WILKES-BARRE - Citing opinions from medical experts for the defense and prosecution that former state Sen. Raphael J. Musto is too ill to stand trial, Mr. Musto's attorneys asked a federal judge Monday to dismiss the corruption charges against him or indefinitely postpone his trial.
The 84-year-old Pittston Twp. Democrat was indicted in November 2010 on fraud and bribery charges, but his trial has been repeatedly postponed because he suffers from non-alcohol-related liver cirrhosis, according to court documents.
The 2010 indictment alleged Mr. Musto accepted $35,000 in free building renovations and $3,000 in cash for supporting state funding for two projects. Last week a federal grand jury added two additional bribery counts, alleging Mr. Musto also received two $1,000 cash payments from an unnamed individual "affiliated with various municipalities in Luzerne County" for supporting two multimillion-dollar state loans.