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On Feb. 26, 1979, he was indicted on five counts of trafficking in marijuana and cocaine. Over time, we became friends. 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. 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. You cant imagine the shock when Jimmy Chagra was acquitted.. March 2 (UPI) -- A Florida woman earned a Guinness World Record when she completed 23 ultra-marathon runs -- 31.1 miles -- in a 23-day period. "I truly appreciate the way you assisted me. -- 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 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. ." 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. ", & Dr. Since arriving, our vision has become reality. SHREVEPORT, La. March 4 (UPI) -- Roel Degamo, the governor of the Philippines province of Negros Oriental, was assassinated and five others also died Saturday in an attack by gunmen, officials said. Jack Sheehan has been living and writing in Las Vegas for 40 years. 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. Woody Harrelson funded his fathers appeals, enlisting the aid of controversial 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). From start to finish, I was treated with kindness and dignity. They shook down everybody in South Texas.. 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. It was a tragedy., She couldnt speak to Jimmy Chagras crimes or conduct, saying, we werent close.. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. He also agreed to testify against all co-defendants except his brother. The Jo Ann Carter Harrelson Center Inc. is a North Carolina nonprofit corporation 501c3 (EIN 20-3598248) that supports and partners with other nonprofit organizations in the Wilmington community. A portrait of Federal Judge John H. Wood, Jr. hangs at the Federal Courthouse. But his wife was not released and died of ovarian cancer at age 41. A short time later, Joe was arrested and held without bail, as were Jo Ann All but Jimmy live in El Paso. 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. The jury started deliberating on Feb. 3, 1983. But in the interviews, Chagra described himself as a megalomaniac.. This is a carousel. . 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. To cut costs, Amazon delays completion of second headquarters, closes retail stores. Chip Gaines Bought Larry McMurtrys Historic Texas Bookstore. Since much of the wiretapping was inadmissible in court, the government had a major problem with its case: The only witness who could connect Jimmy with Harrelson was Joe. WebThe map led the feds to learn that the murder weapon had been purchased by Harrelsons wife, Jo Ann. He has said he is a key suspect in Wood's slaying on May 29, 1979. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. People with hearts to serve and love to give.thats what you will find at the Harrelson Center. Judge Wood hated my brother Lee so much that he wanted a Chagra any way he could get him, Chagra said, according to a clip of the interviews posted on the internet. National Park Service: 'Never push a slower friend down' in a bear encounter, March 2 (UPI) -- The National Park Service offered some sage advice for park visitors who encounter bears: "Never push a slower friend down. Then, in the eight years after his release, Joe stayed clean and became a health nut. 'Mrs. But Im sure the Wood family feels like they were robbed, too. 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. He has published 21 books and screenplays, including many on Las Vegas history and historical figures. 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. Jimmy Chagra, who was facing numerous narcotics charges, would become a suspect in the killing. Joseph Chagra did not testify. 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. Whats Up With All the Kangaroos on the Loose in Texas? It was a big deal; there was a lot of interest in the case, said Millsap, who later served as Bexar County district attorney. March 2 (UPI) -- A Minnesota police officer came to the rescue of a raccoon he spotted running around with a jar stuck over its head. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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. It was then, the Government asserted, that ''the fear began. Great American Trials. Murder is perhaps the single most serious criminal offense. He believed in the justice system, but it didnt do right by him., Do I feel like he got robbed? Great American Trials. . Joseph Chagra accepted a plea bargain. 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.''. He told Joe about the contract and drew a map showing where he had hidden the murder rifle. British bus driver stops to give loose sheep a lift. Patricia Sharpe writes a regular restaurant column, Pats Pick, for Texas Monthly. They talked about assassinating Judge Wood. The collaborations and friendships are blessings to me and to our organization. At least 5 dead following year's first severe spring weather outbreak. Governor of Philippine province, 5 others killed in gun attack. The first giraffe in San Antonio was part of a traveling circus that stopped here in 1901. 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. However, the date of retrieval is often important. 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. 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. Together we create higher quality programs, were better able to remove barriers, and we have more space to provide instruction with positive adult role models. Harrelson thought that was the day he had to kill the judge.. 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. Copyright FameChain 2023, All rights reserved. Chagra asked Harrelson if Wood could be bribed. Jo Ann Harrelson: guilty of conspiracy to obstruct justice, perjury. A portrait of Federal Judge John H. Wood, Jr. hangs at the Federal Courthouse, Monday, August 7, 2017. ", - Kim Ceasar, Executive Director, Soaring As Eagles, "The Harrelson Center changes the lives of people in amazing ways. What finally did Joe in was his inability to stand up to Jimmy. Florida woman runs ultra-marathon distances for 23 consecutive days. By the time the first indictments came down in April 1982, the FBI had conducted more than 30,000 interviews and collected more than 500,000 pieces of information. Chagra made frequent trips to Las Vegas, arriving with suitcases stuffed with millions of dollars in cash. The three had risen from an unremarkable middle-class upbringing to live among El Paso's wealthiest residents. The seven-woman, five-man federal jury returned guilty verdicts on five counts of perjury after deliberating 2 hours. 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. Prosecutors made a diorama of Woods condo complex to show how the murder occurred. Jimmy Chagra was granted a separate trial. 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. Chagra told Sheehan that he offered to plead guilty to having Judge Wood murdered, if theyd release my wife. 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. 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. Jimmy Chagra broached the matter again in early May 1979 as the brothers walked on the lawn of Jimmys Las Vegas home, Joe Chagra testified. Harrelson claimed that when the murder took place, he was in Dallas, 270 miles away. However, after a game of pickup basketball between Woody and Fred Biery, the judge scheduled to hear the case, the judge disqualified himself and the case was continued to the year 2000, to be heard before Judge Orlando Garcia in Denver. 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. When he went to Las Vegas, he went to offer his talents as a murderer.''. Jo Ann Harrelson was convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice and later convicted of five counts of perjury. In the letter, Elizabeth relayed conversations about plans to kill Wood and told of her own delivery of the payoff money to Las Vegas. In exchange for agreeing to testify against 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. -- 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. Overdue book returned to Massachusetts library after 56 years. Liz got a 30-year sentence. Texas Lege Watch: A House Republican Fights for Chicken Freedom, Texas Monthly Recognized by ASME in the 2023 National Magazine Awards. 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. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. The next morning, May 29, using a high-powered rifle fitted with a scope, that man fired a shot that would be heard around the world. Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/law/law-magazines/charles-harrelson-trial-1982-83. 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. 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. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. 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. Though he and his wife, Patty, divorced, they remained close. He was 63. 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. Jimmy Chagras separate trial moved to Jacksonville, Florida. If I'm not the expert in one area, I know already that somebody is within the Harrelson Center. This is not a happy story for anybody. The defendants were charged under Federal statutes governing the killing of a Federal employee. He was 50. Click here to Start FameChaining. 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. But Joe absolutely refused to testify against his brother as a matter of family honor. Jo Ann Harrelson convicted of perjury - UPI Archives ." Allegations arose that Chagra hired Harrelson, the actor Woody Harrelsons father, to commit the murder. It was the first time someone assassinated a sitting federal judge. Jo Ann Harrelson was convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice and later convicted of five counts of perjury. Later, Chagra admitted to the judges murder and to the attempted murder of Kerr in an effort to free his wife from prison. 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. We're not a hand-out place; we're a hand-up place.". March 3 (UPI) -- Firefighters in Britain responded to a home to rescue a horse that had fallen into its owner's swimming pool and was unable to get itself out. One of his many screenplays details the life of notorious drug smuggler Jimmy Chagra. However, she testified that her husband had stalked into the house after a hearing with the judge and vowed, ''I'm going to kill him.''. Elizabeth Chagra was convicted of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Elizabeth Chagra: 30 years for conspiracy to murder, two concurrent five year sentences for obstruction of justice and tax evasion. 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. ", Anne Best, Executive Director, Family Promise, The truest measure of love is revealed by how we respond to the needs of others. Mrs. Harrelson faces up to 25 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Encyclopedia.com. Harrelson was sentenced to two consecutive life terms plus five years, while Jo Ann Harrelson got a combined 25 years for obstruction of justice. 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. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. "The Judge Wood Murder Case." with Diane Harrelson{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Diane Harrelson", "gender": "Female" }. It is believed to be correct at the time of inputting and is presented here in good faith. ", 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.". 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. The FBI hauled in just about anyone if agents believed that they had information, and the agency threw the book at them to make them talk. All relationship and family history information shown on FameChain has been compiled from data in the public domain. Instead, that day he was shot as he was leaving for court. Crimes Charged: First-degree murder an, Murder Yes, Chagra Russell continued. Our vision was to create a place that could put the charities together that were helping those who wanted to help themselves. 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. They pulled out all the stops. The Center recognizes the critical needs of others and encourages, uplifts and assists them in rebuilding their lives through the services provided in the center. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the conspiracy conviction February 15, 1985, on the grounds that the prosecution failed to show premeditation and malice. Chagra was let out on bail and he disappeared. Wood died in 1979 when he was assassinated by Charles Harrelson. In his testimony, Mr. Harrelson said he was ''set up'' by George Edward (Pete) Kay, another gambler. Livestreaming available the night of the event by clicking here. Joseph Chagra refused to testify against his own brother Jamiel (Jimmy), however. Charles got double life sentences. 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. He was sentenced to life in prison. 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. WebJo Ann Harrelson's in laws: All relationship and family history information shown on FameChain has been compiled from data in the public domain. ''O.K., honey,'' Mrs. Chagra said she replied. Throughout, Charles Voyde Harrelson, the man convicted of killing the judge May 29, 1979, with a single shot in the back from a highpowered rifle, appeared at ease, leaning back in his chair and offering the jury faint smiles. On another visit Jimmy told Joe, Youre the one who said, Do it, do it, do it. Joe tried to conceal his shock by talking tough, saying he never thought his brother would hire an asshole like Harrelson. He enjoyed a high-rolling lifestyle at Caesars Palace and Binions Horseshoe but he was not a very good gambler. 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. Joe Chagra testified that the first mention of having Wood murdered came in the judges courtroom in April 1979, after Jimmy Chagra lost a motion to remove Wood from his drug case.