Judge overturns convictions of 2 Mafia cop murderers in NYC

itzamirakul

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Fri Jun-30-06 04:06 PM
Original message

Judge overturns convictions of 2 Mafia cop murderers in NYC

Two cops found guilty of murder in a jury trial have had that jury decision overturned because the judge says statute of limitations had expired. The judge admits that the two cops (now retired and living well in Florida until this arrest) are guilty of carrying prisoners to places where the Mafia could kill them. I think they were accused of up to 8 murders. The judge also granted the ex cops a new trial on all the other lesser charges.

Looks like the 21st century Godfather must have gotten to the judge who is probably addicted to living.

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Warren Stupidity

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Fri Jun-30-06 04:19 PM
Response to Original message

1. Do you have a link for that?

Wikipedia seems to say: "Some crimes such as murder or war crimes (see Rome Statute) are so horrific to society that they have no limitations period in some jurisdictions. Generally causes of action relating to real property have longer limitations periods, slander and libel usually have short periods."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statute_of_limitations

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Eugene

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Fri Jun-30-06 04:54 PM
Response to Reply #1

9. AP story link

Judge Tosses 'Mafia Cops' Conviction
By TOM HAYS Associated Press Writer

<snip>

Defense attorneys had argued that the five-year statute of limitations had expired
on the most serious allegations against the pair _ that they committed or facilitated
eight killings between 1986 and 1990 while on the payroll of both the New York Police
Department and Luchese crime family underboss Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso.

Prosecutors had countered that the murders were part of an ongoing conspiracy that
lasted through a 2005 drug deal with an FBI informant

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/4015875.html

The statute of limitations applies to the federal conspiracy charges.

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itzamirakul

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Fri Jun-30-06 07:56 PM
Response to Reply #9

11. Thanks for providing the link. I got the story from local tv in NYC. nt

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gizmo1979

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Fri Jun-30-06 04:29 PM
Response to Original message

2. There is no statue of limitations

on murder?

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theboss

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Fri Jun-30-06 04:44 PM
Response to Reply #2

4. Ok...I just read the story

They were convicted under some sort of racketeering law with a five-year statute of limitations. I find this odd.

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gizmo1979

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Fri Jun-30-06 05:13 PM
Response to Reply #4

10. So they were'nt charged with murder.

I wonder why.

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theboss

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Fri Jun-30-06 04:41 PM
Response to Original message

3. There is no statute of limitations on murder

So...I'm missing something.

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GeorgeGist

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Fri Jun-30-06 04:46 PM
Response to Reply #3

5. They were tried at the federal level...

which, unlike NY state, apparently does have a statute of limitations on murder.

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theboss

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Fri Jun-30-06 04:47 PM
Response to Reply #5

7. No, it's on racketeering

I find this case really strange now that I've read the article and need to read a lot more. I need to see how the case was actually presented to make sense of it. It seems like if they knew there was a statute of limitations issue at the federal level, they should have just gone after them on a murder charge...if they had enough evidence.

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itzamirakul

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Fri Jun-30-06 08:01 PM
Response to Reply #7

12. I don't know how you do this but I can tell you that there are loads

of stories about this case at www.nydailynews.com

You would have to go to the archives but the case was tried this year...2006. Maybe you could google it. I buy the paper every couple of days and sometimes I read that story and sometimes I just don't want to be bothered so I can't really give you any details. I just heard this news today on the 5PM NBC local newscast.

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Bunny

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Fri Jun-30-06 04:47 PM
Response to Reply #3

6. They were tried on federal charges related to racketeering.

Not NY state charges of murder, for which there is no statute of limitations. The racketeering charge involved murder, but there is only a five year SOL under federal law for this crime.

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theboss

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Fri Jun-30-06 04:48 PM
Response to Reply #6

8. Yea, I read the article which makes more sense

It's still a strange case. I don't know that much about it, but now I am fascinated.

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