Jun 19, 2007 11:50 pm US/Central
'Family Secrets' Case Built On Son Against Father
Frank Calabrese Jr.'s Longtime Friend Discusses Frank's Decision To Turn On His Notorious Dad
by CBS 2's John Drummond
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Frank Calabrese, Jr. (File)
CBS 2
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Frank Calabrese, Sr. (File)
CBS
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Frank Coconate, one of Frank Calabrese Jr.'s good friends, says Calabrese wanted out of the Outfit.
CBS
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It's a case of a son turning on his own father, a pivotal moment in the Family Secrets mob investigation.
As CBS 2's John Drummond reports, Frank Calabrese Jr., risked his life to wear a wire against his notorious father, one of the five mob figures on trial for 18 unsolved killings.
Frank Coconate's relationship with Frank Calabrese Jr., goes way back. Both men worked for the city sewer department. They took vacations together and Frank was Coconate's best man in his wedding. But now Frank Jr., has done the unthinkable. He will testify against his dad in the "Family Secrets" trial.
'If Frank Senior comes out tomorrow he'll make a bee-line he'll blow his head off," Coconate said. "One thing Frank Junior couldn't stand anymore was this life with his father out on the street."
Frank Jr., wore a wire concealed in headphones when he was in a federal prison in Michigan with his father. Father and son were serving time for loan sharking.
On the tape Frank Sr., talks about mob killings and other crimes. The tapes have helped Uncle Sam build a case against the elder Calabrese.
"He loved music. So the father never thought nothing was wrong. When Frank was wearing the headphones he was taping the conversations," Coconate said.
Coconate says Frank Jr., wanted to go straight but his father drafted him as a syndicate soldier.
"Frank had no life," he said. "The father wanted him back on the street collecting juice. Frank said 'I'm done with that. I'm gonna do something to stop all this.'"
Coconate says the son had nothing to gain but keeping an abusive father in jail.
"He's a guy that wasn't made to be an outfit guy. He was a guy that liked sports," Coconate said. "He's just a moral guy that just got dragged into this by his father and it's...sad."
Attorneys for the defendants are pooh-poohing the Calabrese tapes. However one defense lawyer has said he will ask Judge James Zagel to bar the tapes from trial.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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