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Reputed Mob Captain On Trial

The trial of reputed mobster Mark Rossetti is underway at Suffolk Superior Court, but there isn't going to be one mention of Rossetti's alleged Mafia connections.

The judge in the case is not allowing state prosecutors to talk about Rossetti's alleged ties to the New England mob or that investigators believe the reputed Mafia captain has killed numerous people.

Rossetti and his co-defendant Yasmani Quezada are charged with breaking and entering.
Lawyers for both sides made their opening statements Wednesday.

Rossetti and Quezada are accused of orchestrating a robbery in Roslindale in 2010 to get drugs and money.

Prosecutor Dean Mazzone says the defendants' own words will do them in since investigators secretly recorded their conversations.

"The defendants own voices will tell you in no uncertain terms, you will know what they said as they planned and directed and orchestrated this breaking and entering," said Mazzone.

But Quezada's attorney, Timothy Bradl, says his client and Rossetti are innocent and urged jurors to evaluate the evidence with an open mind.

"And you're going to say to yourself, that's where your alarm bell should go off," said Bradl. "That's where your role as judges of the facts is going to compel you say whoa, what? This is their evidence?"

The trial will resume on Friday when jurors are expected to hear those secretly recorded conversations of Rossetti and his co-defendant.

Rossetti is still facing another trial on charges including extortion and drug trafficking.