Jailed cop will testify in Blitzstein slaying trial

Former Metro Police officer -- now convicted murderer -- Ron Mortensen will be allowed to testify at the April 26 trial of Antone Davi, who is charged with killing Las Vegas mobster "Fat Herbie" Blitzstein despite defense objections.

U.S. District Judge Philip Pro ruled after a hearing Thursday that Mortensen and another man who shared a jail cell in 1997 with purported Blitzstein triggerman Davi can tell a jury about their conversations.

Davi, 29, is alleged to have made admissions to Mortensen and a man identified in court only as a "Mr. Mancini" about the defendant's role in the slaying of Blitzstein, who was once mob enforcer Tony Spilotro's right-hand man.

Davi's attorney, Daniel Albregts, had asked that the trial be delayed because the prosecution's last-minute decision to use what he termed were "jail house snitches" has not left him enough time to investigate and defend their allegations.

He said he recently received a stack of documents about the informants' stories, including a volume of handwritten notes by Mortensen that Albregts said were written "like a police officer would make."

"We keep getting stuff every day," he said.

Attorneys representing some of the dozen defendants still in the case -- five of which are scheduled to stand trial this month -- also complained of the last-minute glut of documents heaped on the defense team.

"From March 29 to present, we have gotten about 7,000 pages of documents," said attorney Patricia Erickson, who represents Richard Friedman, who is accused of being the second gunman working with Davi in Blitzstein's apartment during the January 1997 killing.

Erickson said her office was notified by prosecutors Wednesday that another stack of documents is waiting for her.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Johnson said some of the information deals with a newly named witness, Ron Fino, who will testify about his involvement with the Buffalo La Costa Nostra family and the laborers union in that New York City.

Another new witness, Fred Saia, also will talk about the Buffalo mob and defendant Robert Panaro's connection to it.

Panaro and Davi will face a jury along with Stephen Cino, Louis Caruso and Anthony DeLulio in the first trial that is expected to last five to six weeks. Trials will follow for the remaining seven defendants still in the case.

A week ago a key defendant in the case, 72-year-old Alfred Mauriello, pleaded guilty to a single count of racketeering in a deal that will require him to testify for the government.

Mauriello admitted he was paid $10,000 by Peter Vincent Caruso to arrange Blitzstein's murder and, in turn, he hired Davi and Friedman to carry out the assassination. Caruso, 58, died in January while in federal custody.

Although Albregts argued that Mortensen and Mancini shouldn't be allowed to testify unless the trial is postponed -- a sentiment echoed by other attorneys who added that Mauriello's late plea also has complicated the case -- Pro rejected the arguments.

But the judge said all documents regarding the pair must be in the hands of defense attorneys by 4 p.m. today or the ruling could change.

A hearing to deal with any last-minute problems has been scheduled for Thursday at 9 a.m.

When jury selection begins, the attorneys and defendants will be joined in court by jury selection expert Jo Ellen Dimitrius, who was hired by Panaro's attorney John Fadgen.

The attorney said Dimitrius also was hired for the O.J. Simpson and the Richard Ramirez "Night Stalker" trials.

Mauriello was the second defendant to strike a plea bargain with prosecutors. The first was Joseph DeLuca, who owned a Las Vegas auto repair business. He pleaded guilty to racketeering in 1997.

As Thursday's hearing ended, Pro asked whether any other plea bargains are looming before trial.

"Our door is open, but there are no ongoing negotiations," Johnson said.

In addition to the five defendants, Davi, Friedman, Mauriello, DeLuca and Peter Caruso, the defendants listed in the case include Carman Milano, Vincent Dominic "Jimmy" Caci, Rocco Zangari, Vincent Arcuri, also known as Vincent Lupo, Vern Stephens, Abe Silfani and Dominic Spinale.

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