The State - News from Feb. 25, 1985

Prosecutors say some charges will be dropped to help spur the Oakland trial of two sons of reputed organized crime figure Joe Bonanno in a fraud case that has dragged on for seven years. Legal tactics, including appeals of rulings on evidence, caused the delay in the case of Salvatore and Joseph Bonanno Jr. They are accused of bilking nine people out of more then $100,000 for home improvements that prosecutors say were never made. Since the brothers were indicted in 1978, five of the nine alleged victims have died, prosecutors said. Deputy Atty. Gen. Derald Granberg said he will seek the dismissal of three of 22 grand theft and conspiracy counts and try the two brothers separately. Granberg said he hoped those moves would make the case shorter and easier to get to trial.