Sep 20, 2007 11:48 am US/Central
Jurors Return To Deliberate Mob Murder Charges
Family Secrets Jury Was On Weeklong Break
CHICAGO (AP) ―
Related Stories
-
Jury Taking A Week Off At Chicago Mob Trial (Sept. 13, 2007)
(9/14/2007)
-
Mob Trial Jury To Decide On Life Sentences (Sept. 12, 2007)
(9/12/2007)
-
Convicted Mobsters Could Get Life Sentences (Sept. 11, 2007)
(9/12/2007)
-
Chicago Mob Kingpins Guilty In Decades Of Crime (Sept. 10, 2007)
(9/11/2007)
-
Mob Trial Judge Helps Jury Define 'Intimidation' (Sept. 6, 2007)
(9/7/2007)
-
Act Two Of Mob Trial Set For Spring (Sept. 5, 2007)
(9/6/2007)
-
Mob Trial Jury Asks For Dictionary (Sept. 5, 2007)
(9/5/2007)
-
Mob Trial Jury Deliberates One Day Without Verdict (Sept. 4, 2007)
(9/4/2007)
-
Feds Wrap Up Historic Family Secrets Mob Trial (August 30, 2007)
(8/31/2007)
-
Major Chicago Mob Trial In Its Final Hours (Aug. 29, 2007)
(8/30/2007)
-
Defense Presents Closing Arguments In Mob Trial (Aug. 28, 2007)
(8/29/2007)
-
Government Wraps Up Family Secrets Mob Trial (Aug. 28, 2007)
(8/28/2007)
-
Fiery Words Exchanged In Family Secrets Mob Trial (Aug. 23, 2007)
(8/24/2007)
-
Defendant Tells Hard Luck Story In Mob Trial (Aug. 22, 2007)
(8/23/2007)
-
Reputed Mobster Spends 3rd Day On Stand In Trial (Aug. 21, 2007)
(8/22/2007)
-
Judge Threatens Mob Trial Defendant With Contempt (Aug. 20, 2007)
(8/21/2007)
-
Calabrese Sr., Takes Stand In His Own Defense (Aug. 16, 2007)
(8/17/2007)
-
Lombardo Provides Alibi For Time Of Murder (Aug. 15, 2007)
(8/16/2007)
-
Feds Rest Their Case At Chicago Mob Trial (Aug. 13, 2007)
(8/14/2007)
-
Lombardo To Take Stand In Mob Trial (Aug. 8, 2007)
(8/9/2007)
-
Brother Of Slain Spilotro Brothers Testifies (Aug. 7, 2007)
(8/8/2007)
-
Mob Trial Witness Says Police Brass Took Payoffs (Aug. 6, 2007)
(8/6/2007)
-
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)
Jurors deliberating in Chicago's biggest mob trial in years have returned after an unusual weeklong break, but a federal judge has warned attorneys not to expect a quick decision.
"There is nothing that indicates to me that they are anywhere near a verdict nor that there is any form of disagreement," U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel told lawyers at a hearing Wednesday night.
The jury has already convicted the defendants of taking part in a racketeering conspiracy that involved illegal gambling, extortion, loan sharking and 18 long unsolved mob murders.
For two days, jurors deliberated whether to hold four of the defendants responsible for specific murders listed in the indictment -- something that would boost their maximum sentences for the racketeering conspiracy conviction to life in prison. The murders include that of Tony "The Ant" Spilotro, the mob's longtime man in Las Vegas and the model for the Joe Pesci character in the movie "Casino."
Then Zagel gave the jurors the break without explanation, directing them to come back and resume their work on Thursday.
Witnesses at the 10-week trial told how those who defied Chicago's organized crime family, known as the Outfit, were beaten, strangled and shot to make certain that they would not divulge its secrets to the FBI.
Those on trial are: James Marcello, 65; Frank Calabrese, 70; Joseph "Joey the Clown" Lombardo, 78; Paul Schiro, 70, and Anthony Doyle, 62.
Doyle is the only defendant not accused of direct involvement in murder and therefore does not face the possibility of life in prison.
Zagel told lawyers the complex nature of the work the jury now faces may mean long deliberations.
"I would not be surprised if these deliberations take longer than the deliberations on the charges," Zagel said.
At least one lawyer grumbled publicly last week that he was caught by surprise by the break in deliberations. But when the attorneys met with Zagel late Wednesday he did not complain.
The lawyers met with the judge in his chambers later but left the courthouse without commenting on what transpired.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)