Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Jury Deliberations Set To Begin In Mob Trial

By George Anastasia
For Bigtrial.net

A jury is expected to begin deliberating early tomorrow in the racketeering conspiracy retrial of mob boss Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi and his nephew and co-defendant George Borgesi.

The anonymously chosen panel of 10 women and two men heard more than two hours of closing arguments this morning and then sat through  two more hours of Judge Eduardo Robreno's explanation of the laws that apply to the case.

Robreno's methodical charge is expected to conclude tomorrow morning shortly after court is brought back into session at 9:30 a.m. Deliberations will begin once the judge completes his explanation.

Arguments today were a reprise of defense and prosecution positions outlined for the jury Monday.

Ligambi's lawyer, Edwin Jacobs Jr. continued with the two themes he had offered earlier --  the mob in Philadelphia no longer exists and the government failed to provide evidence to back up its charges.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Labor returned to the issues he had underscored in his opening statement back on Nov. 7. "What this case is about is how the mob makes money through crime," he said.

Labor scoffed at Jacobs' argument that the mob is only a shell of what it once was. He said Ligambi, 74, and Borgesi, 50, were leaders of a mob family that generated income through gambling, loansharking and extortion and that the victims of those crimes would dispute Jacobs' contention that the mob no longer exists.

Jacobs said Ligambi was a"titular" boss of a crime family that had been reduced to an "impotent shell."

"They no longer do the stuff that was done under Scarfo and Natale," he added, referring to former mob boss Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo and Ralph Natale. 

Scarfo, currently serving a 55-year prison sentence on racketeering-murder charges, was considered one of the most violent mob bosses in America. His bloody reign as Philadelphia crime boss in the 1980 was marked for dozens of murders and attempted murders.

Jacobs again and again pointed out that there are no murder charges nor any acts of violence alleged in the current indictment. Labor, however, said that didn't matter because the case is about how the mob uses its reputation for violence to control the underworld and generate illegal income.

He urged the jury to focus on the "big picture" and not get lost or confused by minor and contradictory details.

A prime example, he said, was the defense notion that two key cooperating witness, Borgesi associates Louis Monacello and Anthony Aponick, offered different versions of how they reacted to one another during a meeting at Ralph's, an Italian restaurant on Ninth Street in December 2003.

Their relationship, Labor argued, was a secondary issue. The "big picture" question, he said, was how Aponick, a New York mob associate and former cellmate of Borgesi's, and Monacello, Borgesi's point man on the street, came to be at that restaurant meeting. The meeting, Labor said, was arranged by Borgesi from prison so that they could discuss mob business. And that, he said, proves the conspiracy charge.

Jacobs, on the other hand, told the jury that the government's case was built around theories, but not backed up by facts,. He said there was an "institutional bias" against the defendants because of the mob "labels" authorities had attached to them. And he said the prosecutors had used "misleading" evidence and "half truths" to build their case.

George Anastasia can be contacted at George@bigtrial,.net.

76 comments

  1. These Guys Are Dead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  2. Best of luck to the guys in Philly --- salute a cent’anno.

    -- ENY

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  3. They are gonna beat it 100 percent!!

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  4. Don't Bet On It!!!!

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  5. Who would take my action even if I did wanna bet on it?

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    Replies
    1. :-) Wonder wat they would charge us with? Online gambling/racketeering?

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    2. U are a liitle fire cracker i like that one

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    3. You are so right, Traci. If the government (or anyone in power) can manipulate facts against GB and JL, they can do the same to us. It is a shame that that the self righteous cannot understand that our rights must be protected. Many government, religious and even songwriters have been quoted stating that fact.

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    4. Our rights do need protected. Its a shame this trial even happened. Gambling is a victimless crime. (providing u don't cause ur family to go homeless)

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    5. R you that In Love with these nuts, theres alot of them already in prison, y dont you write them, mayb one of them will Marry you. Your such a Clown. Mayb you;ll get lucky and they;ll come visit you and get you what you haven't had in awhile. If they can find it

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    6. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    7. Trace when every last one of them get thrown in jail are you going to put money on their books. Better start digging the change out from your couch cushions now

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    8. Wouldnt b the 1st time I threw thousand$ to anyone. Wait...in that particular federal prison they are allowed $300 a month and no more. N anyway their real relatives (wives) r providing comessary to them. Ok, the rest of u take ur cheap shots, cant wait to read them n lol.

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    9. Traci Gambling is not a victimless crime. tell that to the people who lost relationships with family, friends and robbed and stole in order to gamble. I agree with you on most points but its definitely not victimless.

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    10. Im sumtimes stupid enough to believe what i read in textbooks.

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  6. I hope they beat this piss ass case. How many millions have the feds spent chasing these guys around for 13 years? That would have bought a lot of books for school kids and repaired a lot of roads. What a waste of our tax dollars.

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    1. You obviously don't know much about these men. I am all for school support but it's not going to come by keeping bums like these off of the street alone. God Bless the families that have lost loved ones to their wrath. May God give them some peace.

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    2. So true the government, attorney general, FBI really abuse the taxpayers all for their selfish agenda to get a promotion. They can care less about any who may have been victims of mob violence. It's about getting another notch under their belt. Labor is a angry man and is all about a personal vendetta. These guys needs this prosecution because they don't want to work in the private sector. Good luck to the defendants!

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    3. No one says the feds are a bargain, however, the defendants are useless treacherous entitled people that only think of themselves. Hats off to Borgesi's first wwife for having to raise his kids alone

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    4. Whether there found guilty or not, um sure they will both be on the street by 2020.....so what did this re trial really accomplish? ???

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    5. U or ur kids do 10 yrs tell me what that means im not sticking up for any body but u gotta be a idiot to make that statement

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    6. Im not the one on trial here

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    7. Ur not but if u have a opinion have some knowlegeable reasoning of what ur commenting on

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    8. These fellas haven't been charged with a single act of violence so in my opinion it's like there playing wih the houses money, ...hats off to them! I hope they beat this!

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    9. I keep reading about this trial and everyone keeps mentioning that there is no act of vialence.. Is that all you have to say.. Since the violence was not there this guys should just be allowed to cont. To break the law in many other ways...hmm

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  7. How About The People They KILLED!!!!!!!!

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  8. Casey Anthony is even laughing at this..she got away with murder! Gambling...really!?

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  9. They Won't Get Away With Murder The Next Trial!!******* ^

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  10. The mob no longer. Exists. ...reAlly? ??? Thats ur defense Ed? ??? Is that what your trying to convince the jury? ?? Now i heard it all!!!

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  11. there not getting away with anything . Y do u think they re-tried them , The jury last time was a bunch of dopes The case is as plan and simple as could be . Its a slam dunk for the Govt, They have these guys talking about gambling and making shake downs and threats for payments .How easy is it to see what was going on . Most took a guilty plea for gd reason on this one , y fight it .

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    1. I heard they are watching " A JUROR" REALLLLLLLLLLLLL CLOSEEEEEEEEEEE THEY got away with it last trial, NOT THIS ONE

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    2. Threw him off today he fell asleep.

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  12. The Big One Is Next!!!!!!!!!!! RICO MURDER.

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  13. Somebody killed Rico???

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  14. Anybody seen Rico? Anybody know why Rico did Bobby Lupo??

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  15. You're all assholes...
    Get a life!!!

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  16. "Not Guilty" dont say I didn't warn you

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    Replies
    1. If you could get time for what these guys are being accused of, I would be doing Life

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    2. SIMMER DOWN CLOWN, you just mite be next.

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    3. 3 up ^^^ WISHFULL thinking but
      BOY GEORGE IS GETTING
      A NUTTA 10 FLAT

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  17. this JURY WILL BE BACK FAST. THEY ALREADY MADE THERE MIND UP.

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    Replies
    1. Agreed. I think this will all be over by Friday? Not hard to see the government's smoke & mirror show. Which was horrible by the way

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  18. How long do you think it will take the jury to reach a verdict?? Seriously

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  19. Superbowl party / Mob Reunion at Broad way...home of the golden fuckin slipper!!!!

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  20. You people keep talking about the people they murdered and the harm they have done to people. Then charge them with murder, in this country you are only guilty of what you are convicted of. Not what you are suspected of doing, not what you may have done not even what you probably did. It's easy to watch guys like these from a far and not care about their rights or the fact that the government has trumped up the charges, but the federal government over stepping it's bounds doesn't just happen to wise guys. It happens to people every day and an infringment on one groups constiutional rights is an infringment on all.

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    1. very well said, it appears that our federal government are like Nazi's

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    2. U planning on giving credit to the individual who actually said the last part of your post?...or u trying to pass that off as your thought?

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  21. If they are found guilty i wonder if the daily news will have the picture of
    BOY GEORGE WAVING BYE BYE!!!!!!"""

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  22. RICO MURDER CHARGES COMING!!!

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  23. BYE BYE SKINNING AND COMPANY!

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  24. We should all know by the weekend the results i wonder if there keeping them martini glasses chilled

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  25. I like that one Boy George waving bye bye its a shame for uJ this kid has been a thorn in his side for yrs . He could.nt even shut his mouth in the joint.

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  26. GALATI IS TALKING!!!!!!!!!!!

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  27. Sooo is Nicodemo!!!!!!!!!!

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  28. SO Is Rico !!!! Whoever the he'll that is

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  29. All here say and rumors for now but im sure were there is Smoke theres Fire.

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  30. ANY BODY SEEN LANCELOTT

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  31. Yea Down The Federal Building.

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  32. Sonny will bite your nose off n spit that shit out

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  34. Sonny a rat!!!!! Cuz

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  35. Unbelievable, There torturing these people because they took pictures with people. Seriously. I don't care if Ligambi is the most ruthless person on the planet. Unless you can prove he did something wrong, cut it out. Pictures??? Really. I take pictures all the time with people. In fact How the hell do I know if a guy is a murderer, loanshark, or mobster if I take a picture with them. This is retarded!!! The prosecutors and whole judicial system should be ashamed of themselves for wasting tax payer dollars on all of this.

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    Replies
    1. How many yrs these two guys gonna get

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    2. 2 up. . Holy Shit your stupid ,Yea that's whats going on.There upset wit the pictures he took . Bad Lighting I guess. DOPE

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  36. PHILLY MOB AS THE TAPES TURN
    COMES TO A END HOW MANY YRS IS
    THE JUDGE GONNA GIVE THESE GUYS.
    UNCLE JOE HAS 2/12 ALREADY IF HE GET 10 YRS DOES A NUTTA 61/2
    BOY GEORGE ON THE OTHER HAND JUST FINISHING HIS 14 AND LOOKING LIKE A NUTTA 10YRS PLUS RUMORS OF
    PEOPLE OF HIS OLD CREW TALKING U THINK BOY GEORGE IS GONNA DO LIFE FOR THE MOBSTERS OF BROTHERLY LOVE I DON.T THINK SO NOT THIS TIME. BUT THEN AGAIN THERE JUST
    RUMORS SOMEONE FROM THE CREW IS TALKING RIGHT WELL
    BUONA FORTUNA! !!!!!

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  37. Replies
    1. I wonder if sonny Mazzone will find a t v camera to jump in front of at the verdict. He is a punk

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    2. 2^^ UP WE DOOOOOOOOO!!!! wanna see there asses locked up AS ELVIS U TO SAY THANK U VERYY MUCH! !!!

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  38. WOW NOW PUNKFELLAS!!! THESE RATFELLAS ARE A BIG JOKE!!]

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  39. Where is ray Wagner and his brothe in all this. They are usually up the mobs ass. They are both rats and frauds. Ray wags took the stand when my friend was on trial for a murder. Guess these guys brushed that off beacuse he does whatever they ask him to do. He is a mob flunkey.

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  40. ALL THESE GUY'S ARE RATS!!!!!! WHEN ARE YOU GUYS GOING TOO WAKE UP??!! COME ON!!!!!!..........

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