Exclusive Investigation
Judge Recuses Himself In Cianci Case
Judge Bruce Selya recused from the case soon after Cianci's appeal was filed with the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston.
Selya, one of six judges on the appeals court, is from Providence and had dealings with Mayor Cianci over several years.
Judge Bruce Selya was appointed to the First Circuit Court of appeals in 1986...
He had been a Providence Federal Court judge.....
Some his dealings with Mayor Cianci came when Selya was chairman of the Board of Lifespan, which is a Providence-based newtwork of several hospitals.
"Selya also dealt with Cianci on issues involving the federal courthouse building in Kennedy plaza."
Selya's recusal came September 30th in a letter.
"The undersigned hereby recuses himself from any participation in the above-entitled matters."
After Selya's letter, the appeals of all three defendants were consolidated, which presumably means Selya has removed himself from the appeals of Cianci's codefendant's Frank Corrente and Richard Autiello as well.
While Selya removed himself from involvement in the appeals, he did participate in a hearing in May.
The matter involved a media request for access to sealed memos and surveillance tapes from the Plunder Dome trial held before Judge Ernest Torres in Providence Federal Court. One of Cianci's appeals is now being considered by three other judges on the First circuit appeasls court in Boston.
Cianci is asking the appeals court to delay the start of his prison sentence until all of his appeals are exhausted.
A decision is expected soon. Cianci is scheduled to report to the Elkton Correctional Institition in Ohio on December 6th.
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