NORFOLK, Va. — Editor's Note: As we follow the trial, we'll be updating its progression here by date. You'll find the most recent information at the top of the story, with the rest of it following in reverse chronological order.
Tuesday, August 24
Former Norfolk Sheriff Bob McCabe was found guilty on all 11 counts of bribery and public corruption-related charges.
The jury came back with the verdict on its first full day of deliberations following the three-week trial.
After the verdict was given, the judge revoked McCabe's bond and U.S. Marshals took him into custody.
During the trial, prosecutors said McCabe helped two companies secure multi-million dollar contracts with the city in exchange for gifts and trips. McCabe, meanwhile, maintained he had never taken a bribe during his six terms as sheriff, which went from 1994 to 2017.
But on Tuesday, it was the prosecution that the jury sided with in handing down its verdict.
The swift verdict surprised McCabe’s attorney, James Broccoletti.
“I thought that because of the amount of the evidence and the length of the trial that it would have taken them much longer to go through things, but that’s their prerogative,” Broccoletti said.
Prosecutors argued the conviction gave him a reason to leave the area. Broccoletti fired back that the former sheriff is not a flight risk and hasn’t violated the rules since he got released on bond in 2018
Broccoletti said he’s very surprised the judge revoked bond.
“The guy can’t even walk fast, where is he going to run to?” Broccoletti asked. “There is not reason at his age to put him in a local jail. He’s a former sheriff with possible retribution by other prisoners that were in the Norfolk City Jail.”
Broccoletti said they have multiple grounds to appeal.
“The court allowed the statements from the deceased witness Mr. Huey,” Broccoletti said.
Prosecutors indicted McCabe along with former Correct Care Solutions CEO Jerry Boyle. McCabe was convicted of helping the company score contracts with the city for bribes. Broccoletti said the court decided not to put them on trial together.
“The court severed those trials, so we didn’t have Mr. Boyle available to explain things and to explain the emails and explain what he meant,” Broccoletti said. “There are multiple issues that are going to go forward. We are not done yet.”
Broccoletti said McCabe is staying positive.
“He is very concerned about his family; he is concerned about his wife and his children,” Broccoletti said. “He puts them before anything. He is also very optimistic and positive, and we are moving forward.”
McCabe's sentencing is set for January 21, 2022. He faces up to 20 years in prison for each count, although actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalty.
Monday, August 23
The jury started deliberating in the trial of former Norfolk Sheriff Bob McCabe.
After listening to three weeks full of evidence, on Monday prosecutors told the jury once they put all those pieces together, they’ll find the face of greed and corruption.
Prosecutors said people in Norfolk who voted for McCabe are the victims in this case.
They said McCabe accepted bribes from ABL Management President John Appleton like catered parties with mountains of shrimp and chocolate fountains, and a glass-bottom helicopter ride in California.
They said Correct Care Solutions head Jerry Boyle gifted multiple golf games, casino trips, and fancy dinners. Prosecutors said both men gave McCabe thousands in campaign contributions over the years, all of this to score and maintain multi-million-dollar contracts with the city.
Prosecutors asked the jury why Boyle, who lived in Tennessee, and Appleton, who lived in Louisiana, would care who wins a sheriff’s race all the way in Virginia.
Appleton accepted an immunity deal. During the trial, he testified that he and McCabe had an "I scratch your back, you scratch mine" relationship. He said McCabe told him if he didn’t provide the favors, he knew other vendors who would.
McCabe’s attorney James Broccoletti asked the jury why Appleton decided to speak after 25 years of silence. He reminded them that Appleton testified that at the start of the investigation he didn’t think he gave McCabe any kickbacks.
Broccoletti said the immunity deal changed Appleton’s mind.
He also said ABL and CCS had exceptional records of service with the city jail and it wasn’t surprising they maintained contracts. He said, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
He said it’s undisputed in the case that McCabe became friends with Appleton and Boyle. He reminded the jury that employees from both companies testified that the men gave gifts to sheriffs across the country. They said it’s networking and goodwill.
Thursday, August 19
Former Norfolk Sheriff Bob McCabe took the stand again Thursday to testify in his bribery and corruption trial, this time facing questions from prosecutors.
More than once, McCabe told the court he made mistakes while serving as sheriff.
Prosecutors pointed out that McCabe had to fill out an economic interest form for the city yearly. Each form has a space to disclose gifts received that exceed 50 dollars. They said through the years McCabe often wrote nothing.
McCabe said he didn’t give the forms the attention he should have and admitted he probably never disclosed gifts given to him by anyone including, Correct Care Solutions CEO Jerry Boyle or ABL Management President John Appleton.
“I’m guilty of not doing the campaign finance forms correctly,” McCabe said.
Prosecutors asked if McCabe signed the forms knowing he wasn’t telling the truth, he told them he didn’t do it intentionally.
Prosecutors dove back into campaign contributions from CCS and ABL. They pulled up multiple checks made out to the Friends of Sheriff Bob McCabe campaign account from staff at both companies, in December 2012. McCabe admitted he received around $14,000 that month.
McCabe admitted to misusing his campaign account by balancing his personal bank account with the funds.
Prosecutors pulled up a check from December 2015 where McCabe gave himself money from his mayoral campaign account for $2,500.
Prosecutors then pointed to his personal bank statements a month later. On January 3, 2016 they pulled up a charge for $500 in Nassau. On the January 5 the statement shows a $400 charge at Atlantis Casino. Prosecutors asked McCabe if he was gambling with campaign money to which he replied, “doesn’t look good."
Wednesday, August 18
The trial of former Norfolk sheriff Bob McCabe continued today with the defense calling its final witness: McCabe, himself.
This morning, the former sheriff took the stand in his own defense, saying although he may have made mistakes while sheriff, he never did anything illegal.
McCabe said he wanted to let the court know “I’ve never taken a bribe in my life."
McCabe said he made mistakes that he “feels bad about” and he’s been “beating himself up” while listening to testimony from witnesses, but he said taking bribes was "not in [his] DNA."
“I have personal integrity," he told the court.
The head of ABL management John Appleton also testified. He said he gave McCabe campaign contributions and free catering in exchange for ABL’s contract with the Norfolk City Jail.
Appleton described the relationship he had with former Norfolk sheriff Bob McCabe as: “You scratch my back, I scratch yours.”
McCabe took issue with that phrasing.
“It bothers me that he would say that, because it’s not true," he said.
McCabe is also accused of taking bribes from the head of Correct Care Solutions, Jerry Boyle.
Correct Care Solutions provided medical care to inmates at the Norfolk City Jail.
Prosecutors said McCabe instructed a deputy to email Boyle, outlining the other bids companies had made, and Boyle used that information to give his company the advantage.
But McCabe denied that, too.
"It doesn’t make sense," he said. "If I was going to do something illegal like that, I would have done it myself. I wouldn’t get anyone involved."
McCabe admitted he accepted money and gifts from Appleton and Boyle, but he said he never let that influence any official actions he took as sheriff.
"Maybe there should be a law that jail vendors can’t contribute to the sheriff," he said, "but there isn’t one."
Tuesday, August 17
Steve Loder, the financial director for the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office, took the stand this morning. He told the court former Sheriff Bob McCabe “never once asked [him] to do anything for anybody.”
Prosecutors have charged McCabe with corruption and bribery, but Loder testified McCabe never influenced him to do anything.
Loder worked alongside others on a committee in rating and reviewing companies bidding for contracts to provide services to the Norfolk City Jail.
Among those companies: ABL Management and Correct Care Solutions.
Loder said he was aware the head of ABL, John Appleton, contributed campaign donations to McCabe -- but that never played a role in contract negotiations.
Loder said McCabe never tried to influence him and was “never a factor” in Loder’s decision making.
He said they never exchanged information about the bidding process and he never passed information to McCabe.
Loder testified McCabe saved the city money and improved the jail during his tenure as sheriff.
But the prosecution noted McCabe still wasn’t allowed to accept gifts from vendors during the Request For Proposal process, even if the city was getting a good deal or even if there’s a personal friendship.
A juror seated for the trial tested positive for COVID-19 Friday and is now in quarantine, but the trial proceeded after the remaining jurors said the positive test does not impact their ability to focus on the new evidence or fairly deliberate.
Friday, August 13
Norfolk contractor and business owner, Jimmy Baylor, took the stand Friday, detailing his close relationship with McCabe and what they did during his time as Sheriff.
Baylor said he owns his contracting company called Baylor Corporation, along with a handful of restaurants like 219 Bistro and 456 Fish. He said his friendship with McCabe went on for about 25 years.
Prosecutors brought out text messages between McCabe and Baylor dating over the course of years. The records showed how Baylor would do favors for McCabe, such as pay to repair McCabe's home air conditioning and renovate the location of McCabe's campaign Headquarters using resources from his own company.
Baylor said he loaned money to the sheriff to help pay for his flights, other travel, and to cover his gambling in casinos in the Bahamas and Atlantic City. While McCabe would sometimes pay him back, Baylor said it wasn't always in full.
As a contractor, Baylor testified he would often try to secure leases of buildings in the city for his company. He said he wanted to lease a building at 714 Monticello Ave., but the city council members were hesitant to approve the lease.
The text messages in court showed McCabe offering to "speak with council members" such as Anthony Burfoot to try to help Baylor get his lease approved. Anthony Burfoot is the ex-Norfolk Treasurer.
As defense attorney, James Broccoletti, questioned Baylor, Baylor said he received approval from the city council for his lease on the building, but claimed it was not due to the help from McCabe.
Baylor said the favor he did for the former sheriff was because they were friends and nothing more.
One of the biggest experiences Baylor recalled in court included a $12,500 check given to him by McCabe. The check was written out by Jerry Boyle, who founded Correct Care Solutions and is accused of participating in a quid pro quo scheme with McCabe. Boyle will be tried for bribery and corruption charges later.
Baylor said McCabe asked him to put the check in an account and ask others to contribute thousands of dollars to the "Friends of Sheriff McCabe" fund. Then, Baylor said he would use the money from that check to reimburse those contributors.
This coincides with the allegations that say McCabe had a money-laundering account to try to conceal the fact that Boyle made campaign contributions
Baylor said he realized years later that these check transactions violated campaign policy. Baylor said he texted McCabe in which records show McCabe then responded, saying he would "man up" and take responsibility if someone came forward with the allegations. However, McCabe still maintains his innocence.
The judge said one of the jurors recently tested positive for COVID-19 and was not present at Friday's court appearance. Then the court spoke to each juror individually to discuss COVID-19 safety protocols.
McCabe's attorney, James Broccoletti, told 13News Now they are set to reconvene virtually on Monday afternoon to discuss the COVID-19 positive test and will decide then if they need to postpone the trial 10 days.
For now, the trial is set to resume Tuesday, August 17.
Thursday, August 12
A retired member of the Norfolk Sheriff's Office, Gerry Sharrow, took the stand in Thursday's trial date to detail the frequent and personal requests made by McCabe during his time as sheriff.
Sharrow worked with the sheriff's office from 1986 up until his retirement as a Captain in November 2020.
He said during his time working there, McCabe would ask Sharrow to drive limousines owned by local business owners and take McCabe, along with his friends to various locations.
Sharrow said McCabe even requested he put on a tuxedo and a hat to imitate the uniform of a limousine driver. Sharrow said he put it on, despite not wanting to wear it.
Sharrow drove McCabe and friends to places such as Washington, D.C. for a football game, Atlantic City where McCabe and others gambled, and all-around Hampton Roads for golf outings. He would even be asked to leave the Sheriff's Office in the middle of his work day to go pick up McCabe's child from school.
He said many of these trips were during the work week. Sharrow, who was a single father taking care of his kids, ended up working approximately 80 hours a week.
Not only did Sharrow drive people around and take care of personal matters for McCabe, but the former Sheriff also asked him to cash dozens of checks.
Sharrow said McCabe wouldn't specify where these checks came from, but would ask Sharrow to cash them, use some of the money for gas and car maintenance, and then request the rest of the cash be returned to him.
When asked why he fulfilled these various requests, Sharrow said in court, "I was trained to do whatever he [McCabe] said."
Former Sheriff Bob McCabe wouldn't speak to reporters when leaving court Thursday afternoon.
Prosecutors pulled out McCabe's bank and credit card records as evidence in the trial. They pointed out McCabe took checks from contributors to his "Friends of Sheriff McCabe" campaign account and deposited thousands of dollars into his personal banking from 2015 into 2016.
One example they used was a $1,300 check given to the "Friends of Sheriff McCabe" account by a contributor on June 21, 2015. On that same date, the same exact amount was deposited directly to McCabe's personal banking account.
The bank records show McCabe's accounts would often be over-withdrawn and then he'd deposit a check of hundreds of dollars later in the same day.
The documents show McCabe used that money for personal use, such as national and international traveling, gambling, hotel stays, and much more.
Records even show he paid for a woman he was dating at the time, named Sheena Henshaw, to go to Atlantic City with her mother. McCabe had Sharrow drive Henshaw and her mother to the city after cashing a check given to him earlier that day.
Sheena Henshaw is on the list to testify and is expected to take the stand in this case.
Wednesday, August 11
More ABL Management employees took the stand on Wednesday.
Prosecutors pulled up dozens of photos taken at events catered by ABL Management for Norfolk Sheriff Bob McCabe showing tables full of seafood, chocolate fountains and more.
Sara Snyder worked for ABL coordinating food services inside the Norfolk City Jail.
Prosecutors scrolled through photos from past parties and events that showed a dolphin ice sculpture surrounded by shrimp in one picture, a table full of fresh fruit and a chocolate fountain in another, along with large fresh flower arrangements.
In a photo from 2007, Governor Ralph Northam is seen posing for a picture at a catered party. Snyder couldn’t remember why ABL got asked to cater that one.
Snyder said people knew they catered the events. McCabe’s attorney James Broccoletti asked if McCabe ever reimbursed ABL for the services and she said sometimes.
Next, former ABL employee Sandee Scott told the court John Appleton had a great rapport with all his clients and “took care of them”.
For example, she said when he visited clients in Ohio, they went to the Baseball Hall of Fame. She said Appleton invited McCabe to the LSU National Championship.
She also told prosecutors that Appleton donated $2,500 often to McCabe’s campaigns, and those donations got reimbursed by the company.
Broccoletti asked Snyder if they catered for multiple sheriff clients across the U.S. and she said yes.
Snyder said she's not aware of any reason ABL shouldn’t have continuously scored the contracts because they did their job.
Before the city awards contracts, they enter a bidding period where city officials aren’t allowed to contact any potential vendors. Prosecutors pointed to evidence where McCabe didn’t always stick to that policy.
Correct Care Solutions consultant Sandra Kayser said she sent proposals to the City of Norfolk when her company tried for contracts.
She said during the process you contact the city’s purchasing agent with questions. The city’s proposal rules state that discussions with other city officials during evaluation are inappropriate.
Prosecutors pulled up emails between the purchasing agent and CCS during the 2010 bidding process.
A week before CCS secured the contract with Norfolk, Kayser sent an email to CCS Executive Patrick Cumminskey that says, “Jerry is convinced based on a discussion with the sheriff that we need only to confirm that we will not be using agency nursing.”
Norfolk Clerk Richard Bull took the stand to testify about statements of economic interest that McCabe submitted to the city, yearly. The prosecution pulled up statements from multiple years where McCabe marks, he didn't receive gifts during those 12 months.
Bull said he had to write down any gifts received that exceeded $50. The guidelines state McCabe did not have to list any gifts given by personal friends for reasons ‘clearly unrelated’ to his public position.
Broccoletti had no questions for Bull.
Prosecutors also called Old Dominion University’s Athletic Foundation Director Alonzo Brandon to the stand. He told the court that in 2009 McCabe and another donor paid $20,000 to secure a renovated suite at the ODU football stadium.
Broccoletti asked Brandon if he and McCabe are friends. He said they are, and that McCabe is a heavy supporter of ODU.
McCabe’s attorney told 13News Now the witness testimony will continue for the rest of this week into next week.
Tuesday, August 10
On the stand Tuesday morning: John Appleton, the man granted immunity in exchange for his testimony.
Appleton is the president of ABL which provided food services to inmates at the Norfolk City Jail.
Appleton testified that for years, he gave McCabe presents, gift cards, and thousands of dollars in campaign contributions and free catering. Appleton said he did all of this to “keep” ABL’s contract with the jail.
He described the relationship he had with McCabe as: “You scratch my back, I scratch yours.”
Appleton said in one instance, he sent McCabe campaign checks to stop ABL’s contract from going out to bid.
He said although there were times he didn’t want to donate to McCabe’s campaign or cater his events for free, he did it to “keep the contract.”
Prosecutors pointed out McCabe’s request for campaign contributions and free catering sometimes coincided with the end of ABL’s contract; and when Appleton gave McCabe what he wanted, ABL’s contract was renewed or amended with an increase.
Monday, August 9
New testimony in the trial of former Norfolk sheriff Bob McCabe takes a deeper look at McCabe’s actions while he was in office -- and examines the request for proposal process at the Norfolk city jail.
Among those taking the stand Monday: people who worked alongside the former sheriff.
A former deputy with the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office said his duties often included after-hour work for McCabe that went beyond what was expected of his position.
Former deputy Joseph Trombetta said: “You don’t say no to the sheriff. When he asks you to do something, you do it.”
He said he worked after-hours or used vacation days to canvass voters - going door to door passing out fliers for McCabe’s campaign.
He also said he worked at political cookouts, ODU football games, and golf tournaments - grilling food and setting up tents and chairs, all requested by McCabe.
Trombetta said he dog-sat McCabe's animals many times without pay -- and once saw “several stacks of 100 dollar bills” in McCabe’s home that McCabe allegedly said he got from gambling in Arizona.
Michael Webb, of Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort testified that currency transaction reports show the head of Correct Care Solutions, Jerry Boyle, won thousands of dollars at the Arizona casino.
Also on the stand today: Christopher Walz who, during his time at the Norfolk sheriff’s office, worked alongside McCabe.
Walz was a member of the Request for Proposals evaluation committee. That group was tasked with choosing which company would be awarded the contract to provide medical services to inmates at the Norfolk city jail.
He said in 2010, it came down to two companies: CCS and ConMed.
He testified that CCS wasn’t the forerunner but managed to drop their price by $250,000 by the final round, to beat out the competition.
McCabe’s attorney James Broccoletti pointed out that Walz was aware that CCS contributed to McCabe’s political campaigns and he knew McCabe and Boyle, had a “close personal relationship” but he continued to serve on the evaluation committee.
Broccoletti also asked Walz about gifts, questioning bluntly: “Did you ever take any bribes?”
Walz said no but explained, he received gifts from vendors in a group setting.
He said: When a team from the sheriff’s office would travel to conferences hosted by vendors, they were provided with entertainment – including tickets to baseball games.
Broccoletti pointed out other sheriff's offices from around the country also attended conferences and were treated similarly.
He called gifts, “business opportunities.” Walz agreed.
Walz testified that weekend inmates with the work-release program would clean ODU’s stadium after football games and deputies would work as security at games.
Friday, August 6
During Day 4 of Bob McCabe's trial, prosecutors took a deep dive into Customer Care Solutions expense reports over the years.
They called up Jacquelyn Hester, former secretary for CCS CEO Jerry Boyle, to testify. Hester read entries over the years out loud to the jury that included meals out, drinks, and golf games. Some examples include $104 lunch with “Norfolk Boys”, $903 business dinner for McCabe and staff members, $136 golf expenses in Norfolk.
Defense attorney James Broccoletti pulled some of the same reports up again. He pointed out that several reports included business dinners and events with other sheriffs across the country.
He referenced an August 2004 report which detailed expenses for Santa Fe, Norfolk, Durham, and Davidson County. Charges included $80 pizza for Norfolk, $406 tickets for Davidson County Sheriff. Broccoletti asked Hester if CCS Executive Patrick Cummiskey’s role was to network with other clients and she said yes.
CCS also sent big money to McCabe’s campaigns. Prosecutors provided examples. In 2012 they pulled up a check for $2,500 from CCS to Friends of Sheriff McCabe. They said Boyle and others connected to the company donated a few thousand more in December of that year.
Prosecutors called attention to campaign donations from Boyle and company leaders in 2015 to McCabe’s Mayoral campaign. They said those contributions totaled about $10,000.
Thursday, August 5
During Day 3 of the trial, prosecutors presented multiple documents of correspondence between former Norfolk Sheriff Bob McCabe and leaders at two companies, that they say he assisted in getting multi-million-dollar contracts to service the city jail.
McCabe’s attorney insisted there is no evidence of anything illegal taking place.
"I can’t say anything about the trial right now,” McCabe said walking out of court.
Prosecutors tried painting a more-than-just-business relationship to the jury between McCabe, CCS, and ABL leaders.
They showed an email from January 2009 of McCabe forwarding an internal draft of the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office Medical Services report to CCS CEO Jerry Boyle, from his personal email.
A few weeks later McCabe emailed Boyle and wrote, “Contract is on my desk, having second thoughts…. Not! just kidding!”
Boyle responded, “Celebratory drinks next month!”
Some emails included endearing terms, with McCabe calling Boyle his "brotha." Both would often email how happy they were to call each other a friend.
Prosecutors reviewed the emails with McCabe’s former secretary Diana Minor on the stand. Minor said she would sometimes book dinners for McCabe and Boyle, or with ABL head John Appleton when they were in town.
McCabe’s lawyer, James Broccoletti, countered that Appleton and Boyle would come to visit the city jail often for business and sometimes have dinner, to which Minor agreed.
Broccoletti argued that Boyle was a friend of McCabe and McCabe was a friend of Boyle, and vice versa with Appleton.
The prosecution asked about McCabe’s annual golf tournament fundraiser where "mulligans" -- or do overs -- were sold to participants. Minor said she would give the money to McCabe at the end of the event.
She said in 2014 she brought concerns to McCabe that the Mulligan money had to be donated, per the Virginia Sheriff’s Accounting manual. She said they usually collected $2,000 to $3,000. For that event, she said they collected $2,700.
They discussed putting it in his charitable foundation. Minor got emotional recalling several months after the tournament and before McCabe deposited the funds. She said she felt responsible for the money since was a signer on his foundation account.
Broccoletti asked if she raised the same concerns about campaign contributions made by ABL and CCS, as she did the mulligans. She said no.
Wednesday, August 4
Lawyers on both sides painted different pictures of former Norfolk Sheriff Bob McCabe.
Federal prosecutors have charged McCabe with several counts of corruption and bribery-related offenses. He’s maintaining his innocence.
Prosecutors say McCabe accepted money, campaign contributions, gift cards, and personal gifts in exchange for actions that would benefit companies competing to provide medical and food services to inmates at the Norfolk City Jail.
Opening statements got underway in his trial on Wednesday morning. The prosecution went first, telling the court: this case is about a man who abused his position of power to "cash in.”
Prosecutor Randy Stoker said his team intends to “pull back the curtain” on “the deals behind the deals.” He said McCabe has a record of "back door deals."
The defense, however, is denying any crimes were committed.
Stoker said McCabe reportedly took bribes from two men: John Appleton and Jerry Boyle.
Boyle is head of CCS which, at the time, was competing with other companies to provide medical services to inmates at the Norfolk City Jail.
Stoker said McCabe instructed a deputy to e-mail Boyle, outlining the other bids companies had made, and Boyle reportedly used that information to give his company the advantage.
Stoker said McCabe accepted campaign contributions and personal gifts from Boyle, ranging from a trip to an NFL game, to a private flight, to a concert in Nashville.
Stoker said McCabe accepted these gifts in exchange for actions that would benefit Boyle’s company.
Michael Koceja, who was a sheriff's deputy at the time, testified in court: He and McCabe took a limousine ride from Norfolk to an NFL game between Green Bay and Washington.
He said the tickets "came from CCS" and they were "great seats" at the 50-yard line behind the Packers' bench. He said he is a Packers fan and McCabe is a Washington fan.
Koceja also testified about a trip to Nashville where he and McCabe flew commercial but he told the court he "can't remember" if he paid for his plane ticket or not.
Appleton is the head of ABL which -- at the time -- was competing with other companies to provide food services to inmates at the Norfolk City Jail.
Stoker said Appleton and McCabe were in a meeting where McCabe reportedly told Appleton he was going to step out of his office, but there was something on his desk that Appleton might find interesting.
Prosecutors said it was a copy of bids from other competitors and Appleton was “shocked” but used that information to give his company the advantage.
Stoker said Appleton wound up giving McCabe campaign contributions and private catering at several events. Appleton agreed to speak to prosecutors in exchange for an immunity agreement.
McCabe’s attorney, James Broccoletti, denied everything and said there is no evidence of a quid pro quo and nothing illegal took place. He told the court that meeting where McCabe stepped out of his office never happened, and the e-mail outlining other bids doesn’t exist.
He described the exchanges as gifts between friends.
He said McCabe, Boyle, and Appleton were known as “frat brothers” because they were so close. He said they frequently spent time together, attended family functions, and stayed at each other homes.
He said Boyle also gave gifts and campaign contributions to other sheriffs around the country.
He said the gifts and campaign contributions from Appleton were not given with any illegal intent. Broccoletti said it was networking and “the way business was done.”
Broccoletti said McCabe "is not a crook" and nothing illegal was done. He told the court: "a gift between friends is not a bribe."