Aug 6, 2007 5:41 pm US/Central
Mob Trial Witness Says Police Brass Took Payoffs
By John Drummond
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Related Stories
-
Murdered Mobster's Wife Testifies At Trial (Aug. 3, 2007)
(8/3/2007)
-
Widow Talks About Husband's Murder At Hands Of Mob (July 27, 2007)
(7/28/2007)
-
1970 Mob Who's Who Book Used As Evidence In Trial (July 26, 2007)
(7/27/2007)
-
Mobster Tells All About Past Chicago Corruption (July 25, 2007)
(7/26/2007)
-
Defense Scoffs Testimony By Mob Trial Witness (July 23, 2007)
(7/24/2007)
-
Nick Calabrese Wraps Up Mob Trial Testimony (July 19, 2007)
(7/20/2007)
-
Mobster Spills Details Of Hits That Inspired Movie (July 18, 2007)
(7/19/2007)
-
Grisly Details Of 9 Mob Murders Revealed (July 17, 2007)
(7/18/2007)
-
Turncoat Takes Stand In Family Secrets Mob Trial (July 16, 2007)
(7/17/2007)
-
Mobster Son Calls Father 'Sick' (July 12, 2007)
(7/12/2007)
-
Mob Trial Reveals Details Of Cold-Blooded Crime (July 10, 2007)
(7/11/2007)
-
Calabrese Jr. Testifies On Mob Do's And Don'ts (July 9, 2007)
(7/10/2007)
-
Bookie Mum At Mob Trial, Jailed For Contempt (July 2, 2007)
(7/2/2007)
-
Adult Bookstore Operator: Lombardo Made Me Pay (June 26, 2007)
(6/27/2007)
-
Mob Trial Opening Statements Underway (June 21, 2007)
(6/21/2007)
-
Jury Selection Continues In Historic Mob Trial (June 20, 2007)
(6/20/2007)
-
Suspicious Package Found At Calabrese Home (June 19, 2007)
(6/20/2007)
-
Family Secrets Case Built On Son Against Father (June 19, 2007)
(6/20/2007)
-
Historic Mob Trial Gets Underway (June 19, 2007)
(6/20/2007)
-
2 Plead Guilty To Charges On Eve Of Mob Trial (June 18, 2007)
(6/18/2007)
-
Reputed Mobster May Go Away For 7 To 9 Years (June 15, 2007)
(6/15/2007)
-
Appeals Court: Reputed Mobsters Must Stand Trial (June 13, 2007)
(6/13/2007)
-
Reputed Mobster Admits To 14 Murders (May 18, 2007)
(5/18/2007)
-
Government Releases List Of Witnesses Against Mob (April 19, 2007)
(4/20/2007)
-
Reputed Mobster Lombardo Denies He Was Fugitive (March 20, 2007)
(3/20/2007)
-
Mob Informant Talks About Life In Chicago Gangland (March 13, 2007)
(3/14/2007)
-
Reputed Mob Boss Charged With Obstruction (March 9, 2007)
(3/10/2007)
-
Feds Want Anonymous Jury In Mob Murder Case (Feb. 19, 2007)
(2/20/2007)
-
Deputy U.S. Marshal Pleads Not Guilty In Mob Leak (Jan. 31, 2007)
(1/31/2007)
-
Marshal Accused Of Leaking Info On Mob Witness (Jan. 11, 2007)
(1/12/2007)
-
Alleged Mob Boss Asks To Be Moved From Jail (Dec. 6, 2006)
(12/6/2006)
-
Aging Mob Trial Defendants Complain Of Bad Health (Nov. 16, 2006)
(11/17/2006)
-
Judge Orders Alleged Mobster To Stay Behind Bars (June 19, 2006)
(6/20/2006)
-
Prosecutors: Keep Alleged Mob Figure Behind Bars (June 12, 2006)
(6/13/2006)
-
Conversations Of Reputed Mobsters Caught On Tape (July 18, 2005)
(7/19/2005)
-
Feds Name Names in Chicago Mob Hits (Jun. 2, 2005)
(6/2/2005)
-
Mobster Pleads Innocent To Murder Conspiracy Charges (May 6, 2005)
(5/6/2005)
-
14 Indicted In Old Mob Murders (April 25, 2005)
(4/25/2005)
Some Chicago police brass took payoffs from mob burglars, according to new testimony Monday in the Family Secrets mob trial.
As CBS 2's John "Bulldog" Drummond reports, the eye-opening testimony came from Sal Romano, a dog-loving career burglar who was whisked from Federal court by the FBI.
Romano learned the tools of the burglar trade as a youngster in Chicago.
"Locks and alarms fascinated me," the now-wheelchair-bound 73-year-old said. "I'd purchase [them] and take 'em apart to see how they worked."
Romano began co-operating with the government 30 years ago and closed his career as an informant with a $40,000 bonus in 1987.
But before he went the straight and narrow he testified he paid off Chicago police through lawyer intermediaries in order to ply his trade in Chicago. He specifically named the one-time chief of detectives William Hanhardt and policemen at areas five and six.
Other than the convicted Hanhardt, Romano did not name any specific cops as wrong-doers.
Romano on Monday implicated defendant Paulie "The Indian" Schiro in burglaries and other crime in Las Vegas.
Schiro set up what was to be the perfect score according to Romano. A $50,000 haul from an Arizona home. The home, though, had one occupant: a toy dog that surprised the burglars.
"He ran out the doggie door and started barking in the back yard," Romano recalled.
Romano panicked.
"That dog is raising hell. Let's go!" he said.
Romano's colleagues wanted the loot and to have Romano dispatch the little dog.
"Why didn't you take care of the dog?" he said they asked.
"I don't do dogs," Romano allegedly replied.
The intruders fled empty-handed.
Romano himself was the target of a planned gangland assassination ordered by Las Vegas crime boss Tony Spilotro and his henchmen Frank "Far-Away Frank" Cullotta.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)