RAT, BRIAN R. LUNDIN [young adult books to read .txt] 📗

court watchers gasped.
“Business must be pretty good!
Wilson smiled showing a mouth full of gold teeth.
“It is!”
“How were your “dues,” paid?”
“Every 10th of the month Sergeant Romano met me and I paid my dues but I heard he got sick and another police officer would collect, I don’t his name.”
“What were these dues for”
“I didn’t have to worry about my runners being arrested and their vehicles being confiscated and I didn’t have to worry about raids on my operations.”
“Is the person you paid your “dues,” to in this courtroom?”
“Yes, he’s sitting at the table with the oxygen.”
“Let the record reflect the witness has identified Albert Romano!”
“Thank You, your witness.
Antony Carmin Curso was a regular in the federal court and was considered a “mob lawyer” that had represented members of the Chicago Crime Outfit. Curso looked like the gangsters portrayed in old crime movies. He was fiftyish, short, maybe five-feet two and frail looking. His wavy silver-grey hair was perfectly cut and he wore an expensive off-grey suit and matching accomplishment. With an unexpected strong voice he approached the witness.
“Good afternoon Mr. Wilson!”
“Good afternoon counselor!”
“Under direct examination you admitted to running an illegal operation and granted immunity to testify is that correct?”
“Yes sir!”
“Isn’t it a fact sir that you contacted Sergeant Romano my client and begged him to let you in the club?”
“No Sir!”
“Isn’t it a fact sir that you entrapped my client?”
“I don’t know what that means!”
Curso looked at Judge Campbell.
“For the befit of the witness and the jury I will define Entrapment. In criminal law, entrapment is conduct by a law enforcement agent inducing a person to commit an offense that the person would otherwise have been unlikely to commit.] In many jurisdictions, entrapment is a possible defense against criminal liability. However, there is no entrapment where a person is ready and willing to break the law and the government agents merely provide what appears to be a favorable opportunity for the person to commit the crime”
“Do you understand what entrapment now?”
“Yes sir!”
“I’ll repeat my question. Isn’t it a fact sir that you entrapped my client?”
“No sir.”

“Let’s continue, have you paid off other policemen for protection?”
“Yes sir!”
“So bribing police officer was a common practice to you?”
“That’s the price you have to pay to stay in business!”
“In direct examination you said that your monthly dues was five grand a month, correct.”
“Yes!”
“That’s a lot of money you must be making a lot of money sixty thousand a year from your illegal gambling operation. How much do you estimate that you earn from your illegal activities a year?”
“I have no idea!”
“Would a million sound reasonable?”
“If you say so!”
“Do you file that amount on your Income Taxes?”
“No!”
“No further questions!”
Wilson left the stand and the court room. For the next week Luden called Jimmy Winstead owner of the B&O Policy Wheel, Cubbie Cole owner of the Honey Babe and Twin Policy wheel and Johnny Coleman owner of the Westside, Northside and Eastside Policy Wheel. Luden also called Clyde Turner managing operator of the five largest syndicate wire-rooms in the district; Cookie George and “Palm’em,”Jackson that operated the largest skin, dice and poker houses in the district and Flucky Wills that operated three after-hours joint in the district They all were granted immunity and testified that they were members of the Commander’s Club and paid monthly “dues,” to Sergeant Romano and later to Sergeants Eppilito and Novakski. Curso cross examinations was similar to that of Wilson.

Luden’s next witness was Richardo Ricks.
“Mr. Ricks have you been granted immunity for your testimony before this court.”
“Yes sir!”
“What do you do for a living?”
“I own ten policy stations!”
“Where are these stations located?’
“I’ve got two in Englewood and the rest are in the Second District.”
“Do you know Sergeant Romano and if so would you please point him out.”
Ricks pointed to the sergeant.
“Mr. Ricks have you ever had conversations with the sergeant?”
“Yes sir!”
“Would you tell the court what these conversations were about?”
“For the past three or four years the sergeant has been harassing me to join the Commander’s Club and demanded I pay him two hundred dollars a month, when I refused he and his vice men would raid my joint, arrest the writers and elderly patrons and destroy my bet records.”
“Did you ever join the club?”
“Hell no I wasn’t going to give thieving assholes nothing!”
“Thank you no further questions.”
Curso had no questions and the court was adjourned until Monday at 8:00 AM! When court resumed Luden called his star witness Officer Cecilia Went to the stand. As she passed O’Shea and Romano they give her a dirty look. Cecilia told the court how the O’Shea had assigned her as his secretary and then his “baglady.” She told of how tired she was of all the corruption in the district and how not only the criminals were being forced to pay off the police but also everyday working black citizens of the district were being harassed by police officers. She said she contacted Commander Watson and how he the FBI and the US Attorney set up a sting with her posing as a corrupt police officer. Luden showed video tapes of the officers being paid off and audio and video tapes of her giving money to Commander O’Shea the evidence was overwhelming. The jury deliberated for three days before reaching a verdict of guilty on all charges for O’Shea and Romano. O’Shea was sentenced to fifteen years and Romano ten but two weeks later the court was informed that Romano had committed suicide. All of the officers were fired and sentenced to two to seven years in prison except those granted immunity. Ringo Troop and Robert Starks were sentenced to ten years in state prison, Richard Novaksi received two years.
EPILOGUE
Officer Cecilia Went with the help of Watson and Luden was meritoriously promoted to sergeant and assigned to the 15th District on the Northside of the city but the police grapevine is huge and before long word had gotten to the district and around the department that Cecilia was a rat. When she called “10-1,” a police need help no one came and she had been getting threatening anonymous letters and phone calls. Cecilia eventually resigned and moved out of state only Watson and Luden knew where, In the Chicago Police Department that’s what happens to a RAT!


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Publication Date: 05-22-2012

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