Police union official during Bridgegate trial: 'It was a lie'

NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- Prosecutors wrapped up their case Thursday in the Bridgegate trial for the alleged intentional closure of part of the George Washington Bridge for political retaliation.

The jury heard for the second time this week from Mike DeFillipis, vice president of the port authority police union, who testified that he was asked to lie.

He said he was told to back up what prosecutors called a bogus cover story that the week-long lane closures on the George Washington Bridge were part of a traffic study, requested by the police union.

"It was a lie," DeFillipis told the jury. "I wasn't privy to it and I had nothing to do with it."

He said the request came from the agency's deputy director, Bill Baroni, who is on trial with Bridget Kelly, a former aide to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Port Authority executive David Wildstein has already testified for the prosecution that the lane closures were intended to punish the mayor of Fort Lee for refusing to endorse the governor's re-election.

Gov. Christie has denied any knowledge of the plot, but Wildstein has insisted Christie was well aware of it, and that Baroni and Kelly helped pull it off.

The jury also watched Baroni's combative testimony before a legislative committee investigating the lane closures, which was his first public claim pinning the traffic study on the union.

DeFillipis said he watched the testimony in disbelief.

"I said he was full of s**t," DeFillipis told the jury. "And wanted to see my PBA attorney."

Stay with abc7NY for the latest on the Bridgegate trial.