To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. On Dec. 14, 1982, a Federal jury in San Antonio found Mr. Harrelson guilty of conspiracy to murder, murder and conspiracy to obstruct justice. The Harrelson Center | Our Mission Copyright FameChain 2023, All rights reserved. The casinos loved him, of course, and their dealers loved him, too, because he was a big tipper. Whether they are seeking financial help, spiritual help, whether they are looking for a job, clothing, food or encouragement, a listening ear or someone to help build them up, people can come here because it is not only in the heart of Wilmington but IS the heart of Wilmington. WebThe map led the feds to learn that the murder weapon had been purchased by Harrelsons wife, Jo Ann. Good Fella Texas Monthly A convicted hit man's wife Monday won a first - UPI 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. By Wayne King, Special To the New York Times. ", 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. Mr. Chagra was one of three sons of a Lebanese rug merchant who had emigrated from Mexico to El Paso. Instead, that day he was shot as he was leaving for court. Mr. Chagra was a pivotal figure in a dramatic 1979 murder case, and his testimony helped convict Charles Voyde Harrelson, the father of the actor Woody Harrelson, of killing Judge John H. Wood Jr., an enemy of drug traffickers. U.S. District Judge John H. Wood was assassinated in San Antonio May 29, 1979, by Charles Harrelson. The trial grew out of one of the largest FBI investigations in history, taking three years and over $5 million. Joe was stunned. If I'm not the expert in one area, I know already that somebody is within the Harrelson Center. Wood died in 1979 when he was assassinated by Charles Harrelson. 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. On Feb. 26, 1979, he was indicted on five counts of trafficking in marijuana and cocaine. He enjoyed a high-rolling lifestyle at Caesars Palace and Binions Horseshoe but he was not a very good gambler. The real shock, however, was yet to come: The FBI was bugging Harrelsons celland also the visitors room at Leavenworth, where Joe was routinely subjected to Jimmys abuse. Joseph Chagra refused to testify against his own brother Jamiel (Jimmy), however. 1985) Annotate this Case US Court of Appeals for the 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. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. But he had some luck when the prosecutors decided to put criminal Jerry Ray James on the stand to testify against Chagra. Image of Jimmy Chagra in handcuffs courtesy of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Harrelson).'. Wood was shot in the back with a high-powered rifle while leaving his north San Antonio townhouse for work. Joseph Chagra did not testify. ", -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. 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 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. Mr. Harrelson said Mr. Kay borrowed the car some days before the killing, but that he had it back and was in Dallas on the day of the killing. A police officer stopped his car. 7-year-old baseball umpire seeks Guinness World Record. 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. ." May 29, 1979: Wood was shot to death outside his San Antonio condo. ''O.K., honey,'' Mrs. Chagra said she replied. United States of America, Plaintiff-appellee, v. Jo Ann Harrelson 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. Kathryn Wood, the widow of the slain judge, provided a five-page handwritten letter from Elizabeth Chagra, apologizing for her involvement in the murder. 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. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. But Chagra and Harrelson werent immediate suspects, and it took thousands of man-hours before they were identified as such. He was sentenced to two life sentences. Once he paid off a cocktail waitress $50,000 mortgage when he heard she was raising three kids on her own. At trial, the Jahns put on a parade of star witnesses that included Harrelsons cellmate and Joe Chagra, both of whom had been told by Harrelson that he carried out the hit. By the time the trial came around in 1983, Jimmy Chagras case had been severed from his co-defendants and Joe Chagra had taken a plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to the conspiracy to murder Wood. 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. Elizabeth Chagra died in prison of ovarian cancer in September 1997 at age 43. In her 2022 memoir Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? '', The fear, the Government asserted, was that of Jamiel Chagra, once described on an F.B.I. Charles got double life sentences. Agents searched the El Paso homes of the Chagra family. Chagra made frequent trips to Las Vegas, arriving with suitcases stuffed with millions of dollars in cash. Sessions will preside over the March 14 trial in Shreveport of Chagra, Mrs. Chagra, and Mrs. Chagra's father, Leon Nichols, on tax evasion charges. A short time later, Joe was arrested and held without bail, as were Jo Ann 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. 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. By that time the FBI investigation into the judges assassination was more than two years old. SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- A convicted hit man's wife Monday won a first round in her battle with federal prosecutors who want her jailed for refusing to testify against her husband in the probe of the slaying of a federal judge. ", Woman wins $100,000 lottery prize 11 hours after $11,000 casino jackpot. 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. 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. 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. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, carrying a sentence of up to life in prison; murder of a Federal judge, mandatory life, and conspiracy to obstruct justice, up to five years. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Lee, his eldest brother, brought Joe into his law partnership largely to enhance his own self-esteem as patrn of the Chagra family. Elizabeth Chagra was convicted of conspiracy to Thats how one former friend described the convicted killer. 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. Goodman recognized the error of their plan when the trees in the scale model had no leaves on them. "Texas SniperThe Charge: Murdering a Judge." The trial for Jimmy Chagra, meanwhile, was moved to Jacksonville, Florida, and his lawyer, former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, dealt the government a defeat. Jo Ann Harrelson Family Tree & History, Ancestry & Genealogy 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 Harrelson was found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct justice. Thank you for helping me and our community. He has published 21 books and screenplays, including many on Las Vegas history and historical figures. According to the F.B.I. When Chagras former drug-smuggling partner Henry Wallace turned and became a witness, the charges against Chagra were increased and he faced the prospect of life in prison without parole. 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. Judge Wood, known as "maximum John" because of the heavy sentences he had imposed on drug dealers, had presided over the pretrial hearing of Jamiel Chagra, denying 20 defense motions. 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. Our incoming donations used to be 70% used items. 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. Texas Lege Watch: A House Republican Fights for Chicken Freedom, Texas Monthly Recognized by ASME in the 2023 National Magazine Awards. Liz got a 30-year sentence. The three had risen from an unremarkable middle-class upbringing to live among El Paso's wealthiest residents. The Chagras said they were convinced that Judge Wood, who was scheduled to preside over Jimmy's case, had a bias against them. WebTo provide a humanitarian services campus of nonprofit organizations that offer hope, opportunity, and empowerment. She said she had not believed him. In his testimony, Mr. Harrelson said he was ''set up'' by George Edward (Pete) Kay, another gambler. This is not a happy story for anybody. 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. Charles, Jo Ann Harrelson and Elizabeth Chagra faced only the lesser charges. 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. 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. Patricia Sharpe writes a regular restaurant column, Pats Pick, for Texas Monthly. with Diane Harrelson{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Diane Harrelson", "gender": "Female" }. Mr. Harrelson also said that Mr. Kay had $135,000 to $150,000 delivered to him as part of the ''scam.'' "I truly appreciate the way you assisted me. 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. Florida woman runs ultra-marathon distances for 23 consecutive days. Though he and his wife, Patty, divorced, they remained close. Joseph testified as well against his own sister-in-law Elizabeth Chagra, and Harrelson's wife, Jo Ann. But unknown to Harrelson, the trial had been postponed, Ray Jahn said. 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, The collaborations and friendships are blessings to me and to our organization. In death as in life, El Paso crime family scion Joe Chagra is getting a bad rap. The government indicted Harrelson, the Chagra brothers, Jo Ann Harrelson and Jimmy Chagras wife, Elizabeth, who delivered the $250,000 payoff for Charles Harrelson. Woody Harrelson funded his fathers appeals, enlisting the aid of controversial 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. Daniel Vaughn is the countrys first barbecue editor, and he has eaten more barbecue than you have. On the morning of May 29, 1979, Judge Wood, 63, was slain in the driveway of his town house in San Antonio, struck in the back by a bullet from a high-powered rifle. Jimmy Chagra, who was facing numerous narcotics charges, would become a suspect in the killing. As of mid-2001, the appeal remained postponed. 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. 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. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Investigators questioned several long-term convicts, offering reduced sentences for information about the judge's killing. 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. While awaiting trial, Chagra came into contact with career criminal Charles Harrelson, father of actor Woody Harrelson, in Las Vegas. Thats not the problem I have, Ray Jahn quoted Jimmy Chagra as telling Harrelson. 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. Then-FBI Director William Webster dispatched dozens of agents to San Antonio for a massive investigation that resulted in Harrelson and four others being charged in connection with Woods assassination a killing still etched in the citys lore. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. We mesh and balance each other., - Jerri Holliday, Executive Director, Philippians 3 Ministries, 20 North 4th St. STE 214 Wilmington, NC 28401, But the Partner benefit with the greatest impact to us and our families. 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.

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