Genovese crime family mobsters who were convicted back in 2011 of the murder of former Springfield mafia boss Adolfo “Big Al” Bruno have filed fresh appeals to have their life sentences vacated.
Bruno was killed back in 2003 gun downed in a parking lot by a gunman acting on the orders or former Genovese family boss Arthur “Artie” Nigro, who was making a power play to take control of area rackets according to the feds. The Springfield mafia crew operated under the Genovese family of the New York mafia and was decimated by the convictions which followed Bruno’s murder. Three men were convicted of multiple murders which included Bruno which included Nigro and brothers Fotios “Freddy” Geas and Ty Geas.
“John Bologna (left) and Adolfo Bruno (right)“
According to witnesses in the case Nigro gave the green light on the Bruno hit and was pulling the strings from New York. The feds with the aid of turncoat co-conspirators were able to make their case and all three men received life sentences. Now these new motions mainly the one filed on behalf of Nigro are calling into question both key witnesses, former mobster John Bologna and wealthy Springfield businessman James Santaniello and the previous defenses handling of them. Bologna was a mid level mobster and Nigro’s former right hand man who jumped between crime families while also acting as an informant for the FBI since 1996. Nigro’s new lawyer claims his previous counsel fell short in many areas in his clients defense, including failing to make more of Bologna’s cross-examination.
Bologna worked as an informant for 14 years before being disavowed by the feds only after his role in the Bruno murder came to light via other witnesses. In the latest appeal a lawyer for Nigro labeled Bologna as the FBI New York office’s Whitey Bulger stating the feds knew about his criminal dealings during his 14 years as an informant and even tipped him off to mob investigations in Springfield according to previous reports. Nigro’s new defense is arguing that Bologna had orchestrated various extortion schemes in Springfield and was the one who actually ordered the hit on Bruno and not Nigro. An FBI agent who testified at the Nigro trial claimed that Bologna simply hid information about his criminal activities during briefings.
These last ditch motions are seen as long shots to get their life sentences set aside.
