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+--- Thread: NY cops get life for mafia hits (/thread-1036.html)
NY cops get life for mafia hits - David Guyatt - 08-03-2009
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7929898.stm
NY 'mafia cops' get life in jail
![[Image: _45544234_41532982.jpg]](http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45544000/jpg/_45544234_41532982.jpg)
Two men have been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of eight murders as well as other crimes while they were New York policemen.
Stephen Carapacca, 67, and Louis Eppolito, 61, had 44 years' police experience between them.
But they were also secretly on the payroll of Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso, the second-in-command of New York's Lucchese mafia family, a court found.
They were convicted in 2006, but legal twists and turns delayed sentencing.
Eppolito was given life in jail plus 100 years and a $4.7m fine (£3.3m), while Carapacca got a life term plus 80 years, with a $4.2m fine.
They have no possibility of early release, Judge Jack Weinstein told a federal court in Brooklyn.
Police credentials
The two men were convicted in 2006 of eight murders, attempted murder, blackmail, drug trafficking, money laundering, and passing information to the Lucchese family, one of New York's most notorious mafia families.
One tactic they employed was to use their police credentials to flag down cars so that they could then kill the driver.
But their convictions were initially thrown out in 2006, after a judge ruled that the statute of limitations had expired on the murders.
Last year, an appeals court reversed that decision, reinstating the convictions and paving the way for the sentencing.
"The sentences imposed today bring some measure of closure for the families of the victims of these defendants' unspeakable crimes and for the citizens of the city, whose trust these men betrayed," US Attorney Benton Campbell said after sentencing.
"We are gratified that the defendants will spend the rest of their lives behind bars."
Both men continue to deny involvement in any crime. Mr Eppolito - who had a small role in the 1990 gangland film Goodfellas - told Judge Weinstein:
"I was a hard-working cop. I never hurt anybody. I never kidnapped anybody... I never did any of this."
NY cops get life for mafia hits - Dawn Meredith - 09-04-2009
There is no statute of limitations on murder cases, so I don't see how these cases could have been thrown out.
NY cops get life for mafia hits - Peter Lemkin - 09-04-2009
Dawn, In my own few times in court I have seen judges make the most outrageous statements and legal decisions. I have less respect for judges than I do for the average lawyer [mine I hired included!]. The legal system is out of control - or is it very much IN control?!.....a few good people like yourself struggle against the monster system. In my case, one judge ruled that the PRIMARY piece of evidence that would have exhonerated me be ruled inadmissable as evidence. When we appealed the case we were told the Court had lost the transcripts, so no appeal was possible.....and more, but I won't bore you all.
NY cops get life for mafia hits - Myra Bronstein - 09-04-2009
Dawn Meredith Wrote:There is no statute of limitations on murder cases, so I don't see how these cases could have been thrown out.
Agreed. Even the random lay person (e.g., me) knows that. How could a judge try to use that as grounds for dismissal? Someone needs to investigate that judge.