Show Notes
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.
More from Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas
In the final episode of Season 3, we go back to the beginning of what shaped Oscar Goodman, including the death of his late sister, whose death has impacted his life for decades. Despite his worldwide notoriety as a public figure and bon vivant, Goodman still finds some of his fondest memories tied to the place he calls home and the foundation for the mob: Las Vegas.
You’ve heard from former reporters, members of law enforcement, mob family members, and experts. Some have referred to Oscar Goodman as a hero and others question some of his recollections. Now, Goodman gets the chance to respond as he hears from our guests for the first time.
After rising to prominence defending some of the biggest names in organized crime and trying more than 300 criminal cases over his career, Oscar Goodman makes a big change — from mob attorney to mayor of Las Vegas. His wife, current Las Vegas mayor Carolyn Goodman, also provides her take on being married to Goodman from the start of his career through the height of the mob era to today.
The public and private war between Oscar Goodman and the FBI heats up with the Phil Leonetti case. Goodman represented Leonetti in Philadelphia and received backlash for going back to his hometown to represent him. Former special attorney Stan Hunterton breaks down why witnesses in high-profile cases might change their tune in court in favor of the prosecution. Goodman discusses his courtroom strategy, which led to a high-profile public dispute between the mob defense attorney and the FBI.
In Oscar Goodman’s words, “flippers are rats – and I wouldn’t represent rats.” He highlights several past and more recent cases where he feels this scenario occurred. Goodman’s disdain for flipping witnesses to obtain convictions extends back to another well-known name and mob associate: Frank Cullotta. Hear how Cullotta’s turn as a government witness led to a contentious relationship with Goodman.