Milan spoke volumes just chewing gum

Courier-Post staff
CAMDEN

Milan's jaws were working hard. Sitting in federal court, hearing himself described as greedy enough to sell his sad old city to the mob, the mayor chewed gum on and off for nearly two hours.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary A. Futcher's opening statement had methodically and mercilessly characterized Milan's professional and political career as fueled and fouled by dirty money.

Drug money, and mob money, and $100 bills. The latter were delivered in white envelopes by a bagman assigned by Philly- South Jersey mob boss Ralph Natale to cater to the mayor's many monetary needs, Futcher said.

Milan jotted notes on a yellow pad occasionally, chewed, and looked at Futcher with barely any expression on his face.

But as the government's no-nonsense attorney summarized her statement, Milan's chewing became continuous. Almost, but not quite, furious.

The evidence, Futcher said, will show Milan "for what he is ... a corrupt public official willing to take money and benefits from anyone, anywhere at any time."

Including, she added, an innocent college student to whom the mayor sold a computer for $1,500 - $1,000 more than it was worth.

The mayor held up a pen in his right hand, and chewed, put the pen down, chewed, and looked at Futcher with an expression somewhere between quizzical and scowling.

But after Milan kept the court waiting for nearly a half hour after lunch, it was he who got chewed out.

"I'm going to expect you to abide by the court's instructions," U.S. District Judge Joel Pisano said brusquely, noting Milan's persistent tardiness had also held up the earlier jury selection process.

The mayor may have no longer felt the need to chomp on chewing gum anyway.

It must have been much more pleasant to listen to his attorney, Carlos Martir Jr., describe him as the selfless would-be savior of Camden.

Milan, Martir told the jury, rose from the "ghettoes" to become mayor because "he wanted to give back something to the city."

Milan defied Camden's entrenched political establishment and opened up City Hall - not to gangsters, Martir insisted, but to "the people."

Milan had been taken in by the mob's emissaries, believing them to be legitimate businessmen, and firmly shut the door once their nefarious nature became apparent.

With its 19-count indictment, the government "is attempting to do criminally what it couldn't do politically ... bring Milton Milan down," Martir added.

Milan provided reporters with a similar spin when he arrived at the courthouse in the morning. The trial, he insisted, is about politics.

"It's sort of like the political puberty I have to go through," he said.

Good sound bite. But a good strategy? That will be up to the jury.

Kevin Riordan's column runs Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.