Stories told, evidence heard: Salemme trial comes down to closing arguments

BOSTON — In a Boston courtroom, all the evidence is now heard in what may be the last mob trial featuring some of the giants of New England's storied underworld.

The fate of one-time New England mob boss Cadillac Frank Salemme and co-defendant Paul Weadick a could be in the hands of a federal jury early next week.

The government's key witness against Salemme was Steven “The Rifleman” Flemmi. The jury is going to have to decide if Flemmi was more interested in settling old scores, than telling the truth.

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At 84 years old, this is likely the very last trial for Salemme.

He and co-defendant Paul Weadick are facing charges they murdered Boston night club owner Steven DiSarro in 1993 out of concern DiSarro might flip and talk to the feds about Salemme's secret ownership in the Channel Nightclub.

DiSarro's body was discovered buried behind a providence Rhode Island mill building 23 years later.

Just as he did against Whitey Bulger and disgraced FBI Agent John Connolly, Flemmi took the stand in this trial testifying against a former partner in organized crime.

Flemmi testified he happened to stop by Salemme's house in Sharon, just as Frank Salemme's now dead son, Frank Junior, was strangling DiSarro and Paul Weadick was holding DiSarro's legs as Frank Sr. watched.

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Flemmi was on the stand for days, detailing not just this murder, but his own crimes, including his sexual relations with his step daughter, who Flemmi admitted he helped Bulger murder.

Salemme's lawyers hammered away  at Flemmi's credibility, even using a picture to suggest that on the day before the DiSarro murder, Mother's Day 1993, Flemmi was with the Salemme family at a Dorchester restaurant.

Flemmi denied that and the picture was never shown to the jury.

But it's likely, when the jury finally deliberates, a key question is going to be just how credible Flemmi was on the witness stand.

There's still one more step before the jury will deliberate: closing arguments.

Those are set to begin on Monday morning.

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