Mob Killer Meldish Not Yet Sentenced; Accomplice Gets 25-to-Life
 |
| Joseph Meldish, alleged mob hit man. |
There is no word regarding the sentencing of the hit man, Joseph Meldish. Prosecutors charge that Meldish — a reputed member of the Purple Gang, a drug-dealing group tied to the Gennovese, Luchese and Bonanno crime families — had meant to wipe out Brown’s brother, Thomas Brown, in the mistaken identity attack.
Kim Hanzlick, now 45, walked into Frenchy's Tavern in Throggs Neck on March 21, 1999, and, according to another accomplice, identified a man sitting inside as Thomas Brown but the man she pointed out was actually Thomas' look-alike brother, Joseph Brown.
Meldish walked in and calmly shot Brown right in front of his wife -- nine times.
After a career in crime that spans more than two decades, Meldish faces life in prison when he's sentenced, which was supposed to be this week.
A recent article in the New York Post recounted this tale of woe on the streets of New York....
The 54- or 55-year-old (both ages were given in different articles) reputed hitman is suspected of committing close to 40 murders, beginning when he was convicted of manslaughter at 18, though another newspaper article puts the murder number much higher.
Police believe Meldish has carried out around 70 contract killings and was renowned for meticulously covering his tracks, according to the U.K. Mail website.
Hanzlik was accused of helping Meldish carry out the hit by telling her boyfriend the location of Brown in the Bronx bar.
Despite a lack of physical evidence, the jury convicted the pair on the strength of a testimony from their getaway driver, David Thiong.
According to another Post article getaway driver Thiong finally flipped on Meldish in 2009 for immunity. At Meldish’s trial last month, ADA Christine Scaccia, armed with subpoenas, hauled in witnesses who testified that they were scared to be there.
Two potential jurors were excused after saying they knew about Meldish and were afraid.
The forewoman also asked to be excused after realizing the verdict would be read in open court.
Despite a lack of physical evidence, the jury convicted the pair on the strength of a testimony from their getaway driver, David Thiong.
According to another Post article getaway driver Thiong finally flipped on Meldish in 2009 for immunity. At Meldish’s trial last month, ADA Christine Scaccia, armed with subpoenas, hauled in witnesses who testified that they were scared to be there.
Two potential jurors were excused after saying they knew about Meldish and were afraid.
The forewoman also asked to be excused after realizing the verdict would be read in open court.
Comments
Post a Comment