Jimmy Chagra, the high-stakes gambler who faced sentencing by Wood in a drug case shortly before the judge was killed, was cleared of conspiracy. Jo Ann got a 25-year sentence. Charles Harrelson was born on July 23rd, 1938, in Lovelady, Texas, the son of Alma Lee (ne Sparks; 19072002) and Voyde Harrelson (19011976). USAA wants some remote employees in the office three days Jury takes an hour to reach verdict over deal at Port S.A. Texas Vista owner has threatened hospital shutdown before, Rosie Castros appointment much more than a 3-month council stint, Access to Bexar County Courthouse just got easier, Man and adult stepdaughter accused of sexual assault on children, Man suspected of serial arson in far south Bexar County area. Jo Ann Harrelson was summoned before a federal grand jury in the Western District of Texas investigating her husband's complicity in the murder. Released in 1978, he married for a third time the next year, this time to Jo Ann Starr. The Center provides its nonprofit partners social and educational opportunities, marketing and promotions, volunteer recruitment and a place of collaboration for them to help those in need in our community. The jury started deliberating on Feb. 3, 1983. However, U.S. District Judge William S. Sessions ordered the hearing continued at a later date, indicating Mrs. Harrelson still faces possible imprisonment. It also resulted in a group of lawyers and businessmen bankrolling a $100,000 reward, which became instrumental in solving the case. WebJo Ann Harrelson's in laws: All relationship and family history information shown on FameChain has been compiled from data in the public domain. To those of us who knew the situation, Jimmys assertion that Joe made him do it was ludicrous, but it fit neatly into the governments scenario. The Center recognizes the critical needs of others and encourages, uplifts and assists them in rebuilding their lives through the services provided in the center. Rob Condon, Executive Director, Young Scientists Academy, "We have been at the Harrelson Center for 3 years and it's been a dream come true! Leave them blank to get signed up. Chagra and his wife, Liz, and young daughter relocated to Las Vegas in 1978 and moved into a house across the street from attorney Oscar Goodman. 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. Firefighters hoist horse stranded in backyard swimming pool. CHAGRA: ASSASSINATION OF JUDGE JOHN WOOD AND LINKS TO CHARLES HARRELSON, FATHER OF WOODY. According to the Jahns, Harrelson offered to kill people suspected of killing Jimmys older brother, attorney Lee Chagra, who was murdered in his El Paso law office two days before Christmas in 1978. "The Judge Wood Murder Case." See the article in its original context from. Jamiel Chagra was tried separately, in Jacksonville, Florida and received a sentence of 15 years and was fined $120,000 on the charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice and conspiracy to possess marijuana. As each juror affirmed the vote of guilty on counts of conspiracy to murder, murder and conspiracy to obstruct justice, several had tears in their eyes and one woman shook visibly and broke into sobs. I work for a non-profit and it is encouraging to know when I refer clients to you that they will feel cared for and not judged. Jimmy told me he was never going to get a fair trial and asked if I thought he should try having Judge Wood killed, Joe Chagra testified, according to newspaper stories at the time. Thats not the problem I have, Ray Jahn quoted Jimmy Chagra as telling Harrelson. Former U.S. serviceman sentenced to 45 years for planning attack on fellow soldiers. We're not a hand-out place; we're a hand-up place.". Elizabeth Chagra was convicted of conspiracy to The government has also won a conviction of Mrs. Harrelson for obstruction of justice and of Elizabeth Chagra, wife of another Las Vegas gambler, for conspiracy in the slaying. Charles Harrelson was a master at creating alibis, screens and layers between him and his crimes, according to retired federal prosecutor Ray Jahn, who with his wife, LeRoy Jahn, prosecuted Harrelson and his co-defendants. She was previously convicted of using a false name to buy a rifle, believed to be the murder weapon, and sentenced to three years. How Florence ButtNot Her SonLaunched the H-E-B Empire. Our vision was to create a place that could put the charities together that were helping those who wanted to help themselves. Joseph Chagra refused to testify against his own brother Jamiel (Jimmy), however. I visited him several times, once with my wife, Phyllis. However, after a game of pickup basketball between Woody and Fred Biery, the judge scheduled to hear the case, the judge disqualified himself and the case was continued to the year 2000, to be heard before Judge Orlando Garcia in Denver. Investigators questioned several long-term convicts, offering reduced sentences for information about the judge's killing. She had then given the rifle to George Kay. Mr. Harrelson also said that a high-powered Weatherby hunting rifle, the kind the Government said killed the judge, purchased by his wife 12 days before the slaying, was actually given to Mr. Kay. ", -Stacy Pullen, Executive Director, Foster Pantry, Since moving to the Harrelson Center, "Instead of a family going all over town to receive different services, we can walk them to another agency down the hall to help them with anything they may need. Harrelson, a card gambling felon and accused hit man with ties to organized crime, was the father of actor Woody Harrelson and met Jimmy Chagra in Vegas in 1979 after being paroled in an unrelated murder case. Charles, Jo Ann Harrelson and Elizabeth Chagra faced only the lesser charges. Chagra asked Harrelson if Wood could be bribed. But Im sure the Wood family feels like they were robbed, too. This synergistic environment allows all the nonprofits to operate more efficiently and better utilize their funding. Joseph agreed that he should. His wife received a total of 25 years on the conspiracy and perjury charges; Elizabeth received 30 years on the conspiracy and tax evasion charges. March 3 (UPI) -- A Kentucky man who stopped to buy some breakfast said he lost his appetite when he won $50,000 from a scratch-off lottery ticket. From start to finish, I was treated with kindness and dignity. It was greed, the prosecution maintained, that had sent Mr. Harrelson, who had already spent 15 years in prison for killing a man for a $2,000 fee, to Las Vegas a month before, looking for Jamiel Chagra. (Original Caption) A Federal jury found co-defendents Jo Ann Harrelson (L) and Elizabeth Chagra (R) guilty of charges 3 ARE FOUND GUILTY IN ASSASSINATION OF FEDERAL JUDGE, https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/15/us/3-are-found-guilty-in-assassination-of-federal-judge.html. Jo Ann Starr Harrelson: conspiracy to obstruct justice. On the basis of the wiretaps, the FBI searched Joes home, turning up not only his private stash of drugs but also the map Harrelson had given him. WebThe map led the feds to learn that the murder weapon had been purchased by Harrelsons wife, Jo Ann. He has published 21 books and screenplays, including many on Las Vegas history and historical figures. '', The fear, the Government asserted, was that of Jamiel Chagra, once described on an F.B.I. In exchange for agreeing to testify against Great American Trials. Thats how one former friend described the convicted killer. Guillermo has been with the Express-News for 20 years, and has covered federal court and its investigative agencies for most of that time. Just after Judge Wood was killed, Joseph Chagra, then 31, said the slaying was the worst thing that could have happened to his other brother, Jamiel, 32, who was known as Jimmy. Woody Harrelson funded his fathers appeals, enlisting the aid of controversial 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. Jamiel Chagra: guilty of conspiracy to obstruct justice, drug charges, and tax evasion. WebJo Ann Harrelson, Charles Voyed Harrelson and Elizabethnichols Chagra, Defendants-appellants, 754 F.2d 1153 (5th Cir. Jo Ann Harrelson: 25 years for obstruction of justice and perjury. Joe Chagra testified that the first mention of having Wood murdered came in the judges courtroom in April 1979, after Jimmy Chagra lost a motion to remove Wood from his drug case. Our incoming donations used to be 70% used items. March 3 (UPI) -- A sheep spotted wandering loose on a British highway was given a lift back to its owner by a concerned bus driver on her first day on the job. The seven-woman, five-man federal jury returned guilty verdicts on five counts of perjury after deliberating 2 hours. He has said he is a key suspect in Wood's slaying on May 29, 1979. A place where needs are met, dreams are fostered and hope abounds. Newsweek (June 22, 1981). 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. The 5th U.S. Mrs. Harrelson faces up to 25 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Judge Wood was the first Federal judge to be assassinated in this century. The jury found Chagra guilty. After 18 hours of deliberation, a Federal jury, several members in tears, found three defendants guilty today on six counts of planning, carrying out and trying to cover up the assassination of Federal District Judge John H. Wood Jr. After the collective verdicts were announced, each of the nine women and three men on the jury, which began deliberating Saturday, was polled individually on all six counts. They also argued, unsuccessfully, that incriminating recorded conversations should not have been allowed because they were covered by attorney-client privilege or by spousal privilege. The prosecution produced no murder weapon or any eyewitnesses. Minnesota officer removes jar from raccoon's head. When the murder trial got underway in San Antonio, in exchange for a guilty plea to commit conspiracy to murder and a sentence of 10 years, Joseph Chagra testified against Harrelson, who he claimed was the hit man. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. The only other person in the world who knew that Harrelson did the hit on Judge Wood was Jimmy, who ordered it. Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/law/law-magazines/charles-harrelson-trial-1982-83. The three had risen from an unremarkable middle-class upbringing to live among El Paso's wealthiest residents. Jamiel Chagra was acquitted of murder and conspiracy to murder but convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice and conspiracy to possess marijuana; he was later convicted of tax evasion. 'Mrs. H-E-Bs True Texas BBQ Restaurant Is Slipping, West Texans Are Learning What It Means to Live in Bear Country. It was a David vs. Goliath battle. The sensational case resulted in a book, Dirty Dealings, by the late journalist Gary Cartwright, television crime dramas and a mention at Las Vegas Mob Museum. Agents searched the El Paso homes of the Chagra family. They tortured her for no (reason). I mean I had so much money, so much power, Chagra said. Not wanting to put his family through a trial, Joe pleaded guilty to something he didnt do, Chagra Russell said. Jamiel Chagra: 15 years and $120,000 fine. Thursday, May 28: Oscars Case of the Century: The Life and Crimes of Jimmy Chagra Courtroom Conversations, Acquitted of hiring actor Woody Harrelsons dad to murder Judge Maximum John Wood, Got off on a once-in-a-lifetime miracle defense by attorney Oscar Goodman, Spearheaded one of the biggest drug-smuggling rings in the country, Bet millions and tipped big, a Las Vegas high roller, Had links to New Englands Patriarca crime family, Lived a life surrounded by mobsters, murder, career criminals and conspiracies, Journalist Jack Sheehan, who interviewed Chagra extensively, Moderator Geoff Schumacher, director of content at The Mob Museum. Goodman is one of the nations best criminal defense attorneys and was named one of the 15 Best Trial Lawyers in America by the National Law Journal. In 1995, he appeared as himself in the movie, Casino.. "I truly appreciate the way you assisted me. 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. He was 63. She recovered quickly and later said she was fine. 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. There was a lot of internal pressure.. 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. Chagra was a prolific marijuana smuggler and spent his ill-gotten fortune on casinos in Las Vegas, where he moved in 1978. 'She has reached a point where the evidence is up to her ears and she's floundering in it. He was bringing in freighter ships of marijuana in the 70s.. Mrs. Harrelson, who had said she was '99 percent sure' she would be jailed Monday, is the wife of convicted hit man Charles V. Harrelson, who is imprisoned in Houston on state charges. Mrs. Chagra was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Harrelson's jury found him guilty of murder of a federal employee, and he was also convicted on the charges of conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to obstruct justice. -- 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 ", "We value the Harrelson Center for the resources that they give us every day for our community, "Since Voyage moved into The Harrelson Center in January, our partnership and combined programming has only strengthened. Having these additional resources in the same building for our families, as well as having the support of the Harrelson Center staff allows us to continue to ease the transitions of our local foster children. Ive published three articles in this magazine about Wood and the Chagras, but Ive never written all I knowuntil now. But I believe Joe made up those stories as part of a deal with the prosecution, and so do many others close to the case. 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. Lee, his eldest brother, brought Joe into his law partnership largely to enhance his own self-esteem as patrn of the Chagra family. ", Anne Best, Executive Director, Family Promise, The truest measure of love is revealed by how we respond to the needs of others. Allegations arose that Chagra hired Harrelson, the actor Woody Harrelsons father, to commit the murder. Jack Sheehan calls him the Pablo Escobar of weed. https://www.encyclopedia.com/law/law-magazines/charles-harrelson-trial-1982-83, "Charles Harrelson Trial: 1982-83 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. The map led the feds to learn that the murder weapon had been purchased by Harrelsons wife, Jo Ann. Chagras operation had links to the Patriarca crime family in New England. separate, there is cohesiveness. She died of ovarian cancer in prison because she wouldnt testify against me., But when reminded that he nonetheless confessed to bankrolling the judges killing, Chagra replied: Well, I said I did it to get paroled, so Ill stick to that story right now., He added: Personally, I dont know if Charlie Harrelson killed Judge Wood or not.. 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. To cut costs, Amazon delays completion of second headquarters, closes retail stores. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Chagras were known as key members of a so-called Dixie Mafia, heavily involved in drug smuggling. JERRY LARA, Staff / San Antonio Express-News. But Mr. Jahn, the Federal prosecutor, said in his final argument Saturday, ''Charles Harrelson had three talents. Elizabeth Chagra: guilty of conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to obstruct justice, tax evasion, conspiracy conviction overturned February 15, 1985, on appealSentences: Charles Harrelson: two life sentences plus five years. Drug Dealer's Wife Is Guilty. Harrelson, 69, died of a heart attack in March 2007 in a federal maximum-security prison in Colorado. ", - Jim Everette, Harrelson Center Ex-Officio Board Member, We are all different parts, but part of the same body. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. Because Joe was simultaneously representing Jimmy, who was serving thirty years without parole on a drug charge at the federal prison in Leavenworth, Kansas, Harrelson had to assume that sooner or later Joe would learn the truth. They did a full-court press. "Foster Pantry moved on campus in May 2021 after joining the Harrelson Center initially as an Associate Partner in 2019. ", Cindy Moore,Quality Services Director, GHA Autism Supports, "The Center has been such a big part of our growth and development providing us with a solid home base and a network of valuable partners.". Mr. Harrelson's wife, Jo Ann, was found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct justice, the only charge against her in this case. At a subsequent trial, held in Florida because of the publicity in Texas, Jimmy Chagra was acquitted of murder and conspiracy to commit murder but convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice and conspiracy to possess more than half a ton of marijuana with intent to sell. Jo Ann Harrelson Father of Woody Harrelson and killer of federal judge John H. Wood Jr. Charles Voyde Harrelson Age 68 Born Saturday 23 Jul 1938 Died 15 Investigators suspected that the murder was somehow connected to the growing drug trade in Texas. The Chagras said they were convinced that Judge Wood, who was scheduled to preside over Jimmy's case, had a bias against them. Jimmy Chagra was released from federal prison in 2003 and entered the witness-protection program. See FameChain's massive Trump family tree. To form an opinion after evaluating the facts and applyi, A second prosecution for the same offense after acquittal or conviction or multiple punishments for same offense. Harrelson also testified that Kay had borrowed his own distinctive gold-colored Oldsmobile, similar to one seen near the judge's apartment on the day of the killing. He wasnt a criminal; he was a nice person, she added. Joseph Chagra accepted a plea bargain. 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.". When the government offered to try Jimmy separately in its desperation to nail Harrelson, Joe found himself in a predicament. The Harrelson Center has provided us with affordable rent, a safe and comfortable space to host volunteers, board meetings and support groups, and a wonderful event space to host larger events. Prosecutors said Mrs. Harrelson lied to FBI agents, to a grand jury and in her previous trial. In his testimony over more than five days on the witness stand, Mr. Harrelson said he had gone to lure Jamiel Chagra into a crooked card game. A lot of the early investigation went off on some tangents, and they rounded up some Bandidos, lawyer Campion said. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. Joe was stunned. The collaborations and friendships are blessings to me and to our organization. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. However, she testified that her husband had stalked into the house after a hearing with the judge and vowed, ''I'm going to kill him.''. He set up his family on a farm in Kansas. A portrait of Federal Judge John H. Wood, Jr. hangs at the Federal Courthouse, Monday, August 7, 2017. Chagra told Sheehan that he offered to plead guilty to having Judge Wood murdered, if theyd release my wife. 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. Harrelson).'. She said she had not believed him. 1985) Annotate this Case US Court of Appeals for the They talked about assassinating Judge Wood. The next morning, May 29, using a high-powered rifle fitted with a scope, that man fired a shot that would be heard around the world. In his testimony, Mr. Harrelson said he was ''set up'' by George Edward (Pete) Kay, another gambler. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. February 2023 Reader Quiz: What Did You Learn? Mr. Chagra was one of three sons of a Lebanese rug merchant who had emigrated from Mexico to El Paso. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. By Wayne King, Special To the New York Times. When he went to Las Vegas, he went to offer his talents as a murderer.''. 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. March 4 (UPI) -- On March 4, 1933, Frances Perkins was sworn in as U.S. labor secretary, becoming the first female member of the Cabinet. Joseph testified as well against his own sister-in-law Elizabeth Chagra, and Harrelson's wife, Jo Ann. -- 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 latest in a string of convictions in the case. One, Jerry Ray James, befriended Jamiel Chagra in prison and allowed his conversations to be secretly taped. He said that Mr. Kay had bilked Jamiel Chagra by telling him that it was he, Charles Harrelson, who had shot the judge and should collect the $250,000 payoff. Sessions gave Chagra 30 years on the drug charges, and he was sent to Leavenworth. He called himself ''a card mechanic'' so talented with a deck that he could deal any hands requested around a table. Jo Ann had purchased the rifle under a false name, Mrs. "Fay King." They said no. He gave us details that only he knew, Ray Jahn said.
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