[backwoods-engineer]

The Lessons of the Joe Columbo Shooting

by Wilson Blair

Joe Columbo was a well-guarded organized crime boss who operated in New York in the '60s and '70s. In 1972, a mob rival paid someone to murder Columbo during a New York parade. Knowing that the man might be caught and reveal who had hired him, the employer took additional precautions to silence the killer.

As planned, the hired assassin rushed Columbo during the parade and shot the mob boss. Columbo did not die, but was permanently paralyzed and soon lost control of his crime syndicate.

When the gunman tried to make his escape, however, five large Sicilian gentlemen tackled him and covered him with their bodies. When the five men stood up, the man who had shot Columbo lay dead with two bullet holes in him. A revolver wrapped in friction tape lay on his body. The entire incident was captured on film by several television cameras.

The five Sicilian gentlemen refused to talk to the police. So thorough was their refusal that the police were not sure whether the men spoke English, or any other language, for that matter. Attempted interrogations in various dialects were all fruitless.

All five men tested positive for nitrates on both hands. None of the five, as near as could be determined, had a Social Security number. All five were released by the police after being held for less than 20 hours. None of the five were charged with any crime.

Some people might ask why a charge of conspiracy was not brought. The fact was that since no one said one word to the police, there was no starting point from which to build a case. The five men could have been tackling the assassin to disarm him, and the trigger of his gun got squeezed twice in the struggle. Without testimony, the prosecution could not prove anything, and the DA knew this. The five men walked away.

The lessons of the Columbo shooting are clear and uncomplicated:

1. Eyewitness testimony is the least reliable in court, even when the actions are filmed. There can always be multiple explanations for what someone saw.
2. Forensic evidence is much harder to refute, but it can be completely neutralized with a little foresight.
3. You pick the time and place for action if you want to succeed--don't let someone else dictate the terms.
4. Never talk to the police. Ever. About anything. You will only give them rope to make a noose for you. This is just as important to remember when you are completely innocent. Open your mouth and a case may get built on some fragment of your testimony, and you will take the fall for someone who was smart enough to keep his mouth shut.

Keep these lessons firmly in mind. They will serve you well in all circumstances, including the times when you've done nothing.

[Finny]

Very excellent post. Thanks for an effective illustration via the Columbo shooting of why it’s wise to say NOTHING to the cops if they’re accusing you of something, even — perhaps especially — if you’re totally innocent.