Lincoln Park retrial to begin in new courtroom, state

Tuesday, July 12, 2005 | 9:28 a.m.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- After a jury here deadlocked in February on a crucial conspiracy charge against the Lincoln Park dog track and two of its former executives, federal prosecutors moved swiftly for a retrial.

Defense lawyers countered with a strategic move of their own, asking for the second trial to be held out of state. U.S. District Judge Mary Lisi obliged, relocating the proceedings to the federal court in Worcester, Mass., agreeing that publicity had made it "nearly impossible" to guarantee the defendants' right to a fair trial.

In a closely watched case, a change of venue request was a logical way to reduce the hype and reach a pool of jurors lacking prior knowledge of the allegations, legal experts said Monday.

"You want to make the process as pristine as possible, and this is a way to make it more pristine," said Providence defense attorney Robert Mann.

Federal prosecutors accuse Daniel Bucci, the park's former general manager, and Nigel Potter, a top executive at Lincoln Park's parent company, Wembley PLC, of proposing a bribe of up to _$4 million to the law office of former House Speaker John Harwood.

The alleged scheme was aimed at winning legislative support for more video lottery terminals at the park and shoring up lawmakers' opposition to a Narragansett Indian Tribe casino.