Intresting article about the trial of Joeseph 'Joey the clown' Lombardo coming up this tuesday.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/4896853.html

Thanks! Should be an interesting trial.

Saw this on the news today, sounds interesting

Hey turnbull cant belive i did the link and it worked!thanks.
I will definetly be following this trial to see how it pans out,Should be very interesting

Chopper, please keep us posted.

This is definitely going to be interesting. Here in Chicago, I'm almost considering taking time off to actually watch the trial.

of course dc but maybe donatello could do a better job as he is a resident of the windy city although i will do my best as well.

2 more plead guilty in mob case

By Jeff Coen
Tribune staff reporter
Published June 18, 2007, 1:40 PM CDT
Two more defendants in the sweeping Family Secrets mob conspiracy trial pleaded guilty today, one day before jury selection is set to begin.

Nicholas Ferriola, 32, pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and conducting an illegal gambling business. Ferriola's plea agreement spells out that he will not be called to testify in the upcoming trial.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Mitchell Mars read the charges in court, outlining how Ferriola "agreed to participate in the affairs of the Chicago Outfit." Ferriola allegedly was a member of the Chinatown, or 26th Street, street crew, which included Family Secrets defendant Frank Calabrese Sr.

Also pleading guilty today was Joseph Venezia, 71, charged with conducting an illegal gambling business and tax-fraud conspiracy. Both men are due in court Aug. 10.

The pleas today reduced the number of defendants expected to go on trial this week to five, all reputed mobsters whom the government has accused of forming the backbone of the Chicago Outfit during much of the 1970s and '80s.

Last week, Michael Marcello, the half-brother of a reputed top Chicago mobster, pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy to conduct the affairs of organized crime, admitting he was a member of the Outfit's Melrose Park crew and passed information to his incarcerated half-brother, Nicholas Calabrese.

The defendants set to go on trial Tuesday are Joey "the Clown" Lombardo; James Marcello, named as the boss of the Chicago mob at the time of his arrest; Frank Calabrese Sr., a made member of the Outfit's 26th Street crew and once the city's reputed top loan shark; Paul "the Indian" Schiro; and former Chicago police officer Anthony Doyle.

A judge ruled Friday that another defendant, reputed mob hit man Frank "the German" Schweihs, will be allowed to sit out the trial for health reasons and can be tried separately later.

The indictments were handed up in spring 2005.

Prosecutors are expected to tell the jury that Lombardo, Marcello and others helped control the crime organization that was born with Al Capone and has since flourished in all manner of illicit business, protecting itself through murder when necessary.

The most sensational of the 18 mob killings detailed in the indictment are the 1986 beating deaths of Anthony and Michael Spilotro, who were found buried in an Indiana cornfield and whose murders were featured in the movie "Casino."

The trial, which is expected to last as long as four months, is expected to feature high-ranking turncoats, including made mob member Nicholas Calabrese, who will testify against his brother, giving the case its Family Secrets code name. The parade of prosecution witnesses also is expected to include hit men, pornographers, bookies, career burglars and other mob associates.



Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune

Great thanks

Cloaked mob jury to weigh 'Secrets'
Is anonymity needed to protect jurors -- or does it go too far and prejudice the panel?

By Jeff Coen and Michael Higgins
Tribune staff reporters
Published June 19, 2007
When the much-anticipated Family Secrets mob conspiracy trial opens Tuesday, jurors will share their backgrounds, views on issues and reading habits -- but not their names.

In a rare move, the judge presiding over the landmark trial decided weeks ago to seat an anonymous jury. The five men accused of racketeering conspiracy for their alleged roles in controlling the Chicago Outfit will know who is deciding their fates only by court-assigned numbers.

In a sealed motion, the prosecution cited the safety of jurors for keeping their identities secret, even from defense lawyers in the case, those lawyers said. U.S. District Judge James Zagel agreed that was the best course.

Experts say seating an anonymous jury is a controversial practice. Judges must weigh juror safety against a defendant's right to an impartial panel. The risk is that the need for their anonymity could leave jurors thinking the defendants must be dangerous. Lawyers in the Family Secrets case said they strongly objected for just that reason.

"Now, of course, the jury can infer that these must be pretty nefarious people," said Ralph Meczyk, the lawyer for Anthony Doyle, a defendant in the case that is set to begin Tuesday with jury selection. "That puts in their mind the belief that we're dealing with very, very dangerous defendants."

In seeking to seat anonymous juries, prosecutors typically argue that panel members could be at risk, or at least that the nature of a case could leave jurors apprehensive if the defendants know who they are and where they live.

This is believed to be the first use of an anonymous jury in Chicago's federal court in 15 years, but there is precedent for the move here and across the country, particularly in organized-crime prosecutions.

The last time it was used here was at the trial of mobster Ernest Rocco Infelice, who was convicted in 1992 of racketeering and murder conspiracy.

Recently, an anonymous jury heard a Ku Klux Klan trial in Mississippi, and another decided the fate of reputed mobster John Gotti Jr. last year in New York.

Meanwhile, two more defendants from an original group of 14 pleaded guilty Monday in the Family Secrets case. Nicholas Ferriola, 32, admitted he was part of the criminal conspiracy, while Joseph Venezia, 71, pleaded guilty to being part of an illegal gambling operation. Left to stand trial in the conspiracy that allegedly included 18 slayings are reputed mob bosses Joey "the Clown" Lombardo, James Marcello and Frank Calabrese Sr. as well as Paul "the Indian" Schiro and Doyle, a former Chicago police officer.

The 6th Amendment guarantees all defendants the right to "a speedy and public trial." But as some organized-crime and terrorism defendants have learned, that doesn't necessarily include the right to know who is sitting in judgment on the jury.

Judges can seat anonymous juries for safety reasons and to prevent juror tampering, though the move usually draws cries of unfairness from the defense.

"From the defense side, you worry that the signal it sends is: We've got to be really careful here. These are dangerous individuals," said Andrew Leipold, a law professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "That's not the mind-set you want jurors to start a case with."

But the judge could have taken into account, Leipold said, that Lombardo, for example, is accused of killing a government witness -- an allegation that, if true, shows a willingness to use violence to subvert the justice system. He is blamed for the 1974 killing of Bensenville businessman Daniel Seifert, who was scheduled to testify against Lombardo in a Teamsters pension-fraud trial.

For judges, Leipold said, "it's difficult in that so much of this is predictions. What's the likelihood the jury will be tampered with? How likely is it that jury will be biased against the defense?"

Judges also must factor in the right of the public and media to an open proceeding, Leipold said.

In the George Ryan corruption trial last year, for example, reporters at the Tribune used publicly available juror information to discover that two jurors had misled the court about their criminal backgrounds. A federal judge dismissed the jurors as a result.

In the Family Secrets case, it's unclear exactly what evidence persuaded Zagel to keep the jury anonymous. Prosecutors made their arguments in a Feb. 16 motion that was filed under seal.

But anonymous juries are more common when defendants are allegedly part of a large criminal organization, with members outside the courtroom who have a strong interest in the trial's outcome.

The process to select the Family Secrets jury began earlier this year when prospective jurors in a special pool had their backgrounds checked and were sent questionnaires that asked for in-depth personal information. In addition to personal data, the jurors were asked dozens of questions about their opinions and perceptions of the justice system, the FBI and organized crime.

Jurors were asked what they read and listen to as well as what TV shows they might watch that touch on the mob. One prospective juror listed "The Simpsons," apparently a tongue-in-cheek reference to the character "Fat Tony" and his band of hoodlums from fictional Springfield's underworld.

Also among the questions was whether the prospective juror had ever written to the editor of a newspaper, and on what topic.

On Tuesday morning, the first 25 possible jurors will be led into the courtroom for questioning in person. Although they will not be shielded visually by a partition, they will be identified only by number. Another 25 will follow in the afternoon, and that pattern will repeat at least through Thursday until about 18 are picked. Twelve will be permanent jurors, the rest alternates.

Some of the defense attorneys in the case said because of the detailed questionnaire, they may wind up knowing a bit more about each juror than they would have otherwise. Still, it's a handicap not to know such basics as a person's name or where they live.

Marcello's lawyer, Marc Martin, said he, too, objected to the anonymous panel. He noted he has practiced law for 20 years and has never heard of a case of jury tampering in Chicago's federal court.

Openness in government is important, and jury tampering -- in real life, as opposed to Hollywood films -- is exceedingly rare, agreed Shari Seidman Diamond, law professor at Northwestern University.

"I'm not persuaded that [anonymous juries] are required or that they're useful or that they contribute to justice," Diamond said. "We prefer to have the jury be a source of light, not shadow."

But Lombardo's lawyer, Rick Halprin, said he's sure the judge has plenty of reasons to want the jurors' identities withheld in such a high-profile case.

"Frankly, I think the gravest danger the judge perceives are crank phone calls and media scrutiny," Halprin said. "He doesn't want the same kind of fiasco they had in the Ryan trial."

----------

jcoen@tribune.com

mjhiggins@tribune.com

Here's something I didn't know, will it boost sales of the Magnum P.I. Box sets among members of this forum???



Spilotro once showed 'Magnum' force


Published June 17, 2007


The Spilotro Hollywood moment is that scene in "Casino" with the cornfield and the baseball bats that the critics loved, though it really didn't happen that way.

That's how America remembers the Chicago Outfit's Anthony Spilotro and his brother Michael, whose famous murders are among 18 Outfit killings comprising the historic federal "Family Secrets" mob trial set to begin this week.

But there is another Spilotro Hollywood moment, long forgotten. In this one, actors don't play the Spilotros. Rather, Michael Spilotro played a tough FBI agent on the hit TV show "Magnum, P.I.," starring Tom Selleck.

Special Agent Spilotro appeared in the 1981 episode "Thicker than Blood." And you thought only Christopher from "The Sopranos" had a Hollywood urge.

Michael was the little brother of Tony, the Chicago Outfit's overseer in Las Vegas in the 1970s and 1980s. Michael received bit parts on "Magnum" and other shows. (I've got that "Magnum" DVD, but don't ask to borrow it.)

"Magnum" was a private-eye show set in Hawaii with a fancy red Ferrari and beautiful girls, gunplay, more beautiful girls, more gunplay and beautiful girls. That was when TV was TV. In the episode, a gang of wisecracking French drug dealers try to import loads of heroin. But G-man Michael Spilotro won't stand for such shenanigans.

Rather than wear a tie, Agent Spilotro wears a sports coat and an open shirt, but no gold chains. And Agent Spilotro did an interesting thing when he met Magnum in a parking lot in broad daylight. He reached for his gun. How rude.

Did Agent Spilotro think he was in some parking lot at Grand and Harlem?

Magnum was worried about his friend, TC, who'd been set up by the evil drug lords, so Magnum approached Spilotro to find out what happened to his buddy.

"He doesn't wanna talk," Spilotro informed Magnum and Rick (played by native Chicagoan and Michael's boyhood friend Larry Manetti).

Spilotro unleashed his lines in an unmistakably thick Chicago accent, about as thick as mine, with the same flat vowels.

Later, FBI Agent Spilotro is hiding outside a warehouse, peering through a window, clenching a bullhorn while watching the drug dealers unload their heroin. One of the villains, in a thick French accent, says quite sarcastically, "$10 million worth of heroin, courtesy of zee United States Coast Guard."

Just then, Agent Spilotro springs into action:

"This is a federal officer! The building is surrounded!! Come out with your hands in da air!!"

"Magnum" action music—including wailing guitars—pulsates to a disco beat. Agent Spilotro charges in, cornering the evildoers by firing his pistol into the air.

They surrender, and wisely. They didn't know if "Family Secrets" prosecution witness and Outfit enforcer Frankie Cullotta might have been hiding nearby, supporting Spilotro, with a vise that would fit several French heads. The vise thing was in "Casino," but it was drawn from Chicago Outfit war stories and, no wonder, since Cullotta was a technical adviser on "Casino" and knew what a vise could do to a head.

Spilotro may have been trying to increase his Hollywood profile for business reasons, but I don't think the old guys back home who ran things were too pleased about Michael raising his profile on TV.

But others disagree, including Manetti, who ran a Chicago construction company that helped build Rush Street clubs before getting into acting. Manetti says he's developing several projects, including a TV comedy about burned-out cops working the night shift and a movie about Cuban refugees.

"I didn't know Michael as a gangster, I knew him as a guy I grew up with in the neighborhood," Manetti said. "Michael wanted to be on TV, that's all. Who wouldn't? It was a top show. He had fun. He wasn't trying to be a movie star or an actor, he was having fun."

Common wisdom is that Tony was the tough guy and Michael was the innocent victim, though some law enforcement sources suggest Michael may have been more devious than his brother. But that's not how Manetti saw his friend, who visited him in Hawaii and was offered a bit part.

"I loved Michael. I don't know what the rumors are, he wasn't a bad guy. Everybody has aspirations of being a movie star. We thought about it. It was funny, you know, Spilotro, FBI agent. . . . With us, it was all fun, no bad stuff. I think we talked about him playing a guy named Zookie the Bookie once, you know, just fun stuff. He was OK as an actor, he wasn't so stiff."

Manetti, who lives in California, said he'll read the Tribune to follow the "Family Secrets" trial.

"I miss him. Listen, if it's about the guys who killed Michael, let them burn."

Some who ordered the murders have already been burned, and are likely burning still.

And though Michael Spilotro may have had fun on TV, I've got a feeling that a few Chicago critics who could make him or break him didn't like his performance as a crime-fighting fed.

They gave it two broken thumbs down.

jskass@tribune.com

The timeline for the Family Secrets trial from the Tribune.

I'm also recording reports from TV and probably will compile them into one for a video timeline.

Hey well done thats excellent reading.It would be great if you could do a dvd and post it on here.

Everything in this thread's very interesting. Thanks for the info, guys!
As for the anonymous jury:
There's adequate legal precedent for anonymous juries if the prosecution convinces the judge that naming the jurors would be dangerous to them. Of course it prejudices people. But during the voire dire (jury selection process) jurors are asked, by both sides, if they've heard of the defendants before, have any prejudice against them, read anything that might affect their opinion, etc. Jurors who want to stay on the jury will deny any such prejudice. If the defendants are convicted and they appeal on the basis that the anonymity effort prejudiced the jury, the appellate judge can always claim that the jurors had been asked if they were prejudiced, that they denied it--and the defense accepted them as jurors.

More fundamentally: an appeal can be based only on new evidence surfacing, or a provable contention that the defendants didn't get a fair trial. But the appellate judge is the decider. They have their own prejudices. And they have their politics: they won't want to put known criminals back on the street because of a technicality. Nor do they like to overrule fellow judges--looks bad going forward, when they might be up for consideration for a higher court.
Bottom line: when a case goes to trial, the issue isn't innocence or guilt, or even right or wrong: it's who wins and who loses.

I have newscasts from the morning, noon, afternoon, evening, and night broadcasts from the major local news stations being recorded. When it's all over, I'll see what I can do with them.

'Hoax' bomb shakes Family Secrets trial
Device at home of defendant's son

By Jeff Coen
Tribune staff reporter
Published June 20, 2007

A fake explosive device was found outside a suburban home owned by a son of a defendant in the Family Secrets mob conspiracy trial hours after jury selection began Tuesday, prompting a federal investigation, authorities said.

Investigators said a "hoax device" was left on the back porch of a house in Kenilworth and discovered about 1 p.m. A defense lawyer in the case, Joseph Lopez, said the object was found at the home of a son of his client, reputed mob boss Frank Calabrese Sr., on trial for racketeering conspiracy in connection with long-unsolved mob murders.

Public records show the home belongs to one of Calabrese's sons, Kurt, but not the son who is expected to take the witness stand for the government. The son who recorded conversations with his father and is expected to take the witness stand is Frank Calabrese Jr.

In addition, Nicholas Calabrese, Frank Sr.'s brother, is expected to be the government's star witness, naming his own brother in many of the murders.

Kurt Calabrese was sentenced to 2 years in prison in 1997 for helping conceal hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits in connection with his father's loan-sharking activities.

Investigators said the device was not a working explosive. It was too early to know whether it was a prank or some kind of message, but authorities are concerned because of its timing as jury selection began in the trial.

The events followed U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel's decision to keep the identity of the jury anonymous as a safeguard.

Lopez said he was concerned that opening statements, which could begin as soon as Thursday, might have to be delayed.

"It's shocking, and it shouldn't have happened," Lopez said. "My client loves his children."

As jury selection began Tuesday in the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, Frank Calabrese Sr. sat in a powder-blue sport coat talking to Lopez. It marked the first time that the five men facing trial—Calabrese, Joey "the Clown" Lombardo, James Marcello, Paul Schiro and Anthony Doyle—have been in the same courtroom.

They are accused in a sweeping Outfit conspiracy blamed for 18 decades-old gangland killings.

With Zagel handling the questioning, jury selection moved swiftly Tuesday. By the end of the first day, eight people were selected to sit in the trial, which is expected to last at least two months. Eighteen others were interviewed and could be still be picked, lawyers in the case said.

With black-and-white portraits of judges staring down from the walls of the ceremonial courtroom, prospective jurors were questioned about whether they could be fair in a case involving the shadowy work of the Chicago Outfit. Lombardo, in a gray jacket and loose tie, flipped through questionnaires that prospective jurors had filled out before the trial.

Given the anonymity of the jury, Zagel questioned candidates by number only, asking them about their jobs and whether they could be fair. All those questioned Tuesday said they could be impartial. They were warned the trial will feature much evidence on Outfit staples such as gambling and pornography. Lawyers were expected to continue making selections Wednesday for a final panel of 18, six of whom will be alternates.



jcoen@tribune.com

Boy, this Calabrese guy has some resume, huh?

This really sounds as though it's going to be a very interesting trial with all the side dishes to go with it.

Fake bombs, threats, anonymous jurors.

Marty Scorcese better have his pen and paper ready for this one.

Given all the defendants who're turning rat, I wonder if anyone will be left to prosecute when the trial opens?

A statement made by Joe Lombardo to the Chicago Tribune after being paroled in 1992,
'I am Joe Lombardo , I have been released on parole from a federal prison.I never took a secret oath with guns and daggers,pricked my finger,drew blood or burned paper to join a criminal organization.If anyone hears my name used in connection with any criminal activity,please notify the FBI,and my parole officer,Ron Kumke'.

You think someone called them!

A Brief History On Joey the Clown,
Joey "The Clown" Lombardo (born as Joseph Lombardi[1] on January 1, 1929), also known as Joe Padula, Lumbo, and Lumpy, is an American mafioso and high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit during the 1970s and 1980s. He is currently alleged to either be the Boss of the Outfit, or its consigliere.

Lombardo joined the Chicago Outfit in the 1950s. In 1963, he was arrested and charged with kidnapping; however, he was later acquitted. Lombardo was again on trial in 1974 with Allen Dorfman, an insurance agent, and charged with embezzling $1.4 million from pension funds of the Teamsters Union. The charges were later dropped after the main witness, Daniel Siefert, was killed two days before his scheduled appearance.

In 1982, Lombardo and Dorfman were again charged, this time with extortion of $800,000 from construction owner Robert Kendler as well as, with Teamsters President Roy L. Williams, attempted bribery of Nevada Senator Howard W. Cannon.

Lombardo was later implicated, by government informant Alva Johnson Rodgers, in the deaths of Daniel Siefert and Robert Harder in 1974, Sam Annerino and Raymond Ryan in 1977, and Allen Dorfman in 1983. Lombardo was also accused of personally murdering ex-police officer Richard Cain. Interestingly, Cain was believed to be a CIA agent as well. Cain was also a CI to Bill Roemer an FBI agent.


Lombardo and Williams were finally convicted of attempted bribery in August 1985 and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. Williams, who received 10 years imprisonment, later agreed to testify against Lombardo and several top members of the Chicago Outfit later charged with concealing Mafiosi ownership of the Las Vegas Stardust Resort & Casino of which over $2 million unreported income was skimmed from 1974-1978. By January 1986, five mobsters had been convicted, including Lombardo, who was sentenced to an additional 10 years, as well as Chicago syndicate leaders Joey Aiuppa and John Phillip Cerone, sentenced to 28 years imprisonment, Angelo Lapeer, and Milton Rockman.

On April 27, 2005, indictments were handed down in which 14 people, including Lombardo and Frank "The German" Schweihs, were named in the murders of 18 people. Despite being in his late 70s, Lombardo avoided capture. During his time as a fugitive, he wrote two letters to his lawyer, one claiming innocence in the charges brought against him, the other not yet made public. He was finally captured by FBI agents in Elmwood Park, Illinois on January 13, 2006, after being harbored on the 2300 block of N 74th Ave. At his arraignment, he pleaded not guilty and also revealed to have medical problems with his arteries hardening. He told the court he had not been to a doctor during the time he was "unavailable."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Jlombardo.jpg

For the record, and to be completely correct, this was a listing in the classified advertising section of the Chicago Tribune and I have an original copy. Unfortunately it's stored with boxes of other memorabilia at one of those storage place and it would take me ages to determine what box it's in.

Unlike the trials of the old-time mobsters, stories of which I only know from reading, I'm old enough to remember every incident when it happened on the Tribune timeline from this current generation on trial. I am completely captivated by everything surrounding this event...the indictments, the trial, the radio, television, newspaper, and internet accounts of the proceedings. Totally compelling. These are all guys from my neighborhood.

If you read the opening chapter of The Original Godfather, Roemer's book about Tony Accardo, he proffers a different theory (which he presents as fact) about who killed #5, #6, and #7 on the Tribune timeline. Would an actual admission of guilt from Calabrese on those specific murders discredit Roemer? That's a huge implication for a large body of literature.

tony b.

Roemer's theories have often been criticised, haven't they?

I found WAR OF THE GODFATHERS completely unreadable.

Jurors chosen to hear Chicago mob trial


The Associated Press
Published June 20, 2007, 5:50 PM CDT
A jury was selected today in Chicago's biggest organized crime trial in years.

Defense attorney Joseph Lopez says 19 jurors have been chosen. That's a jury of 12 and seven alternates.

Opening statements in the trial of reputed mob boss Joseph "Joey the Clown" Lombardo and four other defendants are scheduled for Thursday morning.

Jurors will hear allegations against defendants accused of a racketeering conspiracy that included at least 18 murders.

Judge James Zagel questioned the anonymous potential jurors today. As he did yesterday, Zagel asked jurors about how much they know about the case and whether they could be fair.

Zagel previously took the unusual step of issuing a ruling that jurors' identities won't be revealed.

What was the current state of the Chicago Oufit before this?

A modest revelation from a respected investigative reporter in Chicago, from tonight's newscast...

Chuck Goudie's story on WLS-TV

Or cut-and-paste this URL if the hyperlink doesn't work:

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=investigative&id=5407448

Please have your pencils and scorecards ready (or your early 1980's Chicago Crime Commission Outfit Family Tree) for today's correct starting line-up...

tony b.

Calabrese's son and brother are testifying against him? Suppose Calabrese had an accident of some sort, would they still have a case against the rest?

Feds set to unveil secret history of Chicago mob
FAMILY SECRETS TRIAL | Opening statements begin today

June 21, 2007
BY STEVE WARMBIR Staff Reporter
Federal prosecutors will reveal the secret history of the Chicago Outfit this morning as opening statements begin in the historic Family Secrets case.
The feds are expected to sketch out to 12 jurors and seven alternates a sweeping tale of the Chicago Outfit over the last several decades and the role of several top mobsters standing trial, including the reputed head of the Chicago mob, James "Little Jimmy" Marcello, reputed top mobster Joseph "Joey the Clown" Lombardo and alleged mob hit man Frank Calabrese Sr.

At the center of the fed's case -- led by veteran mob prosecutors Mitchell Mars and John Scully -- are 18 previously unsolved mob hits from 1970 to 1986. The most well-known hit among them all is the double murder in 1986 of the Outfit's man in Las Vegas, Anthony Spilotro, and his brother Michael.

The slayings were immortalized in Martin Scorsese's 1995 movie "Casino," but the great director got it wrong. Scorsese had the characters based on the Spilotro brothers beaten to death and buried in an Indiana cornfield.

Jurors will learn the real story of how the brothers were driven to a home in the Bensenville area, with Marcello allegedly behind the wheel. In the home's basement, the men were strangled -- then buried in Indiana.

Leading off the defense will be the colorful attorney Joe "The Shark" Lopez, whose nickname reflects his aggressive nature. Lopez represents Frank Calabrese Sr., who is accused of the most murders -- 13 -- of any defendant.

Defense attorneys are expected to say the prosecution's case is made up of the usual snitches telling the same old tales to curry favor with the feds.

The prosecution's case is built in part on a library of secret tape recordings the feds have made over the decades of various mobsters discussing their misdeeds.

Since the mobsters often talk in code, the defense attorneys likely will argue that the feds have misinterpreted the chats.

I just thought id post this as i found it interesting and have never seen it before.


The Oath of the Outfit By Chuck Goudie
June 20, 2007 - Federal documents reveal a new name in the upper crust of the Chicago outfit, a man that some mob experts believe may have become the mob's "elder statesman."

Documents filed by federal prosecutors in the case against 14 top mob figures revealed the identity of what some mobwatchers say is the Chicago outfit's current consigliere. The man's name was blotted out -- redacted --from the government filing. But tonight, the ABC7 I-Team reveals the name behind the black mark.
Mafia initiation ceremonies are not open to the public. The only pictures are cheesy Hollywood reenactments. So when Chicago wiseguy Nick Calabrese started deep dishing outfit details to federal authorities a few years ago, one story stood out. It is explained in a government filing known as a proffer, or play-by-play, of the case that federal prosecutors plan to put on against Chicago hoodlums charged in Operation Family Secrets. The proffer states that Nick Calabrese will testify that a number of individuals were "made" (or inducted) with him in 1983, including co-defendant James "Jimmy the Man" Marcello.

During the "making ceremony," each 'inductee' was accompanied by his crew boss or "capo," according to the government. Two men "conducted the ceremony, which included an oath of allegiance to the organization."

One of the concelebrants was the late Joseph "Joey Doves" Aiuppa, then considered the top ranking boss of the mob. Aiuppa's partner in the blood ceremony was blacked out in publicly filed documents.

But tonight, the ABC7 I-Team has seen an un-redacted copy of the filing. We can reveal the name under the black mark: Alphonse Tornabene.

Tornabene is now 84 years old. He is known in mob circles as "Al the Pizza Man." A suburban pizza parlor is still in his family. Even though he owns a summer home in William's Bay, Wisconsin, the I-Team found Tournabene at the front door of his suburban Chicago house and asked him whether he was the grand mobster at an outfit initiation.

GOUDIE: "Know about that?"

TORNABENE: "I don't remember."

GOUDIE: "You don't remember?"

TORNABENE: "No."

GOUDIE: "You and Mr. Aiuppa?"

TORNABENE: "I don't remember."

GOUDIE: "You administered the oath of the Outfit according to the feds?"

TORNABENE: "I don't remember."

"Well, it shows significance, one that they took him under their trust to make such a significant ceremony, in making some mob guys," said Robert Fuesel, former federal agent.

Former IRS criminal investigator Bob Fuesel says Tornabene grew up as an outfit bookie but was apparently being groomed for higher office. With the three elder statesman of the outfit all dead, Joey Aiuppa, Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo and Sam "Wings" Carlisi, some federal lawmen believe that the role of consiglieri has fallen on Carlisi's cousin, Al Tornabene, who may have a hard time getting around these days, but is still meeting with known outfit associates.

GOUDIE: "The Crime Commission is saying that you run the mob?"

TORNABENE: (laughs) "I can't even move..."

On several days I-Team surveillance spotted Leo Caruso at Tornabene's home. Seven years ago Caruso was permanently barred from the Laborers' International Union after a federal investigation linked him to the mob's 26th Street crew. A Justice Department report stated that Caruso was "deeply involved with organized crime figures in a substantial manner."

TORNABENE: "He's just a friend..."

GOUDIE: "Mr. Caruso is a friend?"

TORNABENE: "Yes."

The FBI is currently investigating the disappearance of Tornabene's top lieutenant, Anthony "Little" Zizzo. The two men met frequently until last August, when Zizzo mysteriously vanished after leaving his west suburban condo for a meeting on Rush Street.

"Well, these indictments through the US attorney's office, just put everything in disarray, and so do they know what happened to Zizzo. I'm sure somebody does. It's hard for me to believe based upon his reputation that he has not been uncovered and/or is probably deceased," said Fuesel.

"Pizza Al" has no criminal record but comes from a mob family. His late brother Frank was convicted of vote fraud and prostitution and authorities say was active in outfit vice rackets.

The Tournabenes are also related by marriage to Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Frank Tournabene was a great uncle to Blagojevich's wife Patty.

A spokeswoman for the governor's wife says that while she is aware of her late uncle Frank Tornaebene, she doesn't recall a relative named Al and has no memory of ever meeting such a person.

The I-Team attempted to reach former union boss Leo Caruso about his relationship with pizza l Tornabene. A woman who answered the phone at Caruso's Bridgeport home said he wasn't interested in talking.
The Oath of the Outfit By Chuck Goudie
June 20, 2007 - Federal documents reveal a new name in the upper crust of the Chicago outfit, a man that some mob experts believe may have become the mob's "elder statesman."

Documents filed by federal prosecutors in the case against 14 top mob figures revealed the identity of what some mobwatchers say is the Chicago outfit's current consigliere. The man's name was blotted out -- redacted --from the government filing. But tonight, the ABC7 I-Team reveals the name behind the black mark.
Mafia initiation ceremonies are not open to the public. The only pictures are cheesy Hollywood reenactments. So when Chicago wiseguy Nick Calabrese started deep dishing outfit details to federal authorities a few years ago, one story stood out. It is explained in a government filing known as a proffer, or play-by-play, of the case that federal prosecutors plan to put on against Chicago hoodlums charged in Operation Family Secrets. The proffer states that Nick Calabrese will testify that a number of individuals were "made" (or inducted) with him in 1983, including co-defendant James "Jimmy the Man" Marcello.

During the "making ceremony," each 'inductee' was accompanied by his crew boss or "capo," according to the government. Two men "conducted the ceremony, which included an oath of allegiance to the organization."

One of the concelebrants was the late Joseph "Joey Doves" Aiuppa, then considered the top ranking boss of the mob. Aiuppa's partner in the blood ceremony was blacked out in publicly filed documents.

But tonight, the ABC7 I-Team has seen an un-redacted copy of the filing. We can reveal the name under the black mark: Alphonse Tornabene.

Tornabene is now 84 years old. He is known in mob circles as "Al the Pizza Man." A suburban pizza parlor is still in his family. Even though he owns a summer home in William's Bay, Wisconsin, the I-Team found Tournabene at the front door of his suburban Chicago house and asked him whether he was the grand mobster at an outfit initiation.

GOUDIE: "Know about that?"

TORNABENE: "I don't remember."

GOUDIE: "You don't remember?"

TORNABENE: "No."

GOUDIE: "You and Mr. Aiuppa?"

TORNABENE: "I don't remember."

GOUDIE: "You administered the oath of the Outfit according to the feds?"

TORNABENE: "I don't remember."

"Well, it shows significance, one that they took him under their trust to make such a significant ceremony, in making some mob guys," said Robert Fuesel, former federal agent.

Former IRS criminal investigator Bob Fuesel says Tornabene grew up as an outfit bookie but was apparently being groomed for higher office. With the three elder statesman of the outfit all dead, Joey Aiuppa, Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo and Sam "Wings" Carlisi, some federal lawmen believe that the role of consiglieri has fallen on Carlisi's cousin, Al Tornabene, who may have a hard time getting around these days, but is still meeting with known outfit associates.

GOUDIE: "The Crime Commission is saying that you run the mob?"

TORNABENE: (laughs) "I can't even move..."

On several days I-Team surveillance spotted Leo Caruso at Tornabene's home. Seven years ago Caruso was permanently barred from the Laborers' International Union after a federal investigation linked him to the mob's 26th Street crew. A Justice Department report stated that Caruso was "deeply involved with organized crime figures in a substantial manner."

TORNABENE: "He's just a friend..."

GOUDIE: "Mr. Caruso is a friend?"

TORNABENE: "Yes."

The FBI is currently investigating the disappearance of Tornabene's top lieutenant, Anthony "Little" Zizzo. The two men met frequently until last August, when Zizzo mysteriously vanished after leaving his west suburban condo for a meeting on Rush Street.

"Well, these indictments through the US attorney's office, just put everything in disarray, and so do they know what happened to Zizzo. I'm sure somebody does. It's hard for me to believe based upon his reputation that he has not been uncovered and/or is probably deceased," said Fuesel.

"Pizza Al" has no criminal record but comes from a mob family. His late brother Frank was convicted of vote fraud and prostitution and authorities say was active in outfit vice rackets.

The Tournabenes are also related by marriage to Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Frank Tournabene was a great uncle to Blagojevich's wife Patty.

A spokeswoman for the governor's wife says that while she is aware of her late uncle Frank Tornaebene, she doesn't recall a relative named Al and has no memory of ever meeting such a person.

The I-Team attempted to reach former union boss Leo Caruso about his relationship with pizza l Tornabene. A woman who answered the phone at Caruso's Bridgeport home said he wasn't interested in talking.

Chuck Goudie, Chief Investigative Reporter, ABC 7 News

This is great stuff, guys! Keep 'em coming!

I may have captured the video to go with that Chuck Goudie article.