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. A lot of the early investigation went off on some tangents, and they rounded up some Bandidos, lawyer Campion said. Further, most of the evidence and testimony against Charles Harrelson had been gathered from prisoners who were offered reduced sentences in exchange for implicating Harrelson. JERRY LARA, Staff / San Antonio Express-News. Russian defense minister visits front lines as Ukraine's hold on Bakhmut slips. At the end of the hearing, Jamiel turned to his brother and attorney, Joseph Chagra, and said he would never have a fair trial. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ", Louise Hicks, Executive Director, Community In Schools of Cape Fear, "We are grateful for the resources and partners the Harrelson Center has introduced to us. They did a full-court press. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Should you have information that conflicts with anything shown please make us aware by email. Three years later, after moving to the Harrelson Center, we have a staff of 18 and are serving some 1500 people. -- 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. The Jo Ann Carter Harrelson Center Inc. is a North Charles Campion, the attorney for Mrs. Harrelson, did not say whether she would appeal. (February 23, 2023). March 4 (UPI) -- At least 15 people were killed and searchers combed a section ofthe Indonesian capital of Jakartafor survivors Saturday after a massive fire engulfed a fuel storage depot. March 3 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts library said a book was recently returned with a note apologizing for the tome being 56 years overdue. The Chagras said they were convinced that Judge Wood, who was scheduled to preside over Jimmy's case, had a bias against them. Anyone can read what you share. Investigators suspected that the murder was somehow connected to the growing drug trade in Texas. 'Justice Did Not Die'. King, Wayne. A short time later, Joe was arrested and held without bail, as were Jo Ann Harrelson and Liz Chagra, Jimmys wife, who was heard on another wiretap talking about delivering the payoff money. As a result, people used him. But do note that it is not possible to be certain of a person's genealogy without a family's cooperation (and/or DNA testing). CHAGRA: ASSASSINATION OF JUDGE JOHN WOOD AND LINKS TO CHARLES HARRELSON, FATHER OF WOODY. - Steve Spain, Executive Director, Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. The government efforts in the Wood case are not over. It killed U.S. District Judge John H. Wood Jr. the first federal judge to be assassinated in the country. He was very good at what he did, Ray Jahn said. 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.". New York Times (December 15, 1982). 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. He believed in the law. March 3 (UPI) -- In a cost-saving move, retail giant Amazon announced Friday that it will delay construction on a planned second corporate headquarters dubbed "HQ2" in Arlington, Va. President Joe Biden thanks German chancellor for his nation's help in Ukraine. I know, of course, that on the witness stand Joe testified that he counseled his brother Jimmy to order the hit, and I know he did time in federal prison. . 10- 6-1982 (L-R ) Leroy Jahn and Ray Jahn prosecutors in trial for muder of John H. Wood Jr. San Antonio Express-News file photo, JOSE BARRERA, STAFF / SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS. Mr. Chagra was one of three sons of a Lebanese rug merchant who had emigrated from Mexico to El Paso. "It's a safe wonderful environment for all those charities to be located in. You cant imagine the shock when Jimmy Chagra was acquitted.. He agreed to testify against Mr. Harrelson and pleaded guilty to conspiracy in return for a 10-year prison sentence and relief from having to testify against Jimmy. 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. 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. 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. A portrait of Federal Judge John H. Wood, Jr. hangs at the Federal Courthouse, Monday, August 7, 2017. March 2 (UPI) -- A Maryland woman scored a $100,000 prize from a scratch-off lottery ticket less than 12 hours after she scored an $11,000 jackpot at a casino. In addition to his son and brother, Mr. Chagra is survived by his mother, Josephine, and two sisters, Samantha and Patsy. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Wood died in 1979 when he was assassinated by Charles Harrelson. SHREVEPORT, La. Tapes of Jerry Ray James' extensive conversations with Jamiel spelled out details of the plot to kill the judge. Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. It was a big deal; there was a lot of interest in the case, said Millsap, who later served as Bexar County district attorney. 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 The desire to give and serve others stems from a place of earnest compassion. Almost immediately, investigators turned to Mr. Chagra's plush law offices. 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. 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). . Ive published three articles in this magazine about Wood and the Chagras, but Ive never written all I knowuntil now. But Joe absolutely refused to testify against his brother as a matter of family honor. Our incoming donations used to be 70% used items. Woody Harrelson's dad Charles Voyde Harrelson was a career criminal who died in prison while serving two life sentences for murdering a judge in a contract On May 29, 1979, Judge John H. Wood was killed in San Antonio, Texas, by a shot from a high-powered rifle to the back of the head. Joe Chagra ended Not wanting to put his family through a trial, Joe pleaded guilty to something he didnt do, Chagra Russell said. A portrait of Federal Judge John H. Wood, Jr. hangs at the Federal Courthouse. But they would have had leaves on them at the time of the murder, rendering the witness testimony not credible. Bring on the Shiplap. But his wife was not released and died of ovarian cancer at age 41. Anyone can read what you share. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Since arriving, our vision has become reality. She was previously convicted of using a James had a deal to receive $250,000 from the government if Chagra was convicted. One, Jerry Ray James, befriended Jamiel Chagra in prison and allowed his conversations to be secretly taped. The trial grew out of one of the largest FBI investigations in history, taking three years and over $5 million. I promised Samantha that I would write that Joe was a good father, and I know damn well he was. Jo Ann had purchased the rifle under a false name, Mrs. "Fay King." Though he was strung out on coke, Joe had by this point become the nominal head of the Chagra family, meaning it was his responsibility to visit Jimmy, who whined constantly and seemed to think the mess his life had become was Joes fault. Charles Harrelson was the last of the classic American hitman. In the investigation, which cost at least $5 million, the Government recorded more than 1,000 conversations, most of them by telephone, that Jamiel Chagra was involved in at various prisons, particularly the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan. Joseph Chagra did not testify. Reports suggest Prince Charles will live "in a flat above the shop" when he becomes king. However, the date of retrieval is often important. 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. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Jimmy Chagra, who was facing numerous narcotics charges, would become a suspect in the killing. The three had risen from an unremarkable middle-class upbringing to live among El Paso's wealthiest residents. In the 1970s, Jimmy Chagra was the marijuana kingpin of the Western world. 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. 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. But he had some luck when the prosecutors decided to put criminal Jerry Ray James on the stand to testify against Chagra. Five months later Wood was dead, slain May 29, 1979, on his way to work. There was a lot of internal pressure.. But in the interviews, Chagra described himself as a megalomaniac.. To provide a humanitarian services campus of nonprofit organizations that offer hope, opportunity, and empowerment. Thats not the problem I have, Ray Jahn quoted Jimmy Chagra as telling Harrelson. Bobby Harrelson said it best in Crazy Like A Fox, an article in Wilmington Magazine. If he didnt concoct a lie about how he was really part of the conspiracy, thus allowing him to testify against Harrelson, he believed he would face a total of thirty-five to forty years on drug charges. 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. 'She has reached a point where the evidence is up to her ears and she's floundering in it. They talked about assassinating Judge Wood. Thats how one former friend described the convicted killer. Defendants: Charles Voyde Harrelson, Jo Ann Starr Harrelson, Elizabeth Chagra, Jamiel ChagraCrimes Charged: Charles Harrelson: conspiracy to murder; murder of a federal judge; conspiracy to obstruct justice. Explore how the celebrity world connects. He was 50. Chagra was let out on bail and he disappeared. The bug picked up Chagra talking with his wife and brother Joe about the judges murder. 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. He enjoyed a high-rolling lifestyle at Caesars Palace and Binions Horseshoe but he was not a very good gambler. May 29, 1979: Wood was shot to death outside his San Antonio condo. 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. The jury found Chagra guilty. ." The center supports its partners with below-market rental rates that cover all utilities, parking and security. Donald asks the courts to let him tweet. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. Liz got a 30-year sentence. 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. Assistant United States Attorney Ray Jahn, the chief prosecutor, expressed his thanks for the verdict, saying, ''When Judge Wood died on May 29, justice did not die.''. At a subsequent trial, held in Florida because of the publicity in Texas, Jimmy Chagra was However, U.S. District Judge William S. Sessions ordered the hearing continued at a later date, indicating Mrs. Harrelson still faces possible imprisonment. The trial of Jamiel Chagra was set for May 29, 1979, but Judge Wood was shot as he left his apartment in Alamo Heights for court. Firefighters hoist horse stranded in backyard swimming pool. 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. 23 Feb. 2023 . She also said that when she had demurred about delivering the money, thinking it was a gambling payoff, he had hissed, ''This is for the judge.'' The $450,000 they took from the office safe was money Jimmy owed to mob boss Joe Bonanno, Sr., for a busted drug deal. Judge Wood, known as ''Maximum John'' because of the sentences he had given drug dealers, set May 29, 1979, as the day the trial was to begin. 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. Federal District Judge William S. Sessions, who was a pallbearer at the slain judge's funeral and who, as chief judge in the district, appointed himself to preside in the case, said he would impose a sentence March 8, after the trial of Jamiel Chagra in Florida. WebJo Ann Harrelson, Charles Voyed Harrelson and Elizabethnichols Chagra, Defendants-appellants, 754 F.2d 1153 (5th Cir. 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. March 3 (UPI) -- A former U.S. soldier was sentenced to 45 years in prison Friday for planning a deadly ambush on members of his military unit. 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. Daniel's 5th outing as Bond gets bums back on seats in the cinema. He won the first ever Nevada Screenwriters Award in 1988 and the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding travel writing in 1991. 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. Joseph agreed that he should. I told him he should.. The Chagras were known as key members of a so-called Dixie Mafia, heavily involved in drug smuggling. 3 children killed, 2 hospitalized in North Texas domestic incident, 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'True Romance' actor Tom Sizemore dead at 61, Dozens killed, injured as Jakarta fuel depot fire engulfs neighborhood, Syndicated show 'Rachael Ray' wrapping 17-season run, Migrant woman dies after U.S. Coast Guard stops vessel carrying 54. The evil sought to be avoided by pr, A sentence whereby a convict is released from confinement but is still under court supervision; a testing or a trial period. 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. Joe had no idea he was being pulled into the Wood conspiracyor even that there was a conspiracywhen Charles Harrelson hired him to represent him on an old gun charge in Harris County in February 1980. Livestreaming available the night of the event by clicking here. The government also taped other conversations, including some between Charles Harrelson and his attorney, and others between Joseph and Jamiel Chagra. By that time the FBI investigation into the judges assassination was more than two years old. Chagra asked Harrelson if Wood could be bribed. SIGNIFICANCE: Charles Harrelson was convicted for a hit-man killing of Judge John H. Wood, the only federal judge to be assassinated in the twentieth century. 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. Murder is perhaps the single most serious criminal offense. Suspected burglar inside New Brunswick home was a panicked deer. 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. 3 children killed, 2 hospitalized in North Texas domestic incident. The UK's supply crisis puts extra pressure on Prime Minister Boris. The citys first zoo featured animals from Texas and Mexico but no giraffe. 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. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Joseph testified as well against his own sister-in-law Elizabeth Chagra, and Harrelson's wife, Jo Ann. The pressure (to solve the murder) was on us, Ray Jahn said. In a recent interview with the San Antonio Express-News, Joe Chagras widow, now known as Patty Chagra Russell, defended her husband, saying the prison recording showed that Jimmy Chagra was a bully toward her husband. You know Harrelson knocked off the judge, Jimmy told him. Elizabeth Chagra admitted she delivered the money but said she did not know what it was for. "Charles Harrelson Trial: 1982-83 Jack Sheehan has been living and writing in Las Vegas for 40 years. Charles Harrelson, arrives at the U.S. Elizabeth Chagra died in prison of ovarian cancer in September 1997 at age 43. Judge Woods 1979 slaying by Charles Harrelson was crime of the century, San Antonio Zoo has a long but spotty history with giraffes. Harrelson, 69, died of a heart attack in March 2007 in a federal maximum-security prison in Colorado.