The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-08-09

His acquittal was asked today in
 . dramatic speech by Attorney
 Thomas McDonough.
 you think that the officials of the state of Connecticut would stand silent If he complained to them2 Do you think the prosecuting officials, the judges of our courts, wouldn't say anything if somebody made complaint to them? Oh, no, ladies and gentlemen. You didn't hear anything about 1t. He kept memo throughout all these years, and he would have you believe his testi- mony. That is my belief in human being. Either this man was honest or else he was thoroughly dishonest the greatest rascal that ever lived in my opinion, if he holds himself out to be 8 paragon of virtue and knowing all these things existed for a period of eight years-not a short period-but eight long years-and he didn't do a thing about it but kept quiet. Oh, no, ladies and gentlemen, that taxes common sense.
 Common Sense
 Now, you have another more ia- teresting point. After all, you've got to give the officials of this city credit for some common sense. If they planned this huge conspiracy as the state would have you believe, as the greatest history conspiracy that you or I ever heard about in our state, and this man came to them and kept on complaining to them about irregularities Gas he would have you believe), why, do you think they would continue for eight years? You place yourself in their position and if you were planning a conspiracy and 8 man who was a key man, the chief accountant of the city of Waterbury, was com- plaining all the time and he was go- ing to be 6 danger to your plans, how long would you keep him? Think of 1t, ladies and gentlemen. James Purcell as the honest witt ness; the uncorruptible witness; the man who wouldn't tell an untruth! You measure man by his past &C., ton. Show me man who would do a thing like that as he claims the situation to be, and I tell you, ladies and gentlemen, that man is un- worthy of belief.
 Where's the Evidence?
 What is the real question in this case? Let's face the facts. The first question I can see is this: Did Philip Coppeto render any services at all to the city of Waterbury? I don't believe that the state of Con- necticut would maintain for one mo- ment that he never rendered any services to the state of Connecticut. The second question is this: Were the bills for the services that he rendered to the state of Connecti- cut reasonable2 I have gone through the record. There is no witness here that the state has produced that claims that these services were un- reasonable. Then we come to the third and final question: (and this is the real question in the easel Was there kick-backs (to use the vernac- ular, and I'm brutally frank and honest with you in that connecticut by Phil Coppeto to any official of the city of Waterbury? Well, where Is the evidence that there is any kick-back? Oh, if you want to convict this man on sus- picion and generalities, on guess work, on speculation, upon the imag- ination of Warren Brown, that is one thing. But if you want evi- dence, ladies and gentlemen, in a court of law that is the only thing that counts-if you want evidence, where is that evidence?
 | have gone through 15,000 pages of the records and there Is all the evidence concerning Philip Coppeto in this case, and let the state show you anywhere in that evidence where anybody statcd-I don't care who that Philip Coppeto kicked-back one cent to any official of the city of Waterbury. Now, there isn't any evidence. What are you going to convict this man on? Speculation2 Imagination? That is the answer.
 Now, in closing, only want to add this point. Be 1t atmosphere public feeling engendered by the press and the radio, to take the place of evidence in court of law then you wouldn't be doing youl duty to the state of Connecticut and to the prisoner at the bar whS lhas entrusted. as I have said before something more precious than lift
 itself, 8 good name and goot reputation, in your safe-keeping.
 Your Duty
 I'm only asking you as you go int
 that jury room only one thing, no
 more than we are entitled to. an
 not asking for sympathy, am onl.
 asking you to follow the law in tn evidence of this case. l am askinl
 of you, ladies and gentlemen, wher
 in this record is there any evidence of any kick back? And if there ism any evidence of any kick-back, wh,
 should this man be convicted? Wh. , should the name and reputation
 that he has established up to thi
 time be destroyed to satisfy tn . whims of an ambitious prosecutor t make his name still greater. Oh, nc . I refuse to believe 1t. I feel in clos , ing, ladies and gentlemen of tn jury, that you are going to do vou duty honestly, conscientiously: tha , you will not be swayed by the pub lie for c moment, by the atmosphert } but you will be swayed only by tn evidence in accordance with you } sworn duty.
 !, Atty. McDonough;
 |. Ladies and gentlemen of the jurs !, l don't know what to say. .