NEWARK, N.J. – Jurors in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing trial may hear from one of the defendants.
Bill Baroni, a former executive with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, is expected to testify in his defense Monday. He and Bridget Kelly, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's former deputy chief of staff, are in the fifth week of their fraud and conspiracy trial.
They face up to 20 years in prison on the most serious charge.
They're alleged to have concocted the lane closures to create traffic gridlock to punish the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee for not endorsing Christie, a Republican, in 2013.
Both defendants contend David Wildstein, a former subordinate of Baroni's at the Port Authority, conceived and carried out the scheme. Wildstein has pleaded guilty and has already testified at the trial.