The defense rested in the Boston Calling music festival extortion trial Monday, after former Boston Police Commissioner William Evans testified.
Two former aides of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh — city tourism chief Kenneth Brissette and Director of Intergovernmental Relations Timothy Sullivan, who are both on paid leave — were accused in federal court of bullying organizers of the into hiring union workers at the festival by saying that, if they didn't hire union workers, workers would picket.
Evans testified Monday that he was concerned about the event in 2014 and found its organizers entitled. He said he was the one who challenged the event's co-founder on requests for a liquor license.
"I was very strict on what I wanted here," he said, adding that he wanted to limit the festival's license and even called a meeting to discuss it.
The defense highlighted that Evans never had any conversations with Brissette and Sullivan, and Evans said, "Absolutely not" when a lawyer for the defense asked, "Were you part of any agreement to slow down or hinder the liquor license Boston Calling was seeking?"
Evans appeared in pre-recorded video testimony, since he is recovering from an injury.
The charges against Brissette and Sullivan were originally dismissed, but later reinstated after an appeals court sided with the federal government.
Closing arguments in the case begin on Tuesday.
