Opening statements expected Wednesday in corruption trial of ex-NuHealth executive

Opening statements are expected Wednesday in the corruption trial of former public health system executive Larry Slatky.

Slatky, 65, of Cold Spring Harbor, previously pleaded not guilty to the two misdemeanor counts of official misconduct that he's facing.

The charges stem from his time as executive vice president of operations for Nassau Health Care Corp., a $545 million public benefit corporation that includes Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow.

Prosecutors contend that in 2010 Slatky ordered that a friend's company get a laundry contract for a publicly run Uniondale nursing home instead of the lowest bidder.

They've alleged Slatky negotiated a new lowest bid from the friend's company, even though that company wasn't the lowest original bidder among sealed bids.

However, Slatky's lawyers say evidence is legally insufficient. They've also said he finalized, but didn't award the contract, and that the contract ended up saving his employer money.

Slatky resigned from his position at NuHealth before his 2014 indictment.

The defense waived a right to a jury trial, and supervising Nassau County Judge Christopher Quinn will preside over the trial.