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Defendant Tells Hard Luck Story In Mob Trial

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Defendant Tells Hard Luck Story In Mob Trial

by CBS 2's John "Bulldog" Drummond
CHICAGO (CBS) ― The jury heard a real Horatio Alger story Wednesday at the Family Secrets mob trial.

CBS 2's John "Bulldog" Drummond was in court at the Dirksen Federal building when defendant Anthony Doyle took the stand to share his hard luck life story.

Doyle, 62, had no silver spoon when he grew up in Chinatown. His father died when he was 15 months old. He went to reform school and got kicked out of three high schools. But according to Doyle, he pulled himself up by the boot straps, got a G.E.D. and went to work for the city and the Department of Streets and Sanitation pushing a trash can and a broom on Rush St.

"A lot of memories, except it was orange back then," he said referring to a yellow trash can he wheeled through the lobby of the courthouse.

Then it was on to the Chicago police department where he worked for 20 years. He's now retired and living on a pension in Maricopa County, Arizona. His attorney said his client took on the toughest assignments making hundreds of arrests.

In court, attorney Ralph Meczyk said to Doyle, "You have been accused of using your position as a police officer to obstruct the investigation of a homicide."

Doyle responded, "No, sir."

Meczyk then asked, "Have you ever collected juice loan money for the Chicago Outfit?"

Doyle answered, "No, sir."

Doyle said he first met alleged mob hit man Frank Calabrese, Sr. in the Chinatown neighborhood when he was 14 years old. Doyle was impressed by Calabrese's physique, and got his first job when Calabrese set him up with a position at McCormick Place.

Videotape played in court showed Doyle chatting with Calabrese at the federal prison at Milan, Michigan. Prosecutors contend Doyle passed on sensitive homicide intelligence to Calabrese at the time, but Doyle had an explanation as to why he had visited a convicted felon.

"Calabrese had been my friend since I was a child. I had read about his family problems. Maybe he was in need of a friend?" Doyle told the court.

Tomorrow the jury will see more of the videotape of Doyle at the prison in Michigan.

Doyle and four other men are charged with a conspiracy that includes gambling, extortion, loan sharking and 18 long unsolved murders.

(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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