Can someone explain the "family secrets" trial?

Question

The thing we keep hearing about on the news here in Chicago. I've been finding it pretty interesting, but I'm starting to get confused. Can you explain it for me?

Answer 1

Several of the most powerful mobsters in Chicago will stand trial for 18 murders and racketeering spanning several decades. The trial is the result of investigation "Family Secrets."

Answer 2

Over the years, the court testimony of former Chicago mob lawyer Robert Cooley has put away mobsters, lawyers and judges.

But the prized federal informant won't be testifying at what could be the biggest mob trial in Chicago history -- the Operation Family Secrets trial. A host of informants, "stool pigeons" and ex-mobsters will be taking the stand starting in mid-May to tell jurors about the Outfit's structure and deadly doings. Some of Chicago's top mobsters are standing trial, including reputed mob leader James "Little Jimmy" Marcello and Joseph "Joey the Clown" Lombardo. Cooley has testified in several previous mob trials, and his ability on the stand has met with praise. But this time, he won't be part of the trial. In an interview late last week, Cooley, who these days lives out of state under a different name, said he clashed with federal prosecutors when he was debriefed more than a year ago.

Answer 3

Learning to decode mobspeak

FAMILY SECRETS | You don't want to sleep with the fishes

July 16, 2007

BY STEVE WARMBIR Staff Reporter [e-mail]

To understand hours of secretly recorded conversations in the Family Secrets mob trial, you have to know the code.

When a mobster is saying he wants someone to go collect "a recipe" for him, he's not talking about getting ingredients for some little old lady's spaghetti sauce.

He's really asking for someone to muscle a victim for street tax payments, according to court testimony.

When that same mobster, Frank Calabrese Sr., is worried about one of his crew members, James DiForti, cooperating with the FBI, he doesn't use DiForti's name when talking about him. Calabrese Sr. calls him Poker because DiForti was always playing poker.

Except when Calabrese Sr. worries that the feds could be listening in.

Then he calls him "Tires," because DiForti sold tires.

Or to be even more on the safe side, Calabrese Sr. calls him "Rota," which is Italian for tires.

Despite his lifelong caution, Calabrese Sr. was secretly recorded for hours by a prison cell mate -- his own son.

In those recordings, Calabrese Sr. appears to talk about being made into the mob and killing people.

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I think it would be easier to just let you go to the different websites that are covering this trial.  Looks to be very interesting.  1st source listed is where I got the above information.  Hope something here will help.