Inos ruled that the government, represented by Assistant Attorney General William Downer, failed to prove within the meaning of an “official act” in the bribery statute that Hai Sen Li bribed CUC meter reader Steven Villagomez Mori.
Inos said under the law, bribery covers an official act of judges, legislators or other officials who took their oath of office.
He granted the motion of Li’s counsel, Assistant Public Defender Richard Miller, to quash the bail.
Prior to handing the verdict, Inos thanked Downer and Miller for their arguments and told them that his decision was based on the “rule of law.”
Downer earlier argued that Li “sought to prevent Mori from accurately reading and reporting the meter reading…by paying Mori $40 on four occasions.”
“Consequently, Li’s attempt to prevent Mori from carrying out his official act of accurately reading and reporting energy consumption via meter-reading is well within the scope of the official act requirement in the commonwealth’s bribery statute,” Downer said.
Inos earlier denied Li’s demand for a jury trial because he was not facing charges punishable by more than five years in jail or by more than a $2,000 fine.
