Star witness at mob trial due for sentencing

Admitted mob hit man Nicholas Calabrese -- the star witness at Chicago's biggest mob trial in decades -- is due to come up for sentencing Thursday.

The 66-year-old Calabrese told jurors at the government's landmark Operation Family Secrets trial how Chicago mobsters, including his own brother, murdered victims in cold blood.

He also admitted committing 14 murders himself.

Calabrese says he became a witness because he would have gone to the execution chamber as a murderer if he hadn't. His testimony was crucial in sending three big-name mob bosses to prison for life and two other mobsters to long sentences.

Now U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel must decide how much time to give him.