Several members of the jury that took a sledgehammer to the Chicago “Outfit” left federal court Thursday through an underground tunnel to escape the media. They surfaced inside the Kluczynski building across the street, and spilled out onto Jackson Boulevard through glass doors.
When a reporter approached with questions, one man whose vote helped put away some of Chicago’s top mobsters put his arm around a female juror and raised his voice a bit. “Just get away,” he said, before disappearing in the city bustle.
Two female jurors walked away quickly, heading west toward the river, not saying a word to a trailing reporter.
When no comment didn’t stop the chase, one woman relented on the condition she wouldn’t be identified.
“We did the best we could. We thought we did a very fair job. And we were very reasonable with each other so we could do a good job,” she said.
The woman wouldn’t comment on trial details or the mood inside the jury room during deliberations. When asked if she feared the men she’d convicted of racketeering and murder, the woman spoke in a calm, easy voice.
“I don’t have any fear because I’m just a person that’s picked to do this,” she said. “I did my job. I think everybody thought they were (were) very fair.”
Thanks to Mark Konkol
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Family Secrets Mob Trial Murder Charge Verdicts
The jury deliberated on 18 murders and one attempted murder but couldn’t agree on every case. Here’s how they split: “Responsible” means they found the accused responsible; “No Verdict” means they did not.
1. Victim: Michael “Hambone” Albergo
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (Responsible)
2. Victim: Daniel Seifert
Accused: Joseph Lombardo (Responsible)
3. Victim: Paul Haggerty
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (No Verdict)
4. Victim: Henry Cosentino
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (No Verdict)
5. Victim: John Mendell
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (No Verdict)
6. and 7. Victims: Donald Renno and Vincent Moretti
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (No Verdict)
8. and 9. Victims: William and Charlotte Dauber
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (Responsible)
10. Victim: William Petrocelli
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (No Verdict)
11. Victim: Michael Cagnoni
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (Responsible)
12. Victim: Nicholas D’Andrea
Accused: James Marcello (No Verdict)
13. Attempted murder victim: Nicholas Sarillo
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr., James Marcello (Blank)
14. and 15. Victims: Richard Ortiz and Arthur Morawski
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (Responsible)
16. Victim: Emil Vaci
Accused: Paul Schiro (No Verdict)
17. and 18. Victims: Michael and Anthony Spilotro
Accused: James Marcello (Responsible)
19. Victim: John Fecarotta
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (Responsible)
1. Victim: Michael “Hambone” Albergo
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (Responsible)
2. Victim: Daniel Seifert
Accused: Joseph Lombardo (Responsible)
3. Victim: Paul Haggerty
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (No Verdict)
4. Victim: Henry Cosentino
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (No Verdict)
5. Victim: John Mendell
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (No Verdict)
6. and 7. Victims: Donald Renno and Vincent Moretti
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (No Verdict)
8. and 9. Victims: William and Charlotte Dauber
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (Responsible)
10. Victim: William Petrocelli
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (No Verdict)
11. Victim: Michael Cagnoni
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (Responsible)
12. Victim: Nicholas D’Andrea
Accused: James Marcello (No Verdict)
13. Attempted murder victim: Nicholas Sarillo
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr., James Marcello (Blank)
14. and 15. Victims: Richard Ortiz and Arthur Morawski
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (Responsible)
16. Victim: Emil Vaci
Accused: Paul Schiro (No Verdict)
17. and 18. Victims: Michael and Anthony Spilotro
Accused: James Marcello (Responsible)
19. Victim: John Fecarotta
Accused: Frank Calabrese Sr. (Responsible)
10 Mob Hits Committed by 3 of the Mobsters at Family Secrets Trial
A federal jury in Chicago today found three Outfit figures committed 10 gangland slayings at the heart of the Family Secrets mob conspiracy trial.
The jury deadlocked on one murder blamed on a fourth defendant as well as seven other homicides. Earlier this month, the same jury convicted the four defendants as well as a former Chicago police officer of racketeering conspiracy.
In a second round of deliberations decided today, the jury found Frank Calabrese Sr. committed seven murders, James Marcello two murders and Joey "the Clown" Lombardo one murder. As a result, the men face up to life in prison because the slayings were committed in the course of the racketeering conspiracy.
The jury, however, was unable to reach a decision on the one murder attributed to defendant Paul "the Indian" Schiro.
In its decision today, the jury held Marcello–identified by authorities as Chicago's top mob boss when the indictment was announced–-- responsible for the most notorious murders, the 1986 deaths of Las Vegas mob chieftain Anthony Spilotro and his brother Michael whose bodies were found buried in an Indiana cornfield.
The Spilotros' brother, Patrick, grabbed his wife, Kathy, as the verdict was read. "It was a sense of justice being served," he said later of his reaction. "We're just thankful the verdict came down as it did."
The jury also found that Calabrese, portrayed by prosecutors as a ruthless hit man, took part in the 1980 shotgun slayings of William Dauber and wife Charlotte and the 1981 car-bombing of trucking executive Michael Cagnoni.
Lombardo, a legendary mob figure for decades, was held responsible for gunning down Daniel Seifert in front of his wife and young son shortly before Seifert was to testify in court against Lombardo, a former business partner.
The jury deadlocked on whether Schiro, the Outfit's representative in Phoenix who is serving a prison sentence for his role in a mob-connected jewelry theft ring, committed the 1986 murder of grand jury witness Emil Vaci.
The jury was also unable to reach a verdict on six murders attributed to Calabrese and one blamed on Marcello.
The jury convicted the Outfit figures as well as Anthony "Twan" Doyle, a former Chicago police officer, of racketeering conspiracy on Sept. 10 for extorting "street taxes" from businesses, running illegal gambling operations, making high-interest "juice" loans and protecting the mob's interests through violence and murder.
The 18 gangland slayings date back decades.
The prosecution case hinged on the testimony of Calabrese's brother, Nicholas, one of the highest-ranking mob turncoats in Chicago history who linked his brother to many of the murders. Calabrese's son, Frank Jr., also secretly tape-recorded conversations with his imprisoned father. The unprecedented cooperation by relatives of a mob target prompted federal authorities to code-name the probe Operation Family Secrets.
Doyle was convicted of passing on confidential information about the federal probe to a mob friend but wasn't charged in the murders.
The riveting trial, which played out over 10 weeks this summer before overflow crowds in the largest courtroom in the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, marks the most significant prosecution of the Chicago mob in decades.
Thanks to Jeff Coen
The jury deadlocked on one murder blamed on a fourth defendant as well as seven other homicides. Earlier this month, the same jury convicted the four defendants as well as a former Chicago police officer of racketeering conspiracy.
In a second round of deliberations decided today, the jury found Frank Calabrese Sr. committed seven murders, James Marcello two murders and Joey "the Clown" Lombardo one murder. As a result, the men face up to life in prison because the slayings were committed in the course of the racketeering conspiracy.
The jury, however, was unable to reach a decision on the one murder attributed to defendant Paul "the Indian" Schiro.
In its decision today, the jury held Marcello–identified by authorities as Chicago's top mob boss when the indictment was announced–-- responsible for the most notorious murders, the 1986 deaths of Las Vegas mob chieftain Anthony Spilotro and his brother Michael whose bodies were found buried in an Indiana cornfield.
The Spilotros' brother, Patrick, grabbed his wife, Kathy, as the verdict was read. "It was a sense of justice being served," he said later of his reaction. "We're just thankful the verdict came down as it did."
The jury also found that Calabrese, portrayed by prosecutors as a ruthless hit man, took part in the 1980 shotgun slayings of William Dauber and wife Charlotte and the 1981 car-bombing of trucking executive Michael Cagnoni.
Lombardo, a legendary mob figure for decades, was held responsible for gunning down Daniel Seifert in front of his wife and young son shortly before Seifert was to testify in court against Lombardo, a former business partner.
The jury deadlocked on whether Schiro, the Outfit's representative in Phoenix who is serving a prison sentence for his role in a mob-connected jewelry theft ring, committed the 1986 murder of grand jury witness Emil Vaci.
The jury was also unable to reach a verdict on six murders attributed to Calabrese and one blamed on Marcello.
The jury convicted the Outfit figures as well as Anthony "Twan" Doyle, a former Chicago police officer, of racketeering conspiracy on Sept. 10 for extorting "street taxes" from businesses, running illegal gambling operations, making high-interest "juice" loans and protecting the mob's interests through violence and murder.
The 18 gangland slayings date back decades.
The prosecution case hinged on the testimony of Calabrese's brother, Nicholas, one of the highest-ranking mob turncoats in Chicago history who linked his brother to many of the murders. Calabrese's son, Frank Jr., also secretly tape-recorded conversations with his imprisoned father. The unprecedented cooperation by relatives of a mob target prompted federal authorities to code-name the probe Operation Family Secrets.
Doyle was convicted of passing on confidential information about the federal probe to a mob friend but wasn't charged in the murders.
The riveting trial, which played out over 10 weeks this summer before overflow crowds in the largest courtroom in the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, marks the most significant prosecution of the Chicago mob in decades.
Thanks to Jeff Coen
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Prosecutors Want FBI Agent's Defense Attorney Booted
Rogue FBI agent Lindley DeVecchio could be forced to find another lawyer on the eve of his blockbuster murder trial if Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes gets his way.
Prosecutors yesterday asked a judge to boot defense lawyer Douglas Grover from the case so they could call him as a witness against his own client.
"I want to put Mr. Grover on the stand," lead prosecutor Michael Vecchione told state Supreme Court Justice Gustin Reichbach. Vecchione said he wanted Grover out because of a meeting the defense lawyer had years ago with a star prosecution witness.
DeVecchio, 66, was indicted last year for allegedly helping mobster Gregory Scarpa Sr. carry out four murders in the 1980s and '90s.
Scarpa, who has since died, was an FBI informer.
His ex-girlfriend Linda Schiro is the star witness who met with Grover 15 years ago during a Justice Department probe that cleared DeVecchio.
"Their point is that Schiro is a blatant liar," said Vecchione, adding that Grover met with Schiro and helped influence her.
Grover scoffed at the allegation. He called it tit-for-tat because he had successfully forced two prosecutors off the case.
"Removal of counsel on the eve of trial ... the prejudice would be extreme," said Reichbach, who reserved decision.
The trial is scheduled to get underway next month.
Thanks to Scott Shifrel
Prosecutors yesterday asked a judge to boot defense lawyer Douglas Grover from the case so they could call him as a witness against his own client.
"I want to put Mr. Grover on the stand," lead prosecutor Michael Vecchione told state Supreme Court Justice Gustin Reichbach. Vecchione said he wanted Grover out because of a meeting the defense lawyer had years ago with a star prosecution witness.
DeVecchio, 66, was indicted last year for allegedly helping mobster Gregory Scarpa Sr. carry out four murders in the 1980s and '90s.
Scarpa, who has since died, was an FBI informer.
His ex-girlfriend Linda Schiro is the star witness who met with Grover 15 years ago during a Justice Department probe that cleared DeVecchio."Their point is that Schiro is a blatant liar," said Vecchione, adding that Grover met with Schiro and helped influence her.
Grover scoffed at the allegation. He called it tit-for-tat because he had successfully forced two prosecutors off the case.
"Removal of counsel on the eve of trial ... the prejudice would be extreme," said Reichbach, who reserved decision.
The trial is scheduled to get underway next month.
Thanks to Scott Shifrel
Vintage Untouchables
The Untouchables - Season One, Volume Two
Thirty years before they hit the big screen via Brian DePalma's brilliant movie adaptation, Eliot Ness's legendary exploits came to life in the classic 1950s and '60s television series THE UNTOUCHABLES. Created by veteran crime-drama producer Quinn Martin, the series followed Ness (Robert Stack) and his team of crack crimefighters--including agents Martin Flaherty (Jerry Paris), Jack Rossman (Steve London), Enrico Rossi (Nicholas Georgiade), and William Youngellow (Abel Fernandez)--as they took on the Mafia underworld of gangsters Al Capone (Neville Brand) and Frank Nitti (Bruce Gordon) in Prohibition-era Chicago. Smart and iconic, the series distinguished itself with superb voiceover narration from broadcaster Walter Winchell and a gritty style that nonetheless eschewed graphic depictions of gore and violence. This collection presents the second half of the vintage series' debut season.
Thirty years before they hit the big screen via Brian DePalma's brilliant movie adaptation, Eliot Ness's legendary exploits came to life in the classic 1950s and '60s television series THE UNTOUCHABLES. Created by veteran crime-drama producer Quinn Martin, the series followed Ness (Robert Stack) and his team of crack crimefighters--including agents Martin Flaherty (Jerry Paris), Jack Rossman (Steve London), Enrico Rossi (Nicholas Georgiade), and William Youngellow (Abel Fernandez)--as they took on the Mafia underworld of gangsters Al Capone (Neville Brand) and Frank Nitti (Bruce Gordon) in Prohibition-era Chicago. Smart and iconic, the series distinguished itself with superb voiceover narration from broadcaster Walter Winchell and a gritty style that nonetheless eschewed graphic depictions of gore and violence. This collection presents the second half of the vintage series' debut season.
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