Saturday, March 12th, 2005

Time	Event
4:59a	можна заробити $$60 тисяч Nichols -- who was in custody but was allowed to change from jail scrubs into street clothes, a normal occurrence when defendants face jurors -- apparently struggled with the deputy for the gun and overpowered her, police said. Sources told CNN the initial overpowering occurred in an elevator. There were conflicting reports over whether the deputy whose gun was taken was shot. Dreher said she was not, but Jeffrey Salamone, attending trauma surgeon at Grady Memorial Hospital, said she had a gunshot wound to the head. Doctors at Grady Memorial Hospital said the deputy had a wound on her head consistent with a graze wound from a gunshot, but the bullet did not penetrate her head. Salamone said she suffered a small bruise on her brain and some fractures around her face. She was in critical condition, but was expected to survive. Once inside Barnes' courtroom, Nichols held people in the room at bay briefly before shooting Barnes and his court reporter -- both of whom died at the scene, police said. Nichols then fled the building, where outside he shot a deputy in the abdomen, officials said. The deputy was pronounced dead at the hospital, Salamone said. Authorities said Nichols tried to hijack at least three vehicles, ending up in a multilevel parking structure for Atlanta's Underground tourist area. A witness told CNN Nichols took his tow truck at gunpoint outside the courthouse. The gunman "told me to get out of the truck. I told him he can have the truck. And I walked away," Deronte Franklin said. A few blocks away, a reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was beaten and his Honda Accord stolen from a parking garage. Don O'Briant said a man pulled up in an SUV and asked for directions before he pulled a gun, told O'Briant to give up his car keys and get in the trunk of the car. "I turned to run, and that's when he hit me in the head with his gun," O'Briant said. Signs over Atlanta highways said police were looking for a green Honda Accord with a Georgia license plate 6584YN. Atlanta police said they have set up a tip line at 404-730-7983 and 404-730-7984. Law enforcement officials are offering rewards totaling $60,000 in the case. Current Music: Deep Mix Moscow Radio: DEEP MIX MOSCOW RADIO - deepmix.ru - (Comment on this)
8:01a	( Read more... ) Мирослава Ґонґадзе Я завжди казала, що, вважаю, В.Литвин був учасником цієї злочинної змови проти мого чоловіка. Я вважаю, що його роль потрібно розслідувати у цій справі. ( Read more... ) Current Music: solar-fields-jul-17-04-fullset (Dub Beautiful Collective - live ambient, downtempo, and IDM recordin (Comment on this)
8:33a	америчка радує NEW YORK (CNN) -- Two former New York City police detectives face a federal court hearing in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Friday after being indicted on murder charges for allegedly acting as hit men for the Mafia more than 20 years ago. According to the indictment from a federal grand jury in Brooklyn that was unsealed Thursday, Stephen Caracappa and Louis Eppolito routinely passed confidential law enforcement information to the mob and killed rival gangsters. The indictment alleges that the men's association with organized crime began in the early 1980s, when they started passing along information to high-ranking members and associates of the Luchese crime family, disclosing the identities of numerous cooperating witnesses and compromising several state and federal investigations. Caracappa was a member of the New York Police Department's Organized Crime Homicide Unit, which he helped found. In his duties, he filled the role of gatekeeper for information about Mafia killings,The Associated Press reported. Roslynn Mauskopf, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, described the men's actions as "a stunning betrayal of their shields, their colleagues and the citizens they were sworn to protect. "For years, they were on retainer with the mob, they were paid handsomely for participating directly and indirectly in the murders and attempted murders of 11 individuals." Among the charges against Caracappa and Eppolito are eight murders, two attempted murders and murder conspiracy. Both men were placed on the payroll of Luchese family underboss Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso in 1987 and received $4,000 a month for acting as moles, prosecutors allege. In 1992, Caracappa and Eppolito accepted a $65,000 contract to eliminate Eddie Lino, a Gambino family captain whom Casso believed was involved in an attempt on his life, the indictment says. Prosecutors also accuse Caracappa and Eppolito of having a role in the murders of three other men Casso believed tried to kill him. The duo also is charged in other killings. Eppolito is the author of a book titled "Mafia Cop." In the autobiography, he describes how he turned away from the "family business" to become what he described as one of the police department's most-decorated officers. Eppolito has had small roles in several films, including the 1990 mob feature "GoodFellas" in which he played "Fat Andy." According to federal investigators, the former detectives still have mob ties. New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said, "this shocking, disgraceful conduct demands prosecution to the fullest extent of the law." Caracappa and Eppolito are each charged with eight murders, two attempted murders, one murder conspiracy, obstruction of justice, drug distribution and money laundering, according to a written statement issued by the U.S. attorney's office, Kings County district attorney's office, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI. If convicted, they could face a maximum sentence of life in prison. Caracappa and Eppolito were charged with drug distribution and money laundering in Las Vegas, where they were arrested Wednesday night. They retired to Las Vegas several years ago. For more than 10 years, authorities had suspected the men of Mafia involvement but lacked evidence. According to court documents, prosecutors obtained witness testimony and wiretapped conversations to make their case, the AP reported. The pair had a federal court appearance in Las Vegas on Thursday, the AP reported. They did not enter pleas, and the hearing was postponed until Friday, the AP said. Caracappa's lawyer David Chesnoff, speaking Thursday outside the court, said the government was using "organized crime figures who are trying to save their lives" to build their case. "The government is relying on the words of rats," he said in an AP report (4 Comments | Comment on this)

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