William Rapetti’s lawyers argued that he was made the scapegoat for errors by others that led to the 2008 accident.

The judge in the manslaughter trial of William Rapetti, a rigging contractor, said he planned to announce a verdict Thursday.

An expert testified for the defense in the trial of a rigging contractor charged with manslaughter after a deadly collapse, but the expert’s own conduct became an issue.

Peter J. Stroh said that William Rapetti, who is on trial for manslaughter, was “one of the best riggers out there.”

Seven people were killed and John Gallego was badly injured when the crane fell across East 51st Street in 2008, ripping his building into pieces.

Arthur Aidala said his client, William Rapetti, was not responsible, and blamed the city, contractors and the crane operator.

A lawyer disclosed the strategy he plans to follow in a trial over seven deaths at a construction site in 2008.

Michael Sackaris, the owner of Nu-Way Crane Service, pleaded guilty to paying a city inspector to certify cranes that had not been inspected.

A judge fined the city $5,000 for refusing to turn over documents and e-mail pertinent to a 2008 crane collapse that killed two workers.

Officials said the operator, Christopher Cosban, failed to properly secure the crane that fell onto a downtown building after he left for the day.