F.B.I. Murder Charges Dropped

Roy Lindley DeVecchio, the retired Federal Bureau of Investigation supervisor charged with murder, walked out of court a free man this morning after prosecutors dropped all charges against him because of new evidence that the government’s main witness changed her account and may face perjury charges. Mr. DeVecchio was charged with helping a Mafia informer commit four murders in the 1980s and early 1990s. The trial, which began last month, was upended this week after a reporter revealed that he had taped interviews showing that the prosecution’s main witness, Linda Schiro, a gangster’s mistress, had given varying accounts and had damaged her credibility. After the charges were dismissed, Mr. DeVecchio had a slight smile on his face as he was applauded by fellow F.B.I agents. The trial centers on Mr. DeVecchio’s relationship with his informer, Gregory Scarpa, a notorious capo in the Colombo crime family. Mr. Scarpa, known as the Grim Reaper, died in prison in 1994. In the case on trial, state prosecutors accused Mr. DeVecchio of giving Mr. Scarpa orders to kill rival informers and tips on pending arrests. The case seemed to be weak from the start. In 1995, Mr. DeVecchio had supposedly leaked confidential information to Mr. Scarpa in which he was going to be accused in court.

Throughout history, authority figures and men in organized crime have had relationships to get leads and information. But, in this case, Mr. DeVecchio and Mr. Scarpa had a strong relationship which made people curious and to think DeVecchio is leaking confidential information to the mafia. Mob informants have been close to government officials for a long time and it will stay that way to continue tradition on information trading.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/01/nyregion/01cnd-devecchio.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

http://www.truthinjustice.org/corrupt-FBI.htm this website includes a history of the F.B.I. informant system.

http://www.fbi.gov/