Criminal Defense Attorney Compares Mob Work to Grocery Stocker

Friends of ours: James Marcello, Frank Calabrese Sr.,

Is working for a mob street crew like working for a corporate subsidiary -- or like working in a produce section?

Those analogies arose Tuesday as attorneys for two top mobsters, James Marcello and Frank Calabrese Sr., tried to get federal appellate justices to dismiss racketeering charges against the men.

Calabrese Sr.'s attorney, Joseph Lopez, argued it's unfair for the men to be charged with racketeering for being part of the Outfit now when they were charged years ago with the same crime for being part of mob street crews.

Federal prosecutor Mitch Mars said there's little overlap in the new and old cases.

While one appellate judge noted prosecutors can indict subsidiaries and then their parent corporations, Lopez compared mob employment with working for a grocery store -- whether you unload tomatoes or flowers, you're still working for the store.

Thanks to Steve Warmbir