Defense Opens In Philadelphia Murder-Racketeering Trial of Kaboni Savage
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Witnesses were called to cast doubt on incriminating recordings and testimony from the prosecution's star witness, as the defense for alleged drug kingpin Kaboni Savage began today in Philadelphia federal court.
The defense's first move was to impugn Savage himself -- that is, the Savage who is heard in secretly recorded tapes vowing violent revenge on those who would testify against him.
The tapes also catch Savage boasting about his lifestyle, including improvements he brags about making to a home in Northeast Philadelphia.
The first defense witness was the home's former owner, who went into great detail about the improvements she had made before selling the house -- including all the items that Savage claims as his work -- thus supporting the defense claims that the tapes are nothing more than rambling jailhouse bravado.
The defense has also argued that witness and former Savage associate Lamont Lewis lied about carrying out murders on Savage's orders, and called other former associates of both men to challenge Lewis' account.
