Galati guilty in murder-for-hire plot targeting daughter’s boyfriend
By Julia Terruso, The Philadelphia Inquirer | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
The case, which had put the
The former owner of American Collision & Automotive Center in
Galati was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder for hire, murder for hire, and associated weapons charges. He has two additional cases pending against him in
Galati, who wore a black toupee and took intermittent puffs from an inhaler throughout the trial, waved to his family as he was handcuffed and led away by U.S. Marshals.
"
Tuono was shot three times as he walked to his car from his apartment with
The admitted hit men,
"Obviously it's a huge disappointment for (the family); they felt all along that
"Speaking frankly, when you have a conspiracy of four people and the government gets three of them to flip and point the finger at the fourth, it's an uphill battle, and we knew that going in," Voci said.
With its verdict, the jury rejected Voci's argument that
There was no physical evidence tying Galati to the crime.
U.S. Assistant Attorney
According to testimony, Galati made no secret of wanting Tuono dead. In
The jurors deliberated for an hour on Monday and three hours on Tuesday before they sent a note to Judge
Voci, a former assistant district attorney, said he'd never seen a jury indicate they were hung so quickly. "They went out to continue to deliberate and I guess they resolved whatever differences they had," he said.
Outside the courthouse, each member of the jury individually declined to be interviewed. One woman, who would not give her name, said, "Most of us were not hung."
No information about Galati's pending charges, or his alleged association with organized crime in
"It's like we got too fair of a trial," Voci said. "I can't think of one ruling that the judge made that would be subject to federal review such that this case would be overturned."
Neither Tuono nor
Ron Jr., Galati's son, arrived at the courthouse just after the verdict and upon hearing the news, stormed out of the courtroom and slammed his hand against the wall. His mother quietly walked into the elevator, appearing stunned. Both declined to be interviewed.
The two conspiracy counts and the murder for hire count each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. The aiding and abetting firearms count carries a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. Each count carries a maximum
A sentencing date was not set.
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