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Feds Wrap Up Historic Family Secrets Mob Trial

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Feds Wrap Up Historic Family Secrets Mob Trial

Fate Of 4 Reputed Mob Bosses And Crooked Cop To Be Deliberated By Jury

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by CBS 2's John "Bulldog" Drummond
CHICAGO (CBS) ― Federal prosecutors wrapped up the landmark Family Secrets mob case late Thursday.

CBS 2's John "Bulldog" Drummond reports, the trial of four reputed Chicago Outfit bosses and a retired police officer now goes to the jury.

Those on trial are reputed mob leader Joey "The Clown" Lombardo, 78, reputed boss James "The Little Guy" Marcello, 65, Frank "The Breeze" Calabrese Sr., convicted jewel thief Paul "The Indian" Schiro, 70, and retired Chicago policeman Anthony "Twan" Doyle, 62. They're charged with a conspiracy that allegedly includes murders, illegal gambling, loan sharking and extortion.

The crux of the government's prosecution is a series of gangland slayings revealed by informant Nick Calabrese.

Court was delayed for more than four hours Thursday over an issue with a juror, who was dismissed. It is not yet clear why and Judge James Zagel made no mention of what happened.

There was no mistrial and closing arguments resumed.

Prosecutor Mitch Mars put the finishing touches on Uncle Sam's case Thursday afternoon.

"We have put before you proof of 18 outfit murders," he said in court. "Until today no one has been called to answer for them."

Mars spent much of his closing arguments revealing to the jury Nick Calabrese's eyewitness account of the 1986 murders of Tony and Michael Spilotro in suburban Bensenville.

Mars winged in on defendant James Marcello, said by the FBI to be The Outfit's boss in Chicago.

Mars contended Marcello drove Nick Calabrese to the suburban home where the Spilotro slayings took place.

Mars argued that Marcello paid for Calabrese's silence.

"James Marcello paid Nick Calabrese hush money so he would never testify from the witness stand," Mars said.

But when Calabrese was implicated in the September 1986 murder of "Big John" Fecarotta, Calabrese started cooperating and the walls began tumbling down.

Frank Calabrese Sr., along with other defendants, took the stand in their own defense. Calabrese said he never joined the mob but admitted doing business with Outfit members and hanging around with them.

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

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