Day 3: The Clown and Mob Trial

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Scully details deaths in mob trial

Chicago Sun Times

In a straightforward tone, a federal prosecutor today for the first time laid out details in the deaths of 18 men and women allegedly slain by Outfit killers as part of opening statements in the historic Family Secrets case.

Among the highlights was the first public allegation that John DiFronzo, a reputed high-ranking Chicago mob boss, was involved in the 1986 murders of Anthony and Michael Spilotro. DiFronzo is not among the five men charged in the case, and the prosecution did not address why he has not been charged.

Standing trial are reputed top mob boss James “Little Jimmy” Marcello, alleged top mobster Joseph “Joey the Clown” Lombardo, alleged Outfit killer Paul Schiro, retired Chicago police officer and reputed mob gofer Anthony “Twan” Doyle and alleged Outfit killer Frank Calabrese Sr.

“This is not ‘The Sopranos.’ This is not ‘The Godfather.’ This case is about real people, real victims,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney John Scully near the start of his opening statement, which ran just under an hour.

As Scully went through 18 mob hits and who he said was responsible, a photo of each victim appeared on a large screen in front of the jury. Several family members of the victims were in court this morning.
Scully’s opening often focused on Calabrese Sr. because he is accused of so many of the murders — 13 of the 18 listed in the indictment.

Calabrese Sr.’s preferred method of murder was allegedly strangulation.

Calabrese Sr.’s attorney, Joseph R. Lopez, wearing a hot pink shirt under his suitcoat and subdued pink socks, shot back that his client had nothing to do with the murders and had taken a back seat in mob life after he got sick in the 1980s.

Calabrese Sr.’s brother Nick and son Frank Jr. will be the two star witnesses in the case.
Nick Calabrese has admitted in court to killing at least 14 people for the mob and will describe how he murdered several of them with his brother and under his brother’s direction.

Frank Calabrese Jr. isn’t charged in the case but secretly recorded his father while they were both in prison in 1999.

Lopez attacked both Nick Calabrese and Frank Jr., describing a family soap opera to suggest why the two would lie about his client.

Lopez contended that Nick Calabrese was the real leader of the Calabrese street crew and was looking to do anything to avoid spending the rest of his life in prison after he was tied to the brutal mob hit of his friend.

Lopez called Frank Calabrese Jr. a man motivated by greed and a crazy love for his wife. Frank Calabrese Jr. was willing to flip on his father and his uncle, Lopez said.