Garrison, Haggerty Deny Marcello Links
From: jpshinley@my-deja.com
Date: Mon, 11 October 1999 04:01 PM EDT
Message-id: <7ttfm1$cf0$1@nnrp1.deja.com>
the wages of propinquity...
New Orleans Times-Picayune August 26, 1969 S1-P10
Garrison, Haggerty Deny Any Dealings with Mafia Rap Report Tying Then to Marcello Associates
District Attorney Jim Garrison and Criminal District Court Judge Edward A. Haggerty have assailed a recent report linking their names with persons who have had business ties with Carlos Marcello or Marcello's enterprises.
"Life magazine has implied that I'm a member of the Mafia, and Time has said I'm nuts," said Garrison. "If I'm connected with the Mafia, then why do I have a $52,000 mortgage on my home?"
Judge Haggerty said: "These people are trying to connect me to the Mafia. I've never had dealings with any crooked person in my life. You can check my 11 years in the district attorney's office (he served as an assistant DA). At this time in my father's life I certainly wouldn't do anything to bring shame on myself ... I'd kill myself first." (He referred to his father, Edward A. Haggerty Sr., long time clerk of criminal court.)
Garrison's reference to his mortgage stemmed from publication of a story in Look magazine ["The Persecution of Clay Shaw" by Warren Rogers, August 26, 1969, pp 53-66] concerning the previous owner of the DA's home at 4600 Owens blvd.
According to records at City Hall, Garrison purchased his home on Nov. 24, 1965, for $65,000 from attorney Peter J. Casano. Terms of the sale, according to the office of the Recorder of Mortgages, were $13,000 in cash and the balance in the form of a promissary note for $52,000, payable in monthly payments of $335.10.
Casano purchased the lot on April 5, 1965, for $15,950 [Look says $18,500, p. 56] and financed $49,000 for construction of the two story brick home, according to public records.
However, records at the city Department of Safety and Permits reflect that on March 16, 1965, Building Permit No. A57550, showing the owner of the property as Roy Occhipinti, 619 Gov. Nicholls, was issued for construction of a residence at 4600 Owens blvd.
A use, occupancy and compliance certiifcate was issued in mid-July, 1965, indicating completion and acceptance of construction of the house by city building inspectors.
Roy Occhipinti is a brother of Frank Occhipinti, who lives next door to Garrison at 4558 Owens,
The name of the builder listed in permit no. A57550 is Regent Builders and Gerald E. Senner signed the application as the representative or owner of the contracting firm.
The New Orleans city directory for 1965 listed Gerald E. Senner as being in the real estate business at 619 Gov. Nicholls, and it also listed him as an official of the Chateau Motor Hotel, 1001-21 Chartres.
Copies of legal documents compiled by the Metropolitan Crime Commission of New Orleans, Inc., [ie, Aaron Kohn] shows that in the early 1950's Carlos Marcello and his brother, Salvador, along with Frank Occhipinti and his brother Rosario (Roy) set up a partnership and built the Town and Country Motel, 1225 Airline hwy. in Jefferson Parish.
[...]
The MCC documents reflect that Carlos' son, Joseph C. Marcello, later replaced Salvador as a partner and in February, 1964, the partners sold the motel to Stevie Motel Inc. Casano signed as witness to the sale.
Articles of incorporation of Stevie Motel Inc. reflect that it has three directors, each owning one share of stock. They are Joseph C. Marcello, Mrs. Louise M. Hampton and Miss Florence Marcello, a son and two daughters of Carlos Marcello.
Frank and Roy Occhipinti are also listed as vice-presidents in the articles of incorporation of Southern Tours, Inc., with Anthony P. Marcello as secretary-treasurer, and Basi Ingrassia as president.
Ingrassia and Anthony P. Marcello, Carlos' brother, who were listed as agents, each held 100 shares and Frank and Roy Occhipinti each had 50 shares.
[...]
Southern Tours is headquartered at 1225 Airline hwy., and Casano served as notary public for the incorporation papers which are dated Jan 30, 1963.
The names of Frank Occhipinti, as president, and Ingrassia as secretary-treasurer also show up in the records of Vieux Carre Tours Inc., which was incorporated on Sept. 6, 1967.
The address of Vieux Carre tours is listed at 1225 Airline hwy., the location of the Town and Country Motel.
[...]
Garrison said he had not read the report about the purchase of his home and the associations of the persons connected with it.
He said the articles attacking him have appeared in national publications "one after another as a result of the Kennedy assassination, and I think it reflects that we represent a problem to someone."
Concerning the adverse publicity, Garrison asserted that the Central Intelligence agency, "which engineered the assassination, controls every national media and this is just the beginning."
An official in Garrison's office, who said he had read the report, said it failed to mention the fact that the DA's office is currently prosecuting a case against Roy Occhipinti on two counts of possession of stolen property. Roy Occhipinti heads the Desta Co., a mortgage form. Casanto [sic] is secretary-treasurer of the company.
Roy Occhipinti was indicted earlier this year by the Orleans Parish Grand Jury after his arrest in January when he was booked with illegal possession of $506 worth of jewelry.
His trial has been allotted to Judge Haggerty.
Criticism was leveled at Judge Haggerty [...] because both Casano and Frank Occhipinti have financial interests in the Rowntowner Motor Inn.
Occhipinti is general manager of the inn, and Casano is secretary of the corporation which owns the Rowntowner.
The 14 member jury in the Shaw trial [...] was housed and received meals at the Rowntowner during the 40-day trial.
Judge Haggerty, who is also known to frequent the Rowntowner, selected that location for the Shaw jury. Records of the Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff's office indicate the cost for lodging the jury at the Rowntowner was $23,590.04.
Asked why he had arranged for the jury to stay at the Rowntowner, Judge Haggerty answered: "What about the Rowntowner?" He said the motor inn had provided excellent accommodations, adding that the fourth floor was reserved for the jury with safeguards that no one could approach jury members from downstairs. Also, he said there were criminal sheriff's deputies on the roof for security.
Concerning his presiding over the trial of Roy Occhipinti, Judge Haggerty said he has met the man two or three times, but asserted that does not mean he has to recuse himself under the Code of Criminal Procedure.
"Have I ever met him socially? Have I ever been out with him? No," he said [...]
Jerry Shinley
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