Feb 24 2007
Mafia trial sets date to set a date
Long process Mountain of wiretaps, other evidence to examine, lawyer says
Court procedures involving 90 defendants facing charges that they were part of a huge Mafia drug trafficking network are beginning to show all the signs of a long and dragged-out process.
In the latest court appearance, lawyers for 18 defendants agreed yesterday in Quebec Court to set March 27 as a date when they will meet to set another date for a hearing on disclosure of evidence to the defence.
None of the defendants were present in court for the hearing.
Four of the 18 have been denied bail, including alleged Montreal Mafia boss Nicolo (Nick) Rizzuto, 82, father of Vito Rizzuto, who was extradited to the United States last year to face murder charges in New York.
Other detainees include Paolo Renda and Francesco Arcadi.
The defendants were arrested Nov. 22 after a three-year investigation during which police bugged and videotaped the inside of the Mafia’s central meeting place, the Consenza Social Club at 4891 Jarry St. E. between Viau and Lacordaire Blvds.
The social club has since changed its name to Cattolica Eraclea, after a small village in southern Sicily from where the Rizzuto clan originates.
Frank Pappas, one of the defence lawyers, said after yesterday’s hearing that there is a mountain of wiretaps and other evidence that has already been transferred to defence lawyers on CDs.
But much more is on its way.
One police officer who worked the case predicted it will take lawyers months to go through it all.
After the defence is satisfied that all the evidence has been disclosed, preliminary hearings will be held for all defendants, unless they choose to go straight to trial.
Preliminary hearings alone could take months.
The case involves allegations of more than 13 major drug importations of millions of dollars worth of cocaine.
The trials are scheduled to be held at the mega courthouse at Bordeaux Prison on Gouin Blvd. where the Hells Angels trials took place.
The Gazette (Montreal) 2007 WILLIAM MARSDEN Saturday, February 24, 2007 http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/montreal/story.html?id=bd64532e-2025-4aa9-99d7-1367a292ec46&k=57758
