Judge Robert Brunetti of Goshen–the key witness in the Dominic Badaracco bribery trial –became more of a force for the prosecution Tuesday by his absence than when he testified a day earlier.
Judge Brunetti spoke loudly and with anger in his voice on a wiretap recording orchestrated by investigators on Nov. 18, 2010, and heard by the jury Tuesday. Referring to Mr. Badaracco on the tape, Judge Brunetti told his boyhood friend Ronald “Rocky” Richter: “He offered me money, can’t f—ing do that … He’s f—in’ calling me and he’s offering me f—in’ money.”
Prosecutors were so happy they rested their case after calling only four witnesses.
The grand jury was looking into the homicide of Mr. Badaracco’s ex-wife Mary, who disappeared from the family home in Sherman in 1984. Although no body was ever found, state police, the state’s attorney and Gov. William O’Neill reclassified the Sherman case as a homicide in 1990. Mr. Badaracco is the prime suspect.