But his wife was not released and died of ovarian cancer at age 41. Jamiel Chagra: 15 years and $120,000 fine. Thank you for helping me and our community. But Chagra and Harrelson werent immediate suspects, and it took thousands of man-hours before they were identified as such. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Great American Trials. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Joe was a genuinely nice guy who was congenitally unable to say no. In an earlier trial, Mrs. Harrelson's husband, Charles Harrelson, was convicted of the 1979 assassination of U.S. District Judge John H. Wood Jr. in San Antonio, Texas, the only such killing of a sitting federal judge this century. Time (October 25, 1982). In her 2022 memoir 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. Should you have information that conflicts with anything shown please make us aware by email. 'The hearing will continue when I hear further from the government or the witness (Mrs. Great American Trials. He was sentenced to life in prison. '', It was at a pretrial hearing on April 2, 1979, as he listened to Judge Wood deny a score of defense motions, that Jamiel Chagra turned to Joseph Salim Chagra, his brother and attorney, and said, according to Joseph Chagra's testimony later, ''that he was never going to have a fair trial and if I thought he should have Judge Wood killed.''. But the judge could not be corrupted. However, there was no physical evidence and investigators had to rely on circumstantial evidence and informants. By September 1982, five suspects were under indictment: Joseph and Jimmy Chagra; Jimmy's wife, Elizabeth, and Mr. Harrelson and his wife, Jo Ann. He called himself ''a card mechanic'' so talented with a deck that he could deal any hands requested around a table. Joes testimony put Harrelson in prison for life; ironically, in his separate trial, Jimmy was acquitted, thanks largely to Joes unwillingness to testify against him. Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/law/law-magazines/charles-harrelson-trial-1982-83. He set up his family on a farm in Kansas. He has also covered immigration, minority affairs and legal affairs as part of the projects team here and for other print, TV and radio outlets. Elizabeth Chagra: 30 years for conspiracy to murder, two concurrent five year sentences for obstruction of justice and tax evasion. Sessions gave Chagra 30 years on the drug charges, and he was sent to Leavenworth. They talked about assassinating Judge Wood. We're not a hand-out place; we're a hand-up place.". Charles got double life sentences. "It's a safe wonderful environment for all those charities to be located in. Elizabeth Chagra was convicted of conspiracy to At a subsequent trial, held in Florida because of the publicity in Texas, Jimmy Chagra was By the time the first indictments came down in April 1982, the FBI had conducted more than 30,000 interviews and collected more than 500,000 pieces of information. James had a deal to receive $250,000 from the government if Chagra was convicted. Bill Thompson, HP staff / Houston Chronicle, S.A.-area rancher catches the hearts of American Idol judges, Take a look inside this $3.5 million 'mystery' mansion, USAA wants some remote employees in the office three days a week, Boy, 11, shoots self in head with gun he found in apartment, 10 things to do this weekend in San Antonio, New food truck park opens at The CO-OP SA, Heres why it hailed through the Alamodome last night, Chicken Salad Chick to open second S.A. location, Judge Sarah Garrahan-Moulder, who helped prosecute hit man Charles Harrelson in San Antonio, dies at 84, Look inside historic $2.3 million King William home.
Woody Harrelson's dad was hitman who murdered judge and Reports suggest Prince Charles will live "in a flat above the shop" when he becomes king. There was a lot of internal pressure.. US based Meghan and Harry.. FameChain has their amazing trees. And, indeed, Joe found out who shot Judge Woodand who hired himduring an attorney-client interview he conducted with Harrelson after his arrest at the Harris County jail. Three reputed Chicago mobsters were convicted in September 2007 for their involvement in a series o, To make a decision or reach a conclusion after examining all the factual evidence presented. The FBI hauled in just about anyone if agents believed that they had information, and the agency threw the book at them to make them talk. The verdicts concluded an 11-week trial that grew out of one of the most extensive Federal investigations in the nation's history, involving every one of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's 54 offices in the United States at varying times over more than three years. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. The feds indicted Jimmy Chagra, Charles Harrelson, Joe Chagra, Liz Chagra and Jo Ann Harrelson in the judges murder. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. But as his lawyer, Harrelson reasoned, anything Joe discovered about Woods murder would have to be kept confidential because of attorney-client privilege. If I'm not the expert in one area, I know already that somebody is within the Harrelson Center. After marrying his third wife, he died of cancer in July 2008 while living in Mesa, Arizona, under the name James Madrid, several news outlets reported. Among other points, Woody said that his father had spent only $7,000 on his defense, compared to the $5 to $10 million spent by the federal government in marshalling evidence. 'I have ordered the hearing continued and you can logically assume what that means,' Sessions said. Jo Ann Harrelson was convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice and later convicted of five counts of perjury. But unknown to Harrelson, the trial had been postponed, Ray Jahn said. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. "Three Are Found Guilty of Assassination of Federal Judge." The Chagras said they were convinced that Judge Wood, who was scheduled to preside over Jimmy's case, had a bias against them. Five months later Wood was dead, slain May 29, 1979, on his way to work. Years later, the trial of Charles V. Harrelson revealed that Bill Bannister was a pseudonym Harrelson used to help track the judge, who was shot in the back outside his Alamo Heights townhome less than 2 miles from the motel as he was leaving for work. Consequently, they got a bunch of bad stories, a bunch of bad information.. Mr. Chagra returned to El Paso in 1988 from a Federal prison in Stafford, Ariz., where he had served six and a half years of a 10-year sentence for conspiracy. Goodman made a six-hour final argument without a break. He was a cheat, he was a con man and he was a murderer. Middle brother Jimmy, the proverbial bad penny, used Joe as a wedge against Lee in a sibling rivalry that consumed both brothers and eventually the entire family, and as the unwitting liaison in his drug operations. Jo Ann Harrelson, whose daughter has been imprisoned more than three months for refusing to testify before a federal grand jury, walked away from the federal The three had risen from an unremarkable middle-class upbringing to live among El Paso's wealthiest residents. The prosecutors alleged that Jimmy, who was serving a 30-year term as a drug trafficker, had paid Mr. Harrelson $250,000 to kill the judge. All relationship and family history information shown on FameChain has been compiled from data in the public domain. Harrelson reported back that Wood could not be corrupted but had to be killed. Over time, we became friends. Our vision was to create a place that could put the charities together that were helping those who wanted to help themselves. At least two grand juries have investigated the slaying for more than two years, and U.S. Attorney General William Webster last March said indictments were near, but no charges have been levied in the case. ", receiving assistance and guidance at Help Hub, "Being a partner of the Harrelson Center has allowed Soaring As Eagles to soar even higher than before. The $450,000 they took from the office safe was money Jimmy owed to mob boss Joe Bonanno, Sr., for a busted drug deal. As a matter of fact, when I got arrested, I thought I could buy Judge Wood off, and I tried through a family member by offering $5 million or $10 million. They pulled out all the stops. He also testified that Mr. Kay borrowed his car, a gold-colored Oldsmobile Cutlass, similar to one seen speeding from the judge's apartment complex the morning of the slaying. What finally did Joe in was his inability to stand up to Jimmy. The investigation cost more than $11 million, at the time the most extensive investigation in the bureaus history. 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'True Romance' actor Tom Sizemore dead at 61, Syndicated show 'Rachael Ray' wrapping 17-season run, Migrant woman dies after U.S. Coast Guard stops vessel carrying 54. I got to know Joe well in the two years I was writing my book on the Wood assassination, Dirty Dealing, and I watched the sordid story unfold through his eyes. He enjoyed a high-rolling lifestyle at Caesars Palace and Binions Horseshoe but he was not a very good gambler. After Joe was killed, the bad publicity inevitably returned, so Patty took their daughter, Samantha, a seventeen-year-old high school honor student, to all the television stations in El Pasojust so they could see her face and know what they had put her through. After that, Patty told me, the flavor of the stories softened. They said no. ", & Dr. ", Emilie Hart, Regional Director for the Cape Fear Chapter of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Raleigh, "As other partners joined the Center, CIS was able to connect our families to more resources. They tortured her for no (reason). Jack Sheehan calls him the Pablo Escobar of weed. A portrait of Federal Judge John H. Wood, Jr. hangs at the Federal Courthouse. Our incoming donations used to be 70% used items. -- Jo Ann Harrelson, a former Las Vegas gambler and wife of the hitman convicted of killing a federal judge, was found guilty of perjury -- the At least 10 people have died in the wake of a severe weather system bringing fierce winds, damaging tornadoes and flash flooding to the U.S. South and Midwest. (February 23, 2023). Governor of Philippine province, 5 others killed in gun attack. Since much of the wiretapping was inadmissible in court, the government had a major problem with its case: The only witness who could connect Jimmy with Harrelson was Joe. From start to finish, I was treated with kindness and dignity. But Joe absolutely refused to testify against his brother as a matter of family honor.
Jo Ann Harrelson and Elizabeth Chagra Arriving at Court - Getty Charles Harrelson's son, the actor Woody Harrelson, later supported a motion for a retrial, based on both the inadequacy of the original defense and the federal government's methods of gathering evidence. Jimmy Carters Peanut-and-Egg Taco Made Quite the Impression on San Antonians. Harrelson claimed to have killed 50 Tapes of Jerry Ray James' extensive conversations with Jamiel spelled out details of the plot to kill the judge. Overdue book returned to Massachusetts library after 56 years. Joe Chagra ended The jury started deliberating on Feb. 3, 1983. In real life, it highlighted the criminal acts of those accused in Woods killing a drug lord, an actors father and some of their relatives. 40 Days of Trial Testimony, In the course of 40 days of trial testimony from 130 witnesses and introduction of more than 300 exhibits, the Government developed what Mr. Jahn described in opening remarks and a closing argument as ''a story of fear, a story of greed and a story of murder. The case has prompted Mrs. Harrelson to attempt suicide and caused her to temporarily disown her two daughters for having affairs with Harrelson during their marriage. She, in turn, claimed she thought the payoff was for a gambling debt, and did not believe her husband when he claimed, "This is for the judge.". Assistant U.S. Attorney James Kerr, who had prosecuted several drug cases before Judge Wood, had barely escaped an assassination attempt some six months before Wood was killed.
Jo Ann Harrelson convicted of perjury - UPI Archives 3 ARE FOUND GUILTY IN ASSASSINATION OF FEDERAL JUDGE He spent more than 35 years defending some of the most notorious alleged Mob figures, including Meyer Lansky, Frank Rosenthal, Anthony Spilotro and Jimmy Chagra. All but Jimmy live in El Paso. In addition to the testimony of Joseph Chagra, the government had evidence drawn from more than 1,000 recorded telephone and face-to-face conversations, most of them involving Jamiel Chagra in various prisons. Bring on the Shiplap. Chagra made frequent trips to Las Vegas, arriving with suitcases stuffed with millions of dollars in cash.
Joseph Chagra, 50, Lawyer Linked to Assassination, Dies It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment, the kind of drama that usually took place only in an episode of Perry Mason, John L. Smith wrote. Elizabeth Chagra, the wife of Jamiel (Jimmy) Chagra, the drug dealer who is to be tried in a separate proceeding on charges of paying Mr. Harrelson $250,000 to murder the judge, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to obstruct justice. According to newspaper stories citing trial testimony, a drug trafficker and flamboyant gambler originally from El Paso, Jamiel Jimmy Chagra, paid Harrelson $250,000 to kill Wood because Chagra feared a trial and sentencing by Maximum John. Wood earned the moniker for his reputation of giving tough sentences to drug traffickers. You know Harrelson knocked off the judge, Jimmy told him. Woody Harrelson is a beloved actor, but he has a troublesome legacy. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Chagra was a prolific marijuana smuggler and spent his ill-gotten fortune on casinos in Las Vegas, where he moved in 1978. The pair wed in 2001 and share four children, but their political differences during the Trump administration took a toll on their relationship. As of mid-2001, the appeal remained postponed. Jo Ann had purchased the rifle under a false name, Mrs. "Fay King." Former mayor of Las Vegas, Oscar Goodman is credited with the revitalization of downtown Las Vegas including The Smith Center for the Performing Arts and our very own The Mob Museum. Guillermo has been with the Express-News for 20 years, and has covered federal court and its investigative agencies for most of that time. Sessions, who ordered a majority of the contempt hearing closed to the public, said during an interview with the news media in his chambers that Mrs. Harrelson's claim of marital privilege was the reason forpartial dismissal of the government's request.
Chagra told Sheehan that he offered to plead guilty to having Judge Wood murdered, if theyd release my wife. CHAGRA: LIFE IN LAS VEGAS ANDMARIJUANA KINGPIN. Someone could have done a movie not only on the case, but on the people who got the reward.. In addition to his son and brother, Mr. Chagra is survived by his mother, Josephine, and two sisters, Samantha and Patsy. Three years later, after moving to the Harrelson Center, we have a staff of 18 and are serving some 1500 people. Courthouse in San Antonio, Texas, Tuesday morning, September 28, 1982, to begin the trial for the May 1979 murder of Federal Judge John H. Wood, Jr.( AP PHOTO/ STEVE KRAUSS). Minnesota officer removes jar from raccoon's head. March 4 (UPI) -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made a rare visit to frontline troops in Ukraine on Saturday as Kyiv's grip on the embattled city of Bakhmut appeared to be slipping. The defendants were charged under Federal statutes governing the killing of a Federal employee. Without Joe Chagras testimony, Jimmy Chagra was acquitted of murder and conspiracy to murder but convicted of lesser obstruction of justice and drug charges. Woody Harrelson, the actor who played the part of the affable bartender in the television series Cheers, and also the lead in The People vs. Larmy Flynt, mounted an appeal in 1998, hiring famed criminal attorney Alan Dershowitz. Wood was shot in the back with a high-powered rifle while leaving his north San Antonio townhouse for work.
Charles and Jo Ann Harrelson and Liz Chagra were convicted at trial. Charles Harrelson under arrest in 1982 for the slaying of federal judge John Wood.
Charles Harrelson - Wikipedia Daniel's 5th outing as Bond gets bums back on seats in the cinema. February 2023 Reader Quiz: What Did You Learn? U.S. District Judge John H. Wood was assassinated in San Antonio May 29, 1979, by Charles Harrelson. Lee considered Joe his property and took what he wanted, including Joes first serious girlfriend. Released in 1978, he married for a third time the next year, this time to Jo Ann Starr. Midland was in the jurisdiction of U.S. District Judge John Wood, known as Maximum John for his tough prison sentences in drug cases. January 2023 Reader Quiz: What Did You Learn? Eventually, the evidence pointed to Harrelson, in particular a taped conversation Chagra had with another brother who was a lawyer, Joe Chagra, in Leavenworth federal prison about the assassination. Judge Wood denied any impropriety and refused to remove himself from the case. The trial for the Harrelsons and Elizabeth Chagra took place in the newly named John H. Wood Jr. courthouse over objections from defense lawyers. To provide a humanitarian services campus of nonprofit organizations that offer hope, opportunity, and empowerment. Harrelson was sentenced to two consecutive life terms plus five years, while Jo Ann Harrelson got a combined 25 years for obstruction of justice. Charles Harrelson was born on July 23rd, 1938, in Lovelady, Texas, the son of Alma Lee (ne Sparks; 19072002) and Voyde Harrelson (19011976). Charles Campion, the attorney for Mrs. Harrelson, did not say whether she would appeal. Kathryn Wood, the widow of the slain judge, provided a five-page handwritten letter from Elizabeth Chagra, apologizing for her involvement in the murder. The prosecution charged that Harrelson, who had earlier served five years before being paroled of a 15-year sentence for killing a man for a $2,000 fee, Judge Wood hated my brother Lee so much that he wanted a Chagra any way he could get him, Chagra said, according to a clip of the interviews posted on the internet. March 3 (UPI) -- A New Brunswick couple who initially thought a burglar had broken into their home discovered the invader was actually a panicked deer. When the government offered to try Jimmy separately in its desperation to nail Harrelson, Joe found himself in a predicament. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. He told Joe about the contract and drew a map showing where he had hidden the murder rifle. Mr. Chagra testified not only that Mr. Harrelson had told him he had killed Judge Wood, but also that his brother had suggested killing the judge and had identified Mr. Harrelson as the man he paid to do so. JERRY LARA, Staff / San Antonio Express-News. March 2 (UPI) -- A Minnesota police officer came to the rescue of a raccoon he spotted running around with a jar stuck over its head. He also agreed to testify against all co-defendants except his brother. Jo Ann Harrelson was summoned before a federal grand jury in the Western District of Texas investigating her husband's complicity in the murder.
The government also taped other conversations, including some between Charles Harrelson and his attorney, and others between Joseph and Jamiel Chagra.