NEW YORK (CBS) Mar 6, 2009 8
Reporting Pablo Guzman
They were among the NYPD’s most decorated detectives.
But they were also on the mob’s payroll, moonlighting as hitmen. In all, they were responsible for nine murders.
Late Friday afternoon Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa were finally punished.
CBS station WCBS-TV was in the courtroom when the sentence was handed down.
“I hope the felt it, for the pain they put my family through,” Vincent Lino said after learning the two “Mafia Cops” will spend the rest of their lives behind bars.
Vincent Lino, the son of Eddie Lino, who was killed by Eppolito and Caracappa, called them “low-lifes” in court, and said they should “rot.” It was sentencing day for the mob cops. Eppolito and Caracappa were both on the payroll of Lucchese underboss Anthony “Gas Pipe” Casso.
“I had law enforcement on my payroll. Certainly I had them looking out for me,” Casso told Ed Bradley of “60 Minutes.”
Eppolito and Caracappa used their access to NYPD files to track down enemies of Casso and they either killed those people; turned them over to be killed; or set them up — like Michal Greenwald’s father, Israel Greenwald.
“He was cooperating with the FBI, and he got killed because of that …” Michal Greenwald said.
The Greenwalds said their father was basically innocent, but got thrown to the wolves.
Then there is the case of Nick Guido. Eppolito and Caracappa gave the mob the address of the wrong Nick Guido. He got 10 bullets in his car on Christmas Day, 1986. His mother, Pauline Pipitone, told WCBS-TV she wants them to live long lives behind bars, “I want them to live a long time, so they would go through what I’m going through. I mean, that won’t give me any peace, but still … I’d still be crying.”
Eppolito and Caracappa spoke before sentencing, maintaining their innocence. And then Judge Jack Weinstein imposed sentence: Eppolito, life plus another 100 years. Caracappa: life, plus another 80 years.
On Friday a man who served 14 years after being falsely arrested by Eppolito addressed the court: “I know what happens in prison. They’re going to love you in prison. Have a long life, Eppolito.”.
