Jury is selected in Lincoln Park retrial

Wednesday, July 13, 2005 | 9:05 a.m.

WORCESTER, Mass. -- Twelve jurors were selected Tuesday afternoon for the second bribery conspiracy trial for Rhode Island's Lincoln Park dog track and two of its former executives.

Daniel Bucci, the track's former general manager, and Nigel Potter, former chief executive of its London-based parent company, Wembley PLC, allegedly conspired to bribe former House Speaker John Harwood with up to $4 million in payments to his Pawtucket, R.I., law firm.

The first trial, held in Rhode Island, ended in February with a federal jury finding the defendants innocent of wire fraud and deadlocking on 20 other counts -- including the most serious conspiracy charge.

Early last month U.S. District Judge Mary Lisi agreed to a defense request to relocate the second trial to Worcester, saying publicity surrounding the case made it "nearly impossible" to seat a fair and impartial jury.

Prosecutors said the defendants plotted the bribery scheme to win support for their plan to add more video lottery machines at Lincoln Park, located in Lincoln, R.I., and to solidify lawmakers' opposition to a proposed Narragansett Indian casino.

The bribe was allegedly proposed to Dan McKinnon, Harwood's law partner and the park's lawyer and adviser. McKinnon rejected the idea, court papers show, and he and Harwood were not charged.