Ever since his stunning corruption conviction two years ago, Vincent A. "Buddy" Cianci Jr. had held out hope for his appeal, hope that has nurtured him over the past 20 months in prison.
But hopes for another Cianci comeback, in a storied career of comebacks, suffered a devastating blow yesterday, when a federal appeals court in Boston upheld the former Providence mayor's conviction for racketeering conspiracy.
The long-awaited decision was not without some classic Cianci drama, as one of the three judges dissented and said that he would have overturned the conviction.
But in the end, Cianci -- who was unbeaten in six races for mayor, winning once by 709 votes and another time by 317 votes -- didn't have the votes.
In a 2-1 decision, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that there was sufficient evidence to convict the longest-serving mayor in Providence history of running a criminal enterprise out of his corner office at City Hall.
You can find more of the above from the Providence Journal. (link via Bashman)
I lived in Providence for many years, so this story is particularly interesting to me. If you want the details, check out this fascinating recent book:
Details about the book here: The Prince of Providence: The True Story of Buddy Cianci, America's Most Notorious Mayor, Some Wiseguys, and the Feds