According to Billboard, a verdict is expected later today in the ongoing Murder Inc trial. As previously reported, Irv and Chris Lorenzo "Gotti" are accused of using their then Universal affiliated record label to launder monies for reputed drug lord Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff.
After the prosecution in the case suffered a number of setbacks earlier on in the trial, not least when Judge Edward Korman refused to consider prosecution claims that a 2000 shooting of rapper 50 Cent was linked to this case, yesterday it was the defence who were dealt some blows.
Firstly Korman refused to allow the defence to present "brand spanking new evidence" which lawyers argued would further question the credibility of one of the prosecution's key witnesses, Donnell Nichols. He then also knocked back defence claims that the Lorenzos should be "acquitted" because of "zoning concerns", ie the charges were outside of the trial's regional jurisdiction.
The prosecution also seemed to gain some ground while questioning defence witness John Ryan. A 'forensic accountant' and former IRS agent, Ryan had examined Chris Lorenzo's bank accounts and told the trial that many of his large withdrawals were directly linked to visits to casinos. The defence want to show that those withdrawals were used to fuel Lorenzo's gambling addiction, and not as illegal cash payments to McGriff. But Ryan struggled to answer when the prosecution asked why he had focused exclusively on bank account withdrawals and not also deposits. He also admitted that he had not seen all of Murder Inc's bank records.
The defence should wind up their case today - though it is unclear how quickly the jury are expected to make a judgment.