Savage's Life In Jury's Hands
By George AnastasiaFor Bigtrial.netWill Kaboni Savage be the first defendant sentenced to death in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania since the federal death sentence was reinstituted in 1988?That's...
View ArticleJury Says Kaboni Savage Should Die
By George AnastasiaFor Bigtrial.netThe jury voted for death.Thirteen times. After deliberating for about eight hours over two days, the anonymously chosen panel in the murder-racketeering trial of...
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A Priest's Ordeal Weighs Heavily On His Family
By Ralph Ciprianofor Bigtrial.netIn the last four years, Father Charles Engelhardt has lost 50 pounds.But as his boss, Father James J. Greenfield, will tell you, "This is a weight loss program I...
View ArticleAnastasia Talks Kaboni On Radio Times
Bigtrial.net reporter George Anastasia will be interviewed on WHYY's Radio Times (FM 90.9) from 11 to noon today about the Kaboni Savage trial and the broader topic of the Philadelphia drug underworld,...
View ArticleSavage Tape No. 2: "I'm Gonna Set Him On Fire. Alive."
In this tape, Kaboni Savage is speaking to inmate Dawud Bey about his desire to light a prison guard captain on fire.About these tapes:In 2004 the FBI secreted a listening device in the prison cell of...
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"An Easy Target"
By Ralph Ciprianofor Bigtrial.netBernard Shero can be alone in a room with somebody, but he doesn't know who's there until he hears a voice."He can't distinguish faces," his mother Bonnie says. "He's...
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Judge Ceisler Puts Away Engelhardt And Shero
By Ralph Ciprianofor Bigtrial.netAssistant District Attorney Evangelia ManosJudge Ellen Ceisler today gave onetime Catholic school teacher Bernard Shero a jail sentence of 8 to 16 years for raping a...
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Mobsters Mount Legal Battles As Sentencings, Retrial Loom
By George Anastasia For Bigtrial.netMousieMobsters Joseph "Mousie" Massimino and Damion Canalichio have to wait at least another month before finding out their fate, but the convicted wiseguys are...
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Vince Fumo Sues Feds, Alleging Collusion Between U.S. Attorney's Office And IRS
By Ralph Ciprianofor Bigtrial.netFormer state Senator Vincent J. Fumo sued the federal government today, alleging that the U.S. Attorney's office colluded with the IRS to seek revenge on him.In the...
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How Two Innocent Men Wound Up In Jail
By Ralph CiprianoThe District Attorney's Star Witnessfor Bigtrial.netJudge Ellen Ceisler just sent two innocent men to jail.Even people inside the district attorney's office know that Father Charles...
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Deja Vu At Ligambi Retrial?
Uncle JoeBy George AnastasiaFor Bigtrial.netFederal prosecutors want to retry mob boss Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi and his nephew George Borgesi on racketeering conspiracy charges built around the same...
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"It Finally Feels Good To Make My Family Proud Of Me"
Here is the victim impact statement submitted to Judge Ellen Ceisler by Billy Doe, as read in court by Assistant District Attorney Evangelia Manos:Dear Your Honor,My name is [Billy Doe]. I'm the victim...
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Judge Denies Appeal Of "Excessive and Unreasonable" Sentences
By Ralph Ciprianofor Bigtrial.netOn June 20, defense lawyers for Father Charles Engelhardt and Bernard Shero filed motions to appeal Judge Ellen Ceisler's "excessive and unreasonable" sentences.On June...
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Author of Archdiocese Grand Jury Reports Departs D.A.'s Office
By Ralph Ciprianofor Bigtrial.netMariana Sorensen, author of two high-profile grand jury reports on the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, has resigned from the district attorney's office. Her last day of...
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D.A. Finally Has To Explain Flip-Flop On Child Endangerment Law
Hugh J. Burns Jr.By Ralph Ciprianofor Bigtrial.netIt's one of the enduring mysteries of the current district attorney's self-described "historic" prosecution of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.How...
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"A Single Breathtaking Admission"
Msgr. William J. LynnBy Ralph Ciprianofor Bigtrial.netIt's the lawyer's version of yelling, "Gotcha."In a 12-page reply brief filed today in Superior Court, defense lawyers for Msgr. William J. Lynn...
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Mob Underboss Hammered, Sentenced To More Than 15 Years
MousieBy George AnastasiaFor Bigtrial.netThe party ended before it got started for mob underboss Joseph "Mousie" Massimino.The 63-year-old mobster, who joked continually about a victory celebration...
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In Orphans Court Allie Fumo Seeks To Dump "Dr. Barbie"
By Ralph Ciprianofor Bigtrial.netDr. Anthony Repici was Vince Fumo's personal physician for 25 years. He's also taken care of Fumo's children."I've treated all three of them over the years," the doctor...
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Canalichio, Staino Battle For Lighter Sentences
Damion Canalichio (right) with George BorgesiBy George AnastasiaFor Bigtrial.netThey were both in the gambling business, but this time the odds don't appear to be in their favor.Mobsters Damion...
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