Chicago Outfit Boss James Marcello Sentenced To Life

Chicago Outfit mob boss James "Little Jimmy" Marcello, convicted in September 2007 "for his role as the leader of a racketeering conspiracy" that included the murders of the two Spilotro brothers in the Operation Family Secrets trial, today was sentenced to life in prison:

Tony "The Ant" Spilotro, the Chicago mob's man in Las Vegas, and his brother Michael, a restaurant owner, were found beaten and buried in an Indiana cornfield in an apparent act of mob vengeance. Tony was the inspiration for Joe Pesci's character in the movie "Casino." * * * Nicholas Calabrese, a mob hit man, testified at the trial that Marcello drove the Spilotro brothers to a meeting in a home where they were murdered in June 1986. Calabrese testified that Tony Spilotro arrived at the meeting believing he was about to become a member of the Chicago Outfit. He said when Spilotro saw those waiting, he knew immediately what it meant. "Is there time to say a prayer?" he quoted Tony Spilotro as asking.

In imposing the life sentence the judge "also held Marcello liable for the 1981 mob murder of Nicholas D'Andrea, as he is allowed to do under law, even though a jury deadlocked on that count at trial":

The judge found prosecutors proved the D'Andrea murder by clear and convincing evidence. Mobsters kidnapped D'Andrea to question him about a botched mob hit but beat him to death in the back of a car instead. Marcello was driving, according to courtroom testimony. Nicholas D'Andrea's son, Bob, came before the judge today, looked Marcello straight in the eyes and told him he wished Marcello could imagine the pain his father went through as he was beaten to death. Marcello stared right back at him. "I want you to imagine the pain someone feels being beaten with the butt end of a shotgun," D'Andrea said. "Imagine that, for a moment."

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ANTHONY "THE ANT" SPILOTRO

Anthony Spilotro was born on May 19, 1938 in Chicago. Spilotro grew up in a loving family, and seemed to be on track for a decent and honest life. But he decided he wanted something else, and in his sophmore year at Steinmetz Highschool he dropped out and turned to a life of crime. Once out of school he joined forces with other Steinmetz dropouts and engaged in petty crimes, like shoplifting and purse snatching. On January 11, 1955 Spilotro is arrested for the first time, for stealing a shirt. He is fined ten dollars and is put on probation. But after several more arrests Spilotro receives some special attention from the police. By 1960 Spilotro has been arrested thirteen times and he feels he is ready for the next step in his criminal career.

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