The Latest: Prosecutor: Trial ends 'long and dark chapter'

The Latest: Prosecutor: Trial ends 'long and dark chapter'


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BOSTON (AP) — The Latest on the guilty verdicts for Francis "Cadillac Frank" Salemme and his co-defendant Paul Weadick (all times local):

4:45 p.m.

The top federal prosecutor for Massachusetts says the murder conviction of an 84-year-old former New England Mafia boss "ends a long and dark chapter" in the city of Boston.

U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling spoke to reporters Friday after jurors found Francis "Cadillac Frank" Salemme and his co-defendant, Paul Weadick, guilty of the 1993 killing of Steven DiSarro.

Lelling said he hopes the conviction provides some measure of peace and justice for DiSarro's family members, who for years never knew what happened to their husband and father.

DiSarro's remains weren't found until 2016 when the FBI received a tip that they were buried near a mill building in Providence, Rhode Island.

Salemme's attorney said they will appeal the conviction. Weadick and Salemme will be sentenced in September.

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3:30 p.m.

An attorney for an 84-year-old former New England Mafia boss convicted of killing a nightclub owner in 1993 says they will appeal.

Jurors on Friday found Francis "Cadillac Frank" Salemme and his co-defendant Paul Weadick guilty of murder of a federal witness in the death of Steven DiSarro.

Salemme attorney Steven Boozang said Salemme is disappointed but feels worse for Weadick, who at 63 is much younger. Boozang said it was a "tough set of facts" but they had been hopeful jurors would clear Salemme of the charge. Salemme and Weadick face life in prison when sentenced in September.

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This story has been corrected to reflect that Weadick is 63, not 62 and that murder of a federal witness calls for a life sentence, not up to life.

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3:06 p.m.

An 84-year-old former New England Mafia boss has been convicted of killing a nightclub owner more than two decades ago.

Jurors on Friday found Francis "Cadillac Frank" Salemme guilty in the slaying of Steven DiSarro in 1993. Salemme's co-defendant, Paul Weadick, was also convicted. Each now faces up to life in prison.

Prosecutors say Salemme watched as his son strangled DiSarro and Weadick held DiSarro's feet. Salemme's son died in 1995. Authorities said Salemme was worried DiSarro would cooperate with authorities investigating the mobster.

Salemme was head of the New England family of La Cosa Nostra in the early 1990s.

DiSarro's remains were dug up in 2016 after authorities received a tip that they were buried behind a mill building in Providence, Rhode Island.

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2:55 p.m.

Jurors have reached a verdict in the case of a former New England Mafia boss charged with killing a nightclub owner in 1993.

The verdict was set to be read Friday, three days after the jury began deliberating.

Francis "Cadillac Frank" Salemme and his co-defendant, Paul Weadick, are accused of killing nightclub owner Steven DiSarro because Salemme worried he'd cooperate with authorities who were investigating his activities in the mob.

Prosecutors say Salemme watched as his son strangled DiSarro while Weadick held DiSarro's feet. Salemme's son died in 1995.

Lawyers for Salemme and Weadick sought to discredit the government's star witness, another mobster who says he walked in on the killing.

Salemme and Weadick each face up to life in prison if convicted.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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