sucks to be her. I say the trial is on as scheduled.
But where's my DiMasi perp walk?
I wanted to see footage of six cops busting into his North End condo, arresting him at the breakfast table in a T-shirt. You know, like they do to criminals.
the rules
are different for different types of people. Senator Wilkerson was calling Michael Kineavey in the mayors office to do her bidding and get the license, he deletes the evidence and lo and behold, nothing happens to him or his other co-conspirators in city hall. Chuck and Senator Wilkerson are paraded through the streets though, please!
You'd be surprised how easy
You'd be surprised how easy it is to find a jury that has not seen that photo... but are they the kind of people you want deciding the truth?
You mean people who don't
You mean people who don't read the Herald? Um, yes, I would.
Wait what?
Does she think that the jury in wherever is not going to at any point be shown that photo as evidence?
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Far and Away
Please, please send her as far away as we can to get a fair trial. I heard the juris prudence on St. Helena is fantastic.
Boo Hoo
This woman has been acting in a criminal way for years...She's so arrogant that she arranges for bribe to paid in a public place...Now she says that she
can't get a fair trial. Send her up the river.