Calif. city corruption case heading to close

Wednesday February 20, 2013 4:15 AM

By LINDA DEUTSCH

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A prosecutor and defense attorneys plan to argue whether evidence in the trial of six city officials in California proves they were corrupt.

Most of the defendants who testified had defended the huge salaries they collected as Bell city officials. They say they earned their nearly six-figure salaries.

They also blamed City Manager Robert Rizzo for the rip-off that cost the city millions.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the defendants said they were never told anything they did was illegal. The Times said the biggest surprise of the trial was that neither side called Bell City Attorney Edward Lee as a witness.

Lee wrote the city's charter and was blamed by defendants for not telling them their salaries could be illegal.

Closing arguments are scheduled for Wednesday.

©2013 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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