jo ann harrelson

He enjoyed a high-rolling lifestyle at Caesars Palace and Binions Horseshoe but he was not a very good gambler. -- 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. 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. 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. 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. Mr. Chagra testified not only that Mr. Harrelson had told him he had killed Judge Wood, but also that his brother had suggested killing the judge and had identified Mr. Harrelson as the man he paid to do so. 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. Mr. Chagra was one of three sons of a Lebanese rug merchant who had emigrated from Mexico to El Paso. But it also spotlighted allegations that federal investigators and prosecutors treaded on constitutional rights such as attorney-client and marital privilege and the secret recording of private conversations. Thursday, May 28: Oscar's "Case of the Century": The Life 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. ", - Jim Everette, Harrelson Center Ex-Officio Board Member, We are all different parts, but part of the same body. 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. Find out more about his hitman father, Charles Harrelson, here. And You Thought Feral Hogs Were Bad. Among other points, Woody said that his father had spent only $7,000 on his defense, compared to the $5 to $10 million spent by the federal government in marshalling evidence. Chagra asked Harrelson if Wood could be bribed. Joe was stunned. 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. 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). A place where needs are met, dreams are fostered and hope abounds. He was a cheat, he was a con man and he was a murderer. ''O.K., honey,'' Mrs. Chagra said she replied. Yes, Chagra Russell continued. The investigation cost more than $11 million, at the time the most extensive investigation in the bureaus history. Everybody got hurt in this. It is believed to be correct at the time of inputting and is presented here in good faith. Bikers and other street toughs were dragged in on hold-over charges. Prosecutors made a diorama of Woods condo complex to show how the murder occurred. 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. He claimed that a fellow gambler, George (Pete) Kay had bilked Jamiel Chagra by claiming that Charles Harrelson had killed the judge and should collect the $250,000 fee. WebJo Ann Harrelson's in laws: All relationship and family history information shown on FameChain has been compiled from data in the public domain. '', It was at a pretrial hearing on April 2, 1979, as he listened to Judge Wood deny a score of defense motions, that Jamiel Chagra turned to Joseph Salim Chagra, his brother and attorney, and said, according to Joseph Chagra's testimony later, ''that he was never going to have a fair trial and if I thought he should have Judge Wood killed.''. Chip Gaines Bought Larry McMurtrys Historic Texas Bookstore. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. ", 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. The Harrelson Center | Home The visiting room was bugged to gather information from mobster Nick Civella, also a Goodman client. Charles got double life sentences. with Diane Harrelson{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Diane Harrelson", "gender": "Female" }. Jimmy Chagra was sentenced to 30 years for his original drug-trafficking charges, plus 10 years for the lesser charges he was convicted of when he was tried for the Wood murder. Investigators questioned several long-term convicts, offering reduced sentences for information about the judge's killing. and court testimony, Jamiel Chagra was ''the highest of high rollers,'' a man who flew in private jets, gambled at roped-off tables in Las Vegas and thought nothing of betting half a million dollars on a roll of the dice. ", 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.". Suspected burglar inside New Brunswick home was a panicked deer. Woody Harrelsons Dad: What To Know About His Hitman Father, Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. The assassination came at the height of a Justice Department campaign to slow the flow of illicit drugs across the Mexican border. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. The jury started deliberating on Feb. 3, 1983. Jimmy Chagras separate trial moved to Jacksonville, Florida. It killed U.S. District Judge John H. Wood Jr. the first federal judge to be assassinated in the country. Jo Ann had purchased the rifle under a false name, Mrs. "Fay King." Jo Ann Harrelson tried for perjury, and Jamiel and Elizabeth Chagra tried for tax evasion in Shreveport, Louisiana.Dates of Trials: October 7, 1982-December 14, 1982 (Charles Harrelson, Jo Ann Harrelson, Elizabeth Chagra); January 10, 1983-February 7, 1983 (Jamiel Chagra); March 1983 (Chagra trials for tax evasion and Jo Ann Harrelson trial for perjury)Verdicts: Charles Harrelson: guilty of murder of federal judge, conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to obstruct justice. Federal authorities claimed that attorney-client privileges did not protect conversations between Joseph and Jamiel Chagra, because Joseph (the attorney) was himself a suspect in the conspiracy to conceal the crime. circular of wanted people as a ''carpet salesman, professional gambler and narcotics trafficker.''. Someone could have done a movie not only on the case, but on the people who got the reward.. WHEN FIFTY-YEAR-OLD JOE CHAGRA flipped his Toyota Landcruiser on Interstate 10 west of El Paso in December, killing himself and two passengers, it was a sad final chapter in the life of a man best known as one of the conspirators in the 1979 murder of San Antonio federal judge John Wood. The feds indicted Jimmy Chagra, Charles Harrelson, Joe Chagra, Liz Chagra and Jo Ann Harrelson in the judges murder. Image of Jimmy Chagra in handcuffs courtesy of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Encyclopedia.com. ", Anne Best, Executive Director, Family Promise, The truest measure of love is revealed by how we respond to the needs of others. He set up his family on a farm in Kansas. ', Jahn, who has spearheaded the prosecutions resulting from the Wood investigation, said, 'I'm a firm believer in the system and I'm in full agreement with the verdicts reached today.'. Jack Sheehan calls him the Pablo Escobar of weed. March 3 (UPI) -- At a White House meeting on Friday, President Joe Biden thanked German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for Germany's "profound" help in countering Russian aggression in Ukraine. Charles Harrelson under arrest in 1982 for the slaying of federal judge John Wood. "Charles Harrelson Trial: 1982-83 Joseph Chagra refused to testify against his own brother Jamiel (Jimmy), however. "It's a safe wonderful environment for all those charities to be located in. See the article in its original context from. SHREVEPORT, La. However, the date of retrieval is often important. At the end of the hearing, Jamiel turned to his brother and attorney, Joseph Chagra, and said he would never have a fair trial. Newsweek (June 22, 1981). 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 (Original Caption) A Federal jury found co-defendents Jo Ann Harrelson (L) and Elizabeth Chagra (R) guilty of charges Jamiel Chagra: separate trial on murder, conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to obstruct justice; drug conspiracy and trafficking charges; separate indictment on income tax evasionChief Defense Lawyers: Charles Harrelson: Thomas G. Sharpe, Jr.; Jo Ann Harrelson: Charles Champion; Elizabeth Chagra: Warren Burnett; Jamiel Chagra: Oscar B. GoodmanChief Prosecutor: Ray JahnJudge: William SessionsPlaces: Charles Harrelson: San Antonio, Texas. See the Elon Musk family tree here at FameChain. 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. 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. Click here to Start FameChaining. 'Mrs. 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, Joseph Chagra, a Texas lawyer who admitted his complicity in the first assassination of a Federal judge in more than a century, died last Sunday in Thomason Hospital in El Paso. killed Judge Wood in exchange for a promised $250,000 payment by Jamiel Chagra. 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. Even though every partner is Joseph Chagra accepted a plea bargain. On Dec. 14, 1982, a Federal jury in San Antonio found Mr. Harrelson guilty of conspiracy to murder, murder and conspiracy to obstruct justice. JERRY LARA, Staff / San Antonio Express-News. They werent taking no for an answer, defense lawyer Brown said. 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. The center supports its partners with below-market rental rates that cover all utilities, parking and security. U.S. District Judge John H. Wood was assassinated in San Antonio May 29, 1979, by Charles Harrelson. Livestreaming available the night of the event by clicking here. 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. At least 10 people have died in the wake of a severe weather system bringing fierce winds, damaging tornadoes and flash flooding to the U.S. South and Midwest. 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. In effect, he was being tried for murder, when he claimed that his only involvement was in a con-game to get the murder pay-off money for a killing performed by someone else. Chagra was a prolific marijuana smuggler and spent his ill-gotten fortune on casinos in Las Vegas, where he moved in 1978. SHREVEPORT, La. 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. ", & Dr. "The Judge Wood Murder Case." While awaiting trial, Chagra came into contact with career criminal Charles Harrelson, father of actor Woody Harrelson, in Las Vegas. March 3 (UPI) -- A 7-year-old Louisiana boy with a firm grasp of baseball rules is seeking a Guinness World Record as the world's youngest umpire. Mr. Chagra returned to El Paso in 1988 from a Federal prison in Stafford, Ariz., where he had served six and a half years of a 10-year sentence for conspiracy. The hearing was the first in which federal prosecutors have failed to obtain a contempt citation against people refusing to testify before the grand jury investigating the fatal shooting of U.S. District Judge John H. Wood Jr. Two of those people recently were released. The casinos loved him, of course, and their dealers loved him, too, because he was a big tipper. He was 50. But Joe absolutely refused to testify against his brother as a matter of family honor. "Foster Pantry moved on campus in May 2021 after joining the Harrelson Center initially as an Associate Partner in 2019. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Florida woman runs ultra-marathon distances for 23 consecutive days. It was the first time someone assassinated a sitting federal 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. WebTo provide a humanitarian services campus of nonprofit organizations that offer hope, opportunity, and empowerment. Woody Harrelson's dad was hitman who murdered judge and The prosecution produced no murder weapon or any eyewitnesses. Jamiel Chagra: guilty of conspiracy to obstruct justice, drug charges, and tax evasion. Harrelson was sentenced to two consecutive life terms plus five years, while Jo Ann Harrelson got a combined 25 years for obstruction of justice. Through these collaborations, we have been able to extend our reach to help more families in our local community. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). 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. 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. (February 23, 2023). Charles, Jo Ann Harrelson and Elizabeth Chagra faced only the lesser charges. . In the letter, Elizabeth relayed conversations about plans to kill Wood and told of her own delivery of the payoff money to Las Vegas. 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. 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. 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. The Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission to advance the public understanding of organized crime's history and impact on American society. King, Wayne. 7-year-old baseball umpire seeks Guinness World Record. Joe was a genuinely nice guy who was congenitally unable to say no. A portrait of Federal Judge John H. Wood, Jr. hangs at the Federal Courthouse. 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. Joe Chagra also testified that Jimmy Chagra later told him he had hired Harrelson to kill the judge and that Harrelson himself told Joe Chagra that he had carried out the hit, according to the newspaper stories. Therefore, its best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publications requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. 'I have ordered the hearing continued and you can logically assume what that means,' Sessions said. One of his many screenplays details the life of notorious drug smuggler Jimmy Chagra. But his wife was not released and died of ovarian cancer at age 41. She recovered quickly and later said she was fine. In the 1970s, Jimmy Chagra was the marijuana kingpin of the Western world. Elizabeth Chagra: conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to obstruct justice; separate indictment on income tax evasion. The defendants were charged under Federal statutes governing the killing of a Federal employee. 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. 3 children killed, 2 hospitalized in North Texas domestic incident. Lee, his eldest brother, brought Joe into his law partnership largely to enhance his own self-esteem as patrn of the Chagra family. Woody Harrelson is a beloved actor, but he has a troublesome legacy. Bobby Harrelson said it best in Crazy Like A Fox, an article in Wilmington Magazine. Instead, that day he was shot as he was leaving for court. This synergistic environment allows all the nonprofits to operate more efficiently and better utilize their funding. 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. According to the F.B.I. It was the day after (Memorial) Day, the day Chagras trial was to start, Ray Jahn said. See FameChain's massive Trump family tree. The Jo Ann Carter Harrelson Center Inc. is a North 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. 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. Chagras operation had links to the Patriarca crime family in New England. 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 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. The gun rap seemed routine until Harrelson was arrested following a cocaine-induced standoff near Van Horn, at which time his motive became clear. Not wanting to put his family through a trial, Joe pleaded guilty to something he didnt do, Chagra Russell said. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Charles Harrelson was the last of the classic American hitman. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. Mrs. Harrelson bought the rifle under a fictitious name, Fay King, or faking. The pressure (to solve the murder) was on us, Ray Jahn said. Harrelson argued that Kay's wife had purchased a Weatherby hunting rifle of the type used to kill the judge some 12 days before the killing. To cut costs, Amazon delays completion of second headquarters, closes retail stores. ", - Kim Ceasar, Executive Director, Soaring As Eagles, "The Harrelson Center changes the lives of people in amazing ways. Years later, the trial of Charles V. Harrelson revealed that Bill Bannister was a pseudonym Harrelson used to help track the judge, who was shot in the back outside his Alamo Heights townhome less than 2 miles from the motel as he was leaving for work. 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. Jo Ann Harrelson Family Tree & History, Ancestry & Genealogy In a series of videotaped interviews after his release from prison, Chagra told Las Vegas author Jack Sheehan that his prosecution was the result of a beef Wood had against his older brother Lee. 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. Charles Harrelson Trial: 1982-83 | Encyclopedia.com Should you have information that conflicts with anything shown please make us aware by email. Investigators suspected that the murder was somehow connected to the growing drug trade in Texas. 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. At least two grand juries have investigated the slaying for more than two years, and U.S. Attorney General William Webster last March said indictments were near, but no charges have been levied in the case. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. 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. February 2023 Reader Quiz: What Did You Learn? Our incoming donations used to be 70% used items. Charles Harrelson & Jo Ann Harrelson Divorced, Joint Family Tree Jo Ann Harrelson, whose daughter has been imprisoned more than three months for refusing to testify before a federal grand jury, walked away from the federal courthouse in San Antonio without being held in contempt. Mr. Harrelson also said that Mr. Kay had $135,000 to $150,000 delivered to him as part of the ''scam.'' March 4 (UPI) -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made a rare visit to frontline troops in Ukraine on Saturday as Kyiv's grip on the embattled city of Bakhmut appeared to be slipping. The pair wed in 2001 and share four children, but their political differences during the Trump administration took a toll on their relationship. CHAGRA: LIFE IN LAS VEGAS ANDMARIJUANA KINGPIN. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Anyone can read what you share. Woody Harrelson funded his fathers appeals, enlisting the aid of controversial The trial grew out of one of the largest FBI investigations in history, taking three years and over $5 million. In an unsuccessful effort to try to free his wife early from her 30-year sentence, Chagra later admitted to his role in the conspiracy to murder Wood and agreed to testify against people who had tried to kill James Kerr, a federal prosecutor who had initially obtained drug-trafficking indictments against Jimmy Chagra and battled repeatedly in court with Lee Chagra. Harrelson is drowning in a sea of evidence and she realizes it,' assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Jahn told jurors before the verdict Monday. Jo Ann Harrelson: 25 years for obstruction of justice and perjury. Joseph Chagra, 50, Lawyer Linked to Assassination, Dies, https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/15/us/joseph-chagra-50-lawyer-linked-to-assassination-dies.html. It's an amazing way to provide a warm handoff so that people have all of their needs served. 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. 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. James had a deal to receive $250,000 from the government if Chagra was convicted. But the judge could not be corrupted. Murder is perhaps the single most serious criminal offense. 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. It also resulted in a group of lawyers and businessmen bankrolling a $100,000 reward, which became instrumental in solving the case. "Charles Harrelson Trial: 1982-83 She said she had not believed him. Jo Ann Harrelson was found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct justice. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. The citys first zoo featured animals from Texas and Mexico but no giraffe. Thats not the problem I have, Ray Jahn quoted Jimmy Chagra as telling Harrelson. Thats how one former friend described the convicted killer. Jo Ann Starr Harrelson: conspiracy to obstruct justice. Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce after 22 years of On This Day: Frances Perkins sworn in as first female Cabinet member. It was a big deal; there was a lot of interest in the case, said Millsap, who later served as Bexar County district attorney. Judge Woods 1979 slaying by Charles Harrelson was crime of the century, San Antonio Zoo has a long but spotty history with giraffes. In an earlier trial, Mrs. Harrelson's husband, Charles Harrelson, was convicted of the 1979 assassination of U.S. District Judge John H. Wood Jr. in San Antonio, Texas, the only such killing of a sitting federal judge this century. ." Allegations arose that Chagra hired Harrelson, the actor Woody Harrelsons father, to commit the murder. He wasnt a criminal; he was a nice person, she added. Released in 1978, he married for a third time the next year, this time to Jo Ann Starr. 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. Charles Harrelson was born on July 23rd, 1938, in Lovelady, Texas, the son of Alma Lee (ne Sparks; 19072002) and Voyde Harrelson (19011976). As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The officer didnt recognize Chagra, but Chagra revealed himself by saying, I give up., CHAGRA: FROM THE COURTROOM TO PRISON TO NOT GUILTY TO DEATH. Jo Ann Harrelson was convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice and later convicted of five counts of perjury. Charles Harrelson arrives at Federal Court 11-8-82 for his trial in the slaying of federal judge Wood. Great American Trials. Jimmy Carters Peanut-and-Egg Taco Made Quite the Impression on San Antonians. Joseph agreed that he should. I testified at the hearing to determine if his law license should be restored, telling the same story Ive told here, yet the prosecution never offered any assistance and the judge ruled that restoring the license would not meet the ends of justice. Joe had to support himself by writing briefs for other lawyers. Wood was called 'Maximum John' for his tough sentencing policies. As a result, people used him. But they would have had leaves on them at the time of the murder, rendering the witness testimony not credible. The Chagras were known as key members of a so-called Dixie Mafia, heavily involved in drug smuggling. The Unfair Trial Of A Confessed Outlaw - Medium From start to finish, I was treated with kindness and dignity.