Sketchy, Biased Notes on Jim Garrison's Bribery Trial
Subject: Sketchy, Biased Notes on Garrison's Bribery Trial
Date: 04 Dec 1998 00:00:00 GMT
Message-ID: <749cgc$m40$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com>
The following are my biased, sketchy notes on the New Orleans
Times-Picayune coverage of Garrison's Bribery Trial. I point out some
things JG omitted from OTTOTA, such as the fact the Captain Soule,
the guy who kept his graft money buried in a jar in his backyard, was
assigned to JG's staff at the time of his arrest, and that one of
JG's defense tactics was to have himself indicted on bribery
charges.
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July 1, 1971 S1-P1
DA, Two Police Officers Are Among 10 Arrested
Alleged Bribes Payment For Pinballs
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Capt. Frederick A. Soule "assigned as an investigator on Garrison's
staff."
-
July 6, 1971 S1-P1
Gervais Initiated Frame -- Garrison
DA Says He Was Asked to Hold Envelope
-
JG's first public defense. He doesn't use the loan repayment story.
He claims that Gervais showed up unexpectedly one night, and asked
JG to keep an envelope for him.
-
November 16, 1971 S1-P1
Garrison Directs Own Indictment
Nine Others are Charged Following Request
-
JG had the Orleans Parish Grand Jury indict himself and his
co-defandants on state bribery charges, using the affidavit the
Feds had filed after the federal arrests. Judge Bernard J. Bagert
was the advisor for this grand jury, just as he was for the grand
jury that indicted Shaw. This bizarre gambit didn't really pay off
for Garrison.
-
Aug 21, 1973 S1-P1
-
Jury Selection
-
"It's an honor to be prosecuted by the most corrupt national administration
in our history" - JG
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Aug 22, 1973 S1-P1
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1st witness , William E. Howard, Jr, FBI SA re: technical details of
pinball machines.
-
JG reading book in court.
-
Aug 23, 1973 S1-P1
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Alphonse "Curley" Gagliano, bar owner days first witness.
See A.J. Liebling's _The Earl of Louisiana_ for mention of Gagliano]
-
Other Bar Owner testimony
-
"I can't even comment on the weather" - JG on Judge C's gag order.
-
Aug 24, 1973 S1-P1
-
Lt. Ernest Nash, voice expert with Michigan State Police. Identified
defendant's voice's on surveillance tapes.
-
John Elmo Pierce, one of original defendants, testimony re: pinball owner
meetings. Vincent Marcello and Frank Caracci mentioned.
-
Aug 25, 1973 S1-P1
-
Lt. Nash cross-exam.
-
Frederick Soule testimony
payoffs started in '63 when Soule head of vice squad.
transferred to DA's office in '68
bribes resumed in '70
wouldn't go in unless DA in.
Turned Sgt. Robert Frey, then vice squad head
had served with Pershing Gervais with NOPD in 50's
would warn of pinball raids, provide descriptions of undercover cops
[In on the Trail... JG claims that Soule didn't testify to any
"performance" as part of the conspiracy. Also, JG doesn't mention Frey at
all]
-
Aug 29, 1973 S1-P1
-
Soule-Gervais tapes played in courtroom.
-
Aug 30, 1973 S1-P1
-
Soule cross-exam.
-
Testimony of Lawrence Lagarde, original defendant.
On cross-exam by JG's attorney Mehrige, Lagarde says that payoffs were made
to Joseph Giarrusso, then chief of NOPD.
-
Aug 31, 1973 S1-P1
-
John J. Elms, Jr, original defandant testimony. Also mentions payoff to
Giarusso.
-
Sept 1, 1973 S1-P1
-
Elms continued. Gave political contribution to JG.
Sgt. Robert Frey testimony
Aaron Kohn testimony.
-
Sept 5, 1973 S1-P1
-
Gervais tapes with Nims and Callery
-
Sept 7, 1973 S1-P1
-
Gervais-Garrison tapes.
Tells JG Soule and Frey are getting money.
Pinball owners fear legislative action. Want to influence Governor John
McKeithen. JG says McK wants Ellender's U.S. Senate seat. Pinball bill
could cost N.O. support in election. "Tell them this. Tell them I'm gonna. I'm
gonna go to John [McKeithen] and tell him you happen to be my personal choice,
but if I change my mind at the last minute and name Carlos Marcello, he will
be the next senator from New Orleans [sic]."
-
Sept 8, 1973 S1-P1
-
Marked money passed the Garrison by Gervais used to pay Fontaineblue Hotel
Bill by Garrison's "chauffeur", Steve Bordelon. [Bordelon was actually one
of the cops assigned to the DA's office as an investigator. JG used him as
a personal chauffeur.]
-
Sept 11, 1973 S1-P1
-
Marked Money Found in JG's desk, fluorescent powder on hands.
"So perish the enemies of this country." - Gervais into body mike, as he
left JG's home after handing over the last envelope of money.
On tape: JG wanted to bring Frank Klein back to counteract Alford
resignation. Wanted to clear this with Gervais.
-
Sept 12, 1973 S1-P1
-
Prosecution rested, standard acquittal motion denied.
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Sept 13, 173 S1-P1
-
Garrison's lawyers quit, "irreconcilable differences". [In on the Trail...
JG places this at the beginning of the trial]. JG will represent self.
-
Sept 14, 1973 S1-P1
-
A group of Judges who Garrion helped get elected/appointed testify.
-
DA investigator's Lyn Loisel and Louis Ivon testify about how rotten
Gervais was/is. Say Gervais owed JG 5-6k. [About the amount JG received in
the sting]. Lyn Loisel admits under cross to having owned pinballs in '65 and
'66 and having made payoffs. Was on JG's staff at time, which was about
statute-of-limitations years ago.
-
Lou Ivon re: Gervais "I knew him, but he's not the kind of fellow I would
have in my home." [But JG did!]
-
Sept 15, 1973 S1-P1
-
ADA James Alcock re: DA's organized crime probe in '69.
-
Louis Gertsman, JG's tape expert, testimony interrupted.
-
Sept 16, 1973 S1-P1
-
Clyde Merritt, ADA who did pro bono accounting work for JG personally,
testifies that JG passed NSF checks in '68 and '69
-
Sept 19, 1973 S1-P1
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Louis Gerstman resumed. Studied part of one tape, which was a copy of
JG's copy made under discovery.
-
Steve Bordelon testimony, made copy of tape used by Gerstman.
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Sept 20, 1973 S1-P1
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Gervais as rebuttal witness. [In on the Trail... JG has Gervais testifying
as part of the original prosecution phase].
-
Sept 21, 1973 S1-P1
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Gervais continued. Warned Charles Ward of JG's arrest. Ward warned William
Alford, who resigned from Garrison's office and publicly denounced
JG. [Alford participated in the Shaw trial. His resignation is
possibly the reason he is not mentioned in OTTOTA, but is listed
in _A Heritage of Stone_, which was published before his resignation.]
JG was in contact with Gervais in Canada.
-
Sept 22, 1973 S1-P1
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Guy Johnson testimony re: Gervais' offer to sell his testimony.
[Johnson was a former lawyer of Banister and a future law partner of JG.]
-
Sept 25, 1973 S1-P1
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Final Arguments
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Sept 26, 1973 S1-P1
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JG's close.
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Sept 28, 1973 S1-P1
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JG acquitted.
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Jerry Shinley
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