As soon as he arrived, Scoleri told the jury, Ligambi placed his hand on his shoulder and said, "Don't give them that picture."

"We were talking real close," the photographer said. "We were right next to each other."

At first, Scoleri did as he was told, but once investigators questioned him about the photo's absence, he turned it over.

Prosecutors contend Ligambi's instructions to Scoleri amount to an act of intimidation.

But despite what he described as a momentary lapse, Scoleri conceded under cross-examination from Ligambi's lawyer that he never exactly felt threatened by Ligambi.

"He was laughing and joking," the photographer said.

As for the mob figure's closeness during their conversation, Scoleri said, "that's just the way he talks. I'm not afraid of Joe."