Angelo Lamarca Kidnapper of Weinberg Baby You Tube

American kidnapper and murderer (1925–1958)

Angelo LaMarca
Angelo LaMarca, photo appointment unknown
Built-in	Angelo John LaMarca (1925-04-13)April 13, 1925 New York, U.Southward.
Died	August 7, 1958(1958-08-07) (aged 33) Sing Sing Prison, Ossining, New York, U.South.
Cause of death	Execution by electrocution
Occupation	Machine mechanic, taxi commuter
Criminal condition	Executed
Spouse(s)	Donna LaMarca
Children	Vincent LaMarca
Confidence(s)	First degree murder
Criminal penalisation	Death

Angelo John LaMarca (Apr xiii, 1925 – August 7, 1958) was an American man who was executed for the 1956 kidnapping and murder of Peter Weinberger, a ane-calendar month-old baby. The case gained national notoriety likely due to the circumstances of the kidnapping and the victim'south family, every bit unlike near ransom victims, Weinberger was not from a wealthy and prominent family, simply from a suburban middle class family.^[1] Subsequent to the example, so-President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation to reduce the Federal Agency of Investigation'southward waiting period in kidnapping cases from 7 days to 24 hours.^[ii]

Kidnapping of Peter Weinberger [edit]

Peter Weinberger, victim of kidnapping/murder by Angelo LaMarca

Peter Weinberger was born in June 1956. On July 4, when Peter was approximately 32 days erstwhile, his mother, Betty Weinberger, placed him in a carriage covered with musquito netting on the patio of their Nassau firm and left him unattended for approximately x minutes. She returned to notice that someone had pulled open up the netting, taken Peter, and left a bribe note on notebook paper in green ink.^[3] The note read, in part:

Attention, I'grand sorry this had to happen, simply I am in bad need of coin, & couldn't become it any other way. Don't tell anyone or go to the police well-nigh this, because I am watching you closely. I am scared stiff, & will kill the baby at your first wrong move. But put $2000 in modest bills in a brown envelope. . . . If everything goes smooth, I will bring the baby back go out him on the aforementioned corner "Safe Happy" at exactly 12 noon. No excuses, I tin't look! Your baby sitter. [ sic ]

—Bribe note found after the kidnapping of Peter Weinberger, July 4, 1956^[4]

The note demanded that the Weinbergers exit the coin adjacent to a signpost about their house by 10:00 the next morning. Betty Weinberger's husband Morris, a wholesale pharmacist,^[iii] soon returned from a motorcar ride with their older son, 2-year-onetime Lewis, at which indicate the two called Nassau police. Shortly afterwards, Detective Frank Abramowitz arrived at the house. He informed his boss, Sergeant Edward Curran, of the kidnapping, at which point Abramowitz, Curran, and the Weinbergers agreed to pay the ransom as quickly as possible to ensure Peter's condom recovery. The Weinbergers paid the ransom with the fiscal help of several relatives due to their ain income being pocket-sized. Because the kidnapping occurred on July 4 (Independence Day in the United States), banks in the surface area were closed, so the police had to arrange for a banking company to open and release money specifically for the Weinberger case. Detectives subsequently fastened recording devices to the Weinbergers' phones. Meanwhile, law requested that the local printing refrain from reporting on the story for 24 hours to reduce the risk of the kidnapper harming Peter. Nevertheless, the New York Daily News reported on the kidnapping that same evening and drew copious amounts of attention to it.^{[ii] [one]} The next morning, a swarm of reporters and photographers had descended upon the Weinberger abode, probable deterring the kidnapper from retrieving the money.^[3]

Investigation [edit]

The next twenty-four hours, investigators staged a news conference to appeal to the kidnapper to feed the baby a supposedly medically recommended infant formula that a pharmacist was theoretically required to gear up. In reality, a pharmacist could not fill out the formula, and detectives used it as a ruse to attract the kidnapper to a pharmacy, where a pharmacist would hopefully recognize the state of affairs and tip off the law. The kidnapper did non appear, and no pharmacists reported hearing from the kidnapper.^[3]

On July ten, the kidnapper called the Weinberger household; Morris picked up the telephone. Morris claimed that the kidnapper had a male phonation and instructed him to go out the ransom by a nearby highway. Although Morris left the ransom, the kidnapper did not retrieve it. Later that aforementioned 24-hour interval, the kidnapper chosen once more, and Betty Weinberger answered. The kidnapper arranged a second meeting in some other location, at which point detectives, who had recorded the telephone call, staked out near the location of the second meeting. The kidnapper was not there, but he left a blue bag containing a note in which he repeated his demand for $ii,000. The note contained the same handwriting as the first ransom note.^{[3] [4]}

The Federal Bureau of Investigation waited for one week, as required by law at the time,^{[two] [four]} before they entered the investigation. Handwriting experts analyzed the ii ransom notes and noted distinguishing characteristics in the writing. Meanwhile, the Weinbergers were subjected to numerous hoaxes^[ane] with unrelated parties attempting to extort the ransom coin from them, resulting in v people unrelated to the kidnapping being arrested. One hoax caller lured Betty Weinberger to a flick theater and used the opportunity to snatch her purse.^[3]

Apprehension and interrogation [edit]

On August 22, 1956,^[four] half dozen weeks afterwards the kidnapping and after the FBI had analyzed over 2 million public records in an attempt to find a handwriting lucifer,^{[i] [2]} a federal probation officeholder in Brooklyn, New York establish a certificate in his files with handwriting that matched the unique writing style of the ransom notes' author. The defendant in that case was then-31-twelvemonth-sometime Angelo LaMarca, who had been convicted of bootlegging^[1] in Suffolk and had only completed his term of probation. Later on FBI handwriting experts concluded that LaMarca had written the ransom notes, Nassau Canton police planned the arrest in a way that was intended to avoid harm to Peter Weinberger if he were still alive. The side by side twenty-four hour period, on August 23, police swarmed the homes of LaMarca and all of his close relatives.^[3] Law arrested LaMarca at his own firm as he returned from dropping off his own two children at his parents' house.^[3]

At first, during questioning, LaMarca denied knowing anything virtually the kidnapping. When confronted with the evidence of his handwriting matching the ransom notes, LaMarca attempted to blame the kidnapping on an unknown third party, stating that he had written the notes in jest and that his friends must have taken them from a trash can to frame him for the kidnapping. Subsequently changing his story several times, LaMarca wrote a 12-page typewritten and signed confession. LaMarca admitted to having kidnapped Peter Weinberger at random after driving by and watching his mother place him in a carriage on her patio. He confessed that on July five, approximately 24 hours after the kidnapping, he abandoned Peter Weinberger alive in a wooded expanse by the Northern Land Parkway due to having been scared by the printing coverage of the kidnapping.^[ane] When asked for a motive, LaMarca said that he was $1,800 in debt subsequently buying a refrigerator and tempest windows for his firm and that he was behind on his auto payments.^[3]

After writing his confession, LaMarca was arraigned on charges of kidnapping. Later on, he attempted to implicate a homo named Joe Parisi equally his cohort in the kidnapping. Later on Parisi was arrested and brought into custody, LaMarca recanted his argument implicating Parisi, claiming that he only implicated Parisi to make life difficult for him. He then named a human named "Shorty" as his accomplice. Detectives were unable to find anyone matching LaMarca's clarification of his alleged accomplice.^[4]

With LaMarca's help, investigators searched the parkway nearly the exit where LaMarca claimed to have left Peter Weinberger. On the morning of August 24, officials located Peter Weinberger's decomposed body. The crusade of death was determined to have been a combination of asphyxia, starvation, and exposure. Nassau County'south medical examiner afterward testified during LaMarca's trial that Peter may have lived for about i week before dying.^[4]

Trial [edit]

Angelo LaMarca being escorted out of court following his first-degree murder confidence

On Baronial 29, 1956, LaMarca was indicted on charges of kidnapping and first-caste murder. A week later on, on September five, he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. On September 21, he motioned for a change of venue due to pretrial publicity in the Nassau County local press, simply on October 1, the motion was denied; the trial ultimately took place in Nassau County.^[5]

LaMarca's trial began on November 5, 1956. In an unusual twist, Nassau County District Attorney Frank Gulotta decided to prosecute the example himself.^[3] Jury selection occurred during the first six days of the trial, wherein 230 jurors were questioned; 44 were excused due to lack of time, 6 were excused due to personal illness, 13 were excused because of their ideas and agreement on legal insanity, twenty were excused due to their associate with people involved in the case, and 15 were excused for unspecified reasons. The jury was assault November 14, 1956.^[5] The jury consisted of twelve men, all of whom were fathers^[6] and 2 of whom were grandfathers.^[3]

LaMarca'southward defense at his trial was that he was driven to temporary insanity due to his mounting debts and that he was otherwise a normal, hardworking married man and father of two. His statement was that he was in an unbalanced country of mind when he formed the plan to kidnap Peter Weinberger.^[7] LaMarca testified in his ain defence force, albeit during his testimony that he solitary had kidnapped Weinberger and in fact did not have any accomplices. Reporters who witnessed LaMarca's testimony remarked that he sounded "oftentimes hazy and uncertain" and gave confusing responses to some of his defense attorney's questions under straight examination.^[8] LaMarca's married woman Donna testified that she noticed a shift in his behavior subsequently he purchased the $fifteen,000 firm at which he was arrested. She also testified that the couple had been experiencing fiscal troubles for some time before the criminal offense and that the pressure level unbalanced LaMarca. The defense force'southward concluding witness was a psychiatrist, Dr. Thomas S. Cusack, who testified that LaMarca was insane when he took Peter Weinberger and likewise insane when he abandoned the babe. ^[9] In all, LaMarca, his married woman Donna, and Dr. Cusack were the only witnesses for the defense.^[9]

The trial ended in early December, with the jury reaching their verdict on December 7, afterward deliberating for vi hours and 24 minutes.^[7] LaMarca was found guilty of first-degree murder and kidnapping. In New York at the time, first-degree murder convictions carried mandatory expiry sentences; in improver, LaMarca'due south jury failed to recommend mercy so that he may have been sentenced to life imprisonment instead.^[4] Upon hearing the verdict, LaMarca's wife and female parent, who were in the gallery witnessing the trial, reportedly fainted. Ane week later, on December 14, 1956, LaMarca was formally sentenced to death, with Nassau County Judge Mario Pittoni scheduling his execution to take identify during the calendar week of January 28, 1957.^[6] Under New York police at the time, the judgement was subjected to an automatic appeal, meaning that LaMarca would not exist executed in January 1957.^[7]

Execution [edit]

Due to filing appeals, LaMarca postponed the execution of his death sentence for over eighteen months. The duration of LaMarca's stay in the Sing Sing death house was i year, seven months, and 24 days, approximately twice the duration of an average inmate condemned to death in the state at the time.^[10] In his final appeal before his execution, LaMarca argued that the jurors in his case were prejudiced against him. He too argued that the rejection of his movement to change venues resulted in an unfair trial. In rejecting his appeal, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2d Circuit pointed out that the size of the jury pool in LaMarca's trial was unusually large, that the fourth dimension that it took to conduct jury examinations showed the intendance that county officials put into ensuring that LaMarca would have a off-white trial, and that there was no evidence to support the merits that LaMarca had non received a fair trial in Nassau County.^[5]

On August 6, 1958, ane of LaMarca'southward attorneys, Nancy Carley, attempted to obtain a writ of habeas corpus to stay her client's execution, which was scheduled to take place the next day. Carley argued that Gauge Mario Pittoni had refused to answer a question from the jury and had thus denied LaMarca a off-white trial. During a xxx-minute hearing, the Circuit Court ruled that the argument was invalid. Afterwards, Carley stated that no other legal action in the instance was likely and that LaMarca'southward just risk of survival was if New York Governor W. Averell Harriman agreed to grant executive clemency.^[11] LaMarca'due south married woman Donna besides appealed to Governor Harriman by radio. LaMarca's second chaser, David Markowitz, stated that the intention behind making the radio entreatment was "to try to contradict the feeling of animosity that has been angry against Angelo LaMarca. Perhaps plenty people will be moved to ship telegrams to the governor asking him to save this man'due south life." Governor Harriman refused to intervene. Until the end of LaMarca's life, Donna insisted that he was insane, stating to a reporter after making her radio appeal, "I merely can't believe my married man will die. How can they send an insane man to the chair? No human who is a father can allow another child dice unless he was crazy."^[xi]

Angelo LaMarca was executed at eleven:00 PM on August 7, 1958. He was pronounced dead at xi:03.^[12] His last meal had consisted of fried craven, French-fried potatoes, vegetables, ice cream, and coffee. At his execution, LaMarca was accompanied by a Catholic clergyman. He was non observed to have said anything in the death chamber except placidity muttered responses to the chaplain's prayers, and i comment to a guard placing a strap over his eyes and confront: "What are you trying to do, choke me?" Otherwise, he made no final statement.^[12] There were 35 witnesses to his execution, one of whom was Edward Curran. Curran afterward recalled, "I didn't particularly desire to be there, merely Betty Weinberger and Frank Gulotta asked me to go, and then I felt I had to exercise information technology."^[3]

Backwash [edit]

Prior to the Weinberger case, the laws apropos federal intervention in kidnapping cases had been shaped past the Lindbergh kidnapping past Richard Hauptmann, who, similar LaMarca, was executed afterward existence convicted of the kidnapping and murder of a baby. Hauptmann'due south example had inspired the Federal Kidnapping Act, which, after 1934 amendments, decreed that if a kidnapping victim was however missing after seven days, the FBI was allowed to presume that the victim had been trafficked beyond state lines and could therefore intervene as federal authorities.^[1] As a straight issue of Peter Weinberger's kidnapping and murder, the Federal Kidnapping Human activity was amended in 1956 to permit the FBI to enter a kidnapping investigation subsequently only 24 hours had passed.^[i] Later, in 1998, the Protection of Children from Sexual Predators Human activity would permit the FBI to go involved in kidnappings prior to 24 hours passing.^[one]

Angelo LaMarca's son, Vincent LaMarca, was 11 at the fourth dimension of his father's execution. Vincent would after go along to become a police detective. In an interview afterwards retiring from the police, Vincent would state, "It was really tougher being a kid, 9, x or 11 years sometime. You lot're going to school with kids who see your father's name on the front page of the papers every day. Permit'south just say kids can exist a fiddling bit fell."^[xiii] Vincent also stated that his begetter's predicament inspired him to get a police officer, stating in another interview, "It tore me apart when he did this horrible thing. But it taught me a lifelong lesson most responsibleness. And I became a cop so that no ane could ever say i unmarried bad thing about me [and so I could] restore the family unit proper name."^[14]

Years subsequently, in 1996, LaMarca'southward grandson, Joey, was implicated in a murder in Long Beach. After his arrest, Joey claimed that he was genetically predisposed to murder. The case, and Vincent'south life as a whole, inspired the plot of the 2002 picture Urban center by the Body of water.^{[13] [15]}

Run into also [edit]

• List of people executed in New York

References [edit]

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Ruesch, Stephanie (27 Apr 2021). "Crime of the Century: The Kidnapping of Peter Weinberger". HeinOnline. Archived from the original on 27 Apr 2021. Retrieved 10 Nov 2021.
2. ^ ^{a b c d} "Weinberger Kidnapping". FBI . Retrieved 10 November 2021.
3. ^ ^{a b c d east f m h i j k l} Dorman, Michael (1 June 1998). "From the archives: Detective leads probe in LI's kidnapping of the century". Newsday. Archived from the original on 12 Oct 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
4. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "People v. LaMarca". Casetext. iii July 1957. Retrieved 10 Nov 2021.
5. ^ ^{a b c} "United states of america Ex Rel. Angelo John La Marca, Petitioner, v. Wilfred L. Denno, Warden of Sing Sing Prison, Respondent, 257 F.2nd 295 (second Cir. 1958)". Justia. 2 July 1958. Retrieved 10 Nov 2021.
6. ^ ^{a b} "Kidnap-Slayer to Get to Chair". The Orangish Leader. xiv Dec 1956. Retrieved 10 Nov 2021.
7. ^ ^{a b c} "LaMarca Condemned to Electrical Chair". Elmira, New York. Star-Gazette. eight December 1956. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
8. ^ "Kidnapping I-Man Job, Says LaMarca". Daily News. 29 November 1956. Retrieved 10 Nov 2021.
9. ^ ^{a b} "LaMarca's Conduct 'Irrational,' Wife Testifies at Kidnap Trial". Democrat and Relate. ane December 1956. Retrieved x November 2021.
10. ^ "LaMarca Executed at 11:03". Associated Printing. The Oneonta Star. 8 August 1958. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
11. ^ ^{a b} "LaMarca Dies in Chair Tonight". Newsday (Nassau Edition). 7 August 1958. Retrieved 11 Nov 2021.
12. ^ ^{a b} "LaMarca Goes to Chair Calmly". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). viii August 1958. Retrieved xi November 2021.
13. ^ ^{a b} Armour, Terry (4 September 2002). "Fathers, Sons, and Murder". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 22 June 2019. Retrieved ten November 2021.
14. ^ "Wrestling with a Family Legacy". Tampa Bay Times . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
15. ^ Newman, Bruce (11 September 2002). "Cop Relives Own Tragedy with True Motion-picture show 'By the Bounding main'". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on 21 February 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2022.

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelo_LaMarca

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