Zaccaro Indicted in Cable TV Bribe Probe

n A. Zaccaro, the husband of former Democratic vice presidential candidate Geraldine A. Ferraro, has been indicted by a grand jury investigating allegations of bribery in the awarding of cable television franchises, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Robert G. Morvillo, Zaccaro’s lawyer, said the indictment was sealed and he did not know the specific charges, but he said his client has denied any wrongdoing. The existence of the indictment also was confirmed by acting Justice Seymour Rotker in state Supreme Court in Queens, who said no further details would be disclosed at this time.

Morvillo said the statute of limitations in the case expires Oct. 28, and he charged that the indictment was the result of a “panicked race” by prosecutors to beat the deadline.

The grand jury’s investigation has centered on charges that Zaccaro and Michael A. Nussbaum, a Queens political consultant, sought payments from companies competing through former Queens Borough President Donald Manes for lucrative cable television franchises in 1981.

Testimony Reported

Published reports citing lawyers familiar with the case have said the grand jury heard testimony that Zaccaro, a Manhattan real estate broker, introduced an executive of the cable television concern to Manes and later asked for $1 million to help the company obtain the cable franchise.

Zaccaro had been seeking to disqualify the grand jury on the grounds that the assistant district attorney heading the case lives outside New York City. State law requires prosecutors in all boroughs except Manhattan to live in the city.

Queens Dist. Atty. John J. Santucci said in court papers that the assistant maintains homes in the city and in suburban Westchester County.

Last week, Santucci petitioned the Appellate Division to lift temporary restraining orders blocking the grand jury from indicting. On Monday, the appeals court removed the stays.

‘Race to File’

“We are disappointed that upon learning of this decision of the Appellate Division, the district attorney chose to engage in a panicked race to file a charge in an effort to preclude us from gaining a fair hearing,” Morvillo said Wednesday. “We can only conclude that he was worried about his legal position and the legitimacy of his grand jury proceeding.”

Morvillo said he would continue to press for a hearing to disqualify the grand jury.

Manes resigned under pressure in February and committed suicide a month later amid charges that he was a central figure in the bribery scandal in New York City’s Parking Violations Bureau.

In January, 1985, Zaccaro pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of scheming to defraud in connection with a real estate deal in which he misstated his net worth on a loan application. He was sentenced to 150 hours of community service.