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Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas

The Crime of the Century | S3E1

Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas

Las Vegas Review-Journal | The Mob Museum

Documentary, History, Society & Culture, True Crime

4.81.2K Ratings

🗓️ 14 September 2023

⏱️ 25 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the premiere episode, Oscar Goodman sets the stage for what has been described as the crime of the century. Oscar talks about how he landed in the middle of the Jimmy Chagra case in which Chagra allegedly paid Charles Harrelson $250K to murder Judge John Wood outside his home. This case put Oscar under the microscope and in turn, the spotlight on Las Vegas. The feds indicted Jimmy Chagra, Charles Harrelson, Joe Chagra, Liz Chagra, and Jo Ann Harrelson in the judge’s murder. In a plea agreement, Joe Chagra got a 10-year sentence. Charles and Jo Ann Harrelson and Liz Chagra were convicted at trial. Liz got a 30-year sentence. Jo Ann got a 25-year sentence. Charles got double life sentences but due to an error in the renderings of the murder scene, Oscar was able to render witness testimony as not credible. Chagra was the only one who received a not guilty verdict to the murder charge and walked on that case but received an additional 10 year sentence in a drug case - a much lesser crime. With audio from The Mob Museum’s Courtroom Conversations: The Life and Crimes of Jimmy Chagra, we will help tell this story as the made-for-movie moment it was in the courtroom. We will highlight the tie that actor Woody Harrelson has to the case through audio clips in the process of being cleared. We also hear from Jimmy Chagra’s daughter, Catherine who reveals a never before heard excerpt from her mother’s diary during the trial. Author, Jack Sheehan speaks on the prominence of the case and how Jimmy Chagra felt about Oscar Goodman and the time the two men reunited. We will explore how this case and the national attention primed Oscar to be known as the ultimate Mob lawyer and set up his successes in Las Vegas with another well-known name: Tony Spilotro.

Transcript

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0:00.0

From the Las Vegas Review Journal Studio, welcome to season 3 episode 1 of Mobdup,

0:05.8

the fight for Las Vegas, presented by Pro Group Management,

0:09.6

additional sponsorship provided by the Golden Steer.

0:13.2

Before we dive in, Mobdup contains explicit content such as strong language

0:17.7

and depictions of violence, including murder. Please be advised this podcast might not be suitable

0:23.3

for all audiences.

0:24.3

May 29, 1979

0:32.8

It's a Tuesday morning. The long weekend is over.

0:36.1

People are getting ready to get back to work following Memorial Day weekend.

0:40.3

In the Alamo Heights neighborhood of San Antonio,

0:43.0

Judge John H. Wood Jr walks out of his town home.

0:46.4

It's a near perfect 76 degree day. It's back to business as usual as he prepares to drive to the

0:52.1

courthouse. It's a business Judge Wood knows all too well. After serving as a federal judge

0:59.4

for the past nine years, appointed by then President Richard Nixon, here in the nickname Maximum John

1:05.7

for his harsh sentences and drug crimes. Judge Wood frequently drove his station wagon,

1:12.3

but that morning he notices the tires are flat. Instead, he walks to the sedan parked in front

1:17.6

of his townhouse. It won't start. He turns to go back into his house.

1:23.8

In an instant, everything changed for the judge and for an up and coming lawyer from Las Vegas named

1:30.1

Oscar Goodman. Not responsible. I guess the appearance. US Judge Wood assassinated.

1:37.6

The killing of a federal judge or any judge is an assault on our very system of justice.

1:42.8

It was called the crime of the Sanctuary crime of the Sanctuary, crime of the Sanctuary,

1:47.6

crime of the Sanctuary, crime.

...

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