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[Philadelphia] Mariano guilty of corruption charges
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Candidate
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| Contributor | Scott³ |
| Last Edited | Scott³ Mar 18, 2006 03:36pm |
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| Category | News |
| Media | Newspaper - Philadelphia Inquirer |
| News Date | Saturday, March 18, 2006 09:35:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | Philadelphia Inquirer article.
An excerpt...
"Rick Mariano, an electrician who rose from a tough corner of Northeast Philadelphia to become a city councilman, was convicted of corruption charges yesterday and led from a federal courtroom in handcuffs.
Mariano's wife, son and staffers did not flinch at the guilty verdicts, but Susan Mariano and others gasped when U.S. District Judge Lawrence F. Stengel ordered the councilman imprisoned immediately. Stengel, citing Mariano's suicide scare at City Hall shortly before last year's indictment, revoked bail pending a psychiatric evaluation.
As a marshal prepared to cuff him in public, Mariano said, "Can we do it back there?" He didn't get his wish and is expected to remain at the Federal Detention Center through the weekend.
Mariano, 50, became the first elected city official convicted in 15 years, and under state law he can remain on Council only until he is sentenced, probably by midsummer. Mayor Street, a longtime friend, called on Mariano yesterday to resign immediately. Mariano's top aide vowed the councilman would not step down.
The jury deliberated for about six hours before convicting Mariano of 18 counts, including conspiracy, bribery, money laundering, fraud and tax charges. He was acquitted of four fraud charges.
"The evidence was so glaring, so overwhelming, we had no choice but to come up with a guilty verdict," said juror Jon Thorpe, a real estate agent from East Norriton, Montgomery County. "The prosecution had a very tight case and the defense did very little to contest the evidence."
Another juror said the paper trail doomed Mariano." |
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