De Vito could testify against wife

MONTREAL, Que. – The Crown tried to introduce a new surprise witness to testify at the preliminary hearing for Adele Sorella, the Laval woman accused of murdering her two young daughters.

Sorella’s husband, Giuseppe De Vito, was subpoenaed to testify against his wife on Wednesday for the hearing Friday morning.

Prosecutor Louis Bouthillier told the court that De Vito wasn’t available when the Crown announced in September that it had closed its arguments in the case.

De Vito had been on the lam since 2006 and was wanted on drug trafficking charges filed in Project Colisee, a lengthy investigation into the Montreal Mafia and its associates. He was arrested in October after being in hiding for years, including when his daughters were killed in March 2009.

De Vito’s lawyer told Quebec Court Judge Paul Chevalier on Friday morning that he simply wasn’t ready to advise his client on whether he should testify. Rock said the matter "is very complex" and involves issues of whether a man can testify against his wife in a criminal trial. Rock also said calling De Vito as a witness is also complicated by the fact he is still facing drug trafficking charges as part of Project Colisee.

Chevalier agreed to delay until March the discussion of whether De Vito can testify.