2nd Day of Deliberations in Philly Mob Trial

Federal prosecutors say 73-year-old Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi has run the city's La Cosa Nostra since Joseph "Joey" Merlino went to prison in 1999. They say Ligambi's crew used threats of violence to collect weekly payments on high-interest loans.

A jury is set to resume its second day of deliberations in a mob racketeering trial that involves the reputed boss of the Philadelphia crime family and six underlings.

Federal prosecutors say 73-year-old Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi has run the city's La Cosa Nostra since Joseph "Joey" Merlino went to prison in 1999. They say Ligambi's crew used threats of violence to collect weekly payments on high-interest loans. There are no murders or shootings alleged in the case.

Jury deliberations began Tuesday after several hours of instructions from the judge, and are expected to continue Wednesday. The trial has been under way since October.

The government witness list featured several mob turncoats, including an aging killer now in the witness protection program.
 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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