Closing arguments: Galati trial to turn on testimony from hit men

Sept. 29--The only evidence tying Ronald Galati to the shooting of his daughter's boyfriend is the testimony of three men, all career criminals, who say Galati hired them to do it.

It's up to a jury whether to believe them.

"This is a simple case, simple facts. The defendant, Ron Galati, wanted Andrew Tuono dead," U.S. Assistant District Attorney Jason Richardson said in his closing argument today in federal court in Camden.

Richardson reiterated in a 30-minute summation how the three hit men -- Ronald Walker, Jerome Johnson and Alvin Matthews -- all testified that Galati sent them to shoot Tuono in Atlantic City. The three have pleaded guilty in the case and are facing life in prison. Tuono was struck three times while walking with Tiffany Galati from his apartment to a car with Tiffany Galati but survived the attack.

Galati, an alleged mob associate, is on trial on murder-for-hire and attempted-murder charges that could land him in prison for 15 years. He also faces murder-for-hire charges in Philadelphia and insurance scam charges in Philadelphia. No testimony about Galati's friendships or connection to the Philadelphia mob was admissible in the trial.

Galati's attorney Anthony Voci delivered an animated hour and 20 minute argument in which he emphasized the lack of any physical evidence against his client.

"The government delivered one gigantic 'say so,' " Voci said. "You got a say-so case; you got three crumbs with criminal records who are all looking at life in prison."

Voci told jurors to consider the questions that went unanswered -- such as whether Tiffany Galati could have been involved. A year earlier, she had texted with one of the hit men, Johnson, about beating up a previous love interest. Police and the hit men had described her behavior that night as strange. She never called 9-1-1; she got into her car and drove away.

Voci also questioned why a drug dealer with whom Tuono had gotten into a fight a week before the shooting hadn't been investigated. Both Tuono and Walker dealt drugs, according to testimony.

"Why didn't anyone look into that connection?" Voci asked. "I'm the government I'm closing that door, so I can't get up here and start poking holes."

Voci also challenged the motive presented by the government -- that Galati was angry that Tuono, a friend of his, had started dating his daughter and that he became incensed when Tuono and Tiffany Galati moved to Atlantic City with his grandson.

"He took Tiffany away? Yeah, to New Jersey where she'd been working for nine years. It's Atlantic City. It wasn't like she was on the other side of the planet." Voci said.

In his summation, which came first, Richardson preemptively dismissed the suggestion Tiffany Galati or a drug feud may have been behind the shooting.

"If it were a rival drug dealer why would they leave a witness alive. Why wouldn't they touch the girl? Does that make sense?" Richardson asked.

Ronald Galati "set the chain in motion, he set the ball rolling, they were his instruments, and you can see his intent all through this case," Richardson said.

The government will have the chance to rebut the defense summation, and then the jury of 12 women and two men will be charged after lunch.

The courtroom was packed with family and friends of Galati, including his son, Ronald Jr., and wife, Vicky. Tuono sat in the front row apart from the Galati crowd, flanked by agents from the prosecutor's office.

Tiffany Galati did not attend.

jterruso@phillynews.com

856-779-3876

@juliaterruso

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