Feds dealt another blow as Colombo mobster found not guilty
Reputed Colombo consigliere Thomas Farese, seen here leaving Brooklyn
Federal Court Nov. 19, was acquitted of money laundering on Friday.
It was a black day for the feds, with two high-ranking gangsters acquitted in separate Brooklyn trials.
Reputed Colombo consigliere Thomas Farese, charged with money laundering, and Genovese capo Anthony Romanello, charged with extortion, walked out of the courthouse free and clear in stunning verdicts.
Farese’s co-defendant, Pat Truglia, was convicted of money laundering and faces 21 to 27 months in prison.
The verdict in Romanello’s trial is one for the law books — after the jury forewoman had pronounced him not guilty, panelist No. 6 told the judge that was not her verdict.
The jury was sent back to deliberate two more hours until Federal Judge Carol Amon received a note from 11 members contending the holdout seemed to have a mental disability.
After questioning the juror and the forewoman, Amon concluded there appeared to be a competency issue. She dismissed No. 6 and took the verdict from the 11 remaining jurors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Dennehy did not object.
Both cases were severely hobbled by the absence of two mob rats who secretly recorded the key evidence, but were kept off the witness stand because they had been engaging in misconduct while working as informants.
Reputed Colombo consigliere Thomas Farese, charged with money laundering, and Genovese capo Anthony Romanello, charged with extortion, walked out of the courthouse free and clear in stunning verdicts.
Alleged Genovese captain Anthony Romanello leaves the courthouse on Nov. 26th. He was cleared of extortion charges.
The verdict in Romanello’s trial is one for the law books — after the jury forewoman had pronounced him not guilty, panelist No. 6 told the judge that was not her verdict.
The jury was sent back to deliberate two more hours until Federal Judge Carol Amon received a note from 11 members contending the holdout seemed to have a mental disability.
After questioning the juror and the forewoman, Amon concluded there appeared to be a competency issue. She dismissed No. 6 and took the verdict from the 11 remaining jurors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Dennehy did not object.
Both cases were severely hobbled by the absence of two mob rats who secretly recorded the key evidence, but were kept off the witness stand because they had been engaging in misconduct while working as informants.
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