Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE -- Two more prosecution witnesses took the stand this morning in the federal corruption trial of two former executives of Roger Williams Medical Center.

Today marked the beginning of the second week of testimony in the trial of Robert A. Urciuoli, the ex-president and chief executive officer, and Frances Driscoll, once the hospital's senior vice president for external affairs.

Thomas L. Slowey, the hospital's chief financial officer in the late 1990s, and Christopher Reilly, who worked in the hospital's public relations and development division, each tesified for about 30 minutes.

Slowey testified that Roger Williams agreed to pay former North Providence state Sen. John A. Celona's entire salary, $700 per week, at the Village of Elmhurst, an affiliate of the hospital, off the hospital's books.

Reilly testified that he saw Celona on several occasions at the hospital in late 1997. He said that one time he saw Celona seated in Urciuoli's secretary's office and that he also saw Celona attend several meetings.

Reilly said he saw faxes that Celona had sent to Driscoll.

Urciuoli and Driscoll are accused of hiring Celona in exchange for the influence he had on healthcare legislation that would benefit the hospital. They are being retried in federal court after an appeals court overturned their 2006 convictions based on the judge's instructions to the jury.

State Rep. Joanne Giannini, D-Providence, is expected to be on the stand the rest of the morning.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski

 Tags  corruption Driscoll Providence Roger Williams Medical Center

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