'Intimidation' defined for mob trial jurors
A federal court jury considering the biggest Chicago mob trial in years asked the judge Thursday for the legal definition of the word intimidation, then later recessed until Monday.
The jury has deliberated three days in the case in which five defendants are accused of engaging in a racketeering conspiracy that allegedly included illegal gambling, extortion, loan sharking and 18 murders.
The word intimidation appears several times in the 43-page indictment.
The Chicago Outfit, as the city's organized crime family is known, is accused of using "threats, violence and intimidation" to discipline members and associates -- and also to collect street tax and juice loan debts.
"Juice" is a mob word for interest that loan sharks charge customers. Street tax is a mob expression for extortion payments required as the cost of doing business.
After consulting with attorneys, U.S. District Judge James Zagel pointed out to jurors that a definition for "intimidation" under Illinois law was included in the more than 100 pages of instructions they received.
But Zagel also decided to edit that definition into plainer language. His new version read that: "An act of intimidation occurs when a person communicates to an individual a threat to inflict physical harm to that individual or another person or to property … with intent to cause that individual to perform some act or to omit the performance of some act."
It's the second time that jurors have asked for the definition of a word.
On Wednesday, jurors requested a dictionary. Instead, Zagel asked what words they wanted defined. The jury responded with a note saying they found an explanation for the word they were curious about -- "usurious" -- in the criminal indictment.
Usurious is a word usually used in connection with lending money at exorbitant interest rates.
In the indictment, the Chicago Outfit is accused of making loans to individuals at "usurious rates of interest" constituting "extortionate extensions of credit."
The men on trial are Joseph "Joey the Clown" Lombardo, 78; convicted loan shark Frank Calabrese Sr., 70; convicted jewel thief Paul Schiro, 70; James Marcello, 65; and retired Chicago police officers Anthony Doyle, 62. If convicted, all but Doyle could face life in prison.
Testimony and arguments in the case lasted 10 weeks. During the trial, it was customary for the court to take Fridays off. The jury is scheduled to return for more deliberations at 9:30 a.m. Monday.