Editing Murder, Inc. (section)

=== Louis Buchalter, Emanuel Weiss, Louis Capone, Harry Strauss, James Feraco and Philip Cohen ===
[[File:Louis Buchalter sentencing.jpg|thumb|[[Louis Buchalter|Louis "Lepke" Buchalter]], standing in court during sentencing, December 2, 1941]]
[[Louis Buchalter]], [[Emanuel Weiss]], [[Louis Capone]], [[Harry Strauss]], James Feraco went on trial August 5, 1941.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1941/08/05/archives/lepke-trial-opens-jurypicking-lags-blueribbon-talesmen-prove.html Lepke Trial Opens; Jury-picking Lags; Blue-Ribbon Talesmen Prove Reluctant to Serve in Brooklyn Murder Case], ''The New York Times'', August 5, 1941, p. 40.{{subscription required}} {{Cite news |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30C15FA3C5E1A7A93C7A91783D85F458485F9 |title=LEPKE TRIAL OPENS; JURY-PICKING LAGS; Blue-Ribbon Talesmen Prove Reluctant to Serve in Brooklyn Murder Case |access-date=July 1, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106175853/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30C15FA3C5E1A7A93C7A91783D85F458485F9 |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |url-status=bot: unknown |newspaper=The New York Times |date=1941-08-05 }}</ref> Cohen had his murder indictment dropped prior to the start of the trial after his conviction on a federal narcotics charge and received a 10-year sentence.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1941/01/31/archives/guilty-in-narcotics-case-cohen-and-3-others-convicted-by-federal.html Guilty in Narcotics Case; Cohen and 3 Others Convicted by Federal Court Jury] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106175900/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30B17F93959167B93C3AA178AD85F458485F9 |date=2012-11-06 }}, ''The New York Times'', January 31, 1941, p. 36.{{subscription required}}</ref> James Feraco had vanished without a trace and was presumably killed in 1940 or 1941, and Harry Strauss had already been executed for the murder of Irving Feinstein. Jury selection for the trial began in August 1941. However, securing a jury for Lepke proved difficult. After enough jurors were finally selected, the trial actually started in October 1941.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1941/10/18/archives/lepke-jury-filled-after-five-weeks-prolonged-sessions-in-racket.html Lepke Jury Filled after Five Weeks; Prolonged Sessions in Racket Murder Case Seen as Record] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106175913/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40A1EFA3D5916738DDDA10994D8415B8188F1D3 |date=2012-11-06 }}, ''The New York Times'', October 14, 1941. p. 34.{{subscription required}}</ref> The trial featured the testimony of Rosen's wife and son, a teacher, and underworld turncoat Sholem Bernstein, who was marked for death after refusing to carry out a murder contract on Irving Cohen, who fled to California after the murder of Walter Sage in 1937 in [[Swan Lake, New York]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1941/10/23/archives/son-of-slain-witness-heard-at-lepke-trial-teacher-says-father.html Son of Slain Witness Heard at Lepke Trial; Teacher Says Father Trembled After Talk With Racketeer] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106175927/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20912FC385F1A7A93C1AB178BD95F458485F9 |date=2012-11-06 }}, ''The New York Times'', October 23, 1941. p. 10.{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1941/10/25/archives/murder-ring-aide-involves-bosses-bernstein-who-fled-after-he-balked.html Murder Ring Aide Involves 'Bosses'; Bernstein, Who Fled After He Balked at 'Job,' Implicates Weiss and Capone] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106175935/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70A13F739591A728DDDAC0A94D8415B8188F1D3 |date=2012-11-06 }}, ''The New York Times'', October 25, 1941. p. 19.{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1941/10/28/archives/rat-tells-of-job-in-murder-ring-selfdescribed-figure-says-he-talks.html 'Rat' Tells of Job in Murder Ring; Self-Described Figure Says He Talks Because Brooklyn 'Combination' Sought Him] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106175942/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60D11FB3B5C16738DDDA10A94D8415B8188F1D3 |date=2012-11-06 }}, ''The New York Times'', October 28, 1941. p. 25.{{subscription required}}</ref> Lepke, Weiss and Capone were convicted on November 30, 1941.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1941/11/30/archives/lepke-convicted-with-two-aides-all-face-death-former-gang-chief.html Lepke Convicted with Two Aides; All Face Death; Former Gang Chief, Weiss and Capone Found Guilty After Jury Ponders {{frac|4|1|2}} Hours] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106175953/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F6091FFF3B5F1A7A93C2AA178AD95F458485F9 |date=2012-11-06 }}, ''The New York Times'', November 30, 1941. p. 1.{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1941/12/03/archives/lepke-and-2-aides-sentenced-to-die-gang-leader-whitefaced-and.html Lepke and 2 Aides Sentenced to Die; Gang Leader White-Faced and Shaken as He Hears Doom Pronounced by Court; Their Families Barred; Nominal Execution Date of Jan. 4 Set, but Long Delay Because of Appeals Looms], ''The New York Times'', December 3, 1941. p. 52.{{subscription required}}</ref> The Court of Appeals upheld the murder convictions of Lepke, Weiss and Capone in October 1942 on a 4–3 vote.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1942/10/31/archives/lepke-conviction-upheld-in-albany-court-of-appeals-votes-4-to-3-to.html Lepke Conviction Upheld in Albany; Court of Appeals Votes, 4 to 3, to Sustain Jury's Verdict of a Death Sentence] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106180010/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00613F83D5B167B93C3AA178BD95F468485F9 |date=2012-11-06 }}, ''The New York Times'', October 31, 1942. p. 17.{{subscription required}}</ref> The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Lepke's appeal in February 1943.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1943/02/16/archives/high-court-rules-lepke-must-die-rejects-petition-for-review-of.html High Court Rules Lepke Must Die; Rejects Petition for Review of Racket Chief's Conviction for Brooklyn Murder] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106180016/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20B11F83C581B7B93C4A81789D85F478485F9 |date=2012-11-06 }}, ''The New York Times'', February 16, 1943. p. 11.{{subscription required}}</ref> In March 1943, the Supreme Court reversed its earlier decision and granted a review to Lepke, Weiss and Capone.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1943/03/16/archives/lepkes-last-hope-revived-by-court-supreme-bench-reversing-its-feb.html Lepke's Last Hope Revived by Court; Supreme Bench, Reversing its Feb. 15 Ruling, Gives Review to 3 in Murder Case], ''The New York Times'', March 16, 1943. p. 21.{{subscription required}} {{Cite news |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30710FC3F581B7B93C4A81788D85F478485F9 |title=LEPke's LAST HOPE REVIVED BY COURT; Supreme Bench, Reversing Its Feb. 15 Ruling, Gives Review to 3 in Murder Case |access-date=July 1, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106180023/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30710FC3F581B7B93C4A81788D85F478485F9 |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |url-status=bot: unknown |newspaper=The New York Times |date=1943-03-16 }}</ref> The Supreme Court upheld the conviction in June 1943.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1943/06/02/archives/high-court-seals-lepke-trio-deaths-tribunal-in-washington-says.html High Court Seals Lepke Trio Deaths; Tribunal in Washington Says Brooklyn Gang Defendants Had a Fair Trial], ''The New York Times'', June 2, 1943. p. 27.{{subscription required}} {{Cite news |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F3071FFB3F54107B93C0A9178DD85F478485F9 |title=HIGH COURT SEALS LEPKE TRIO DEATHS; Tribunal in Washington Says Brooklyn Gang Defendants Had a Fair Trial |access-date=July 1, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106180029/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F3071FFB3F54107B93C0A9178DD85F478485F9 |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |url-status=bot: unknown |newspaper=The New York Times |date=1943-06-02 }}</ref> Before Lepke could be executed, New York State needed the federal government to turn Lepke over, as he was currently serving a 14-year sentence in federal prison.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1943/07/17/archives/state-wins-fight-to-sentence-lepke-us-to-produce-slayer-before.html State Wins Fight to Sentence Lepke; U.S. to Produce Slayer Before Appeals Court Tuesday for Death Penalty Decree; Reverses its Refusal; Gangster's Two Colleagues, Now in Sing Sing, Will Appear With Him], ''The New York Times'', July 17, 1943. p. 15.{{subscription required}} {{Cite news |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60712FE3C5C167B93C5A8178CD85F478485F9 |title=STATE WINS FIGHT TO SENTENCE LEPKE; U.S. To Produce Slayer Before Appeals Court Tuesday for Death Penalty Decree REVERSES ITS REFUSAL Gangster's Two Colleagues, Now in Sing Sing, Will Appear with Him |access-date=July 1, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106180037/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60712FE3C5C167B93C5A8178CD85F478485F9 |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |url-status=bot: unknown |newspaper=The New York Times |date=1943-07-17 }}</ref> Lepke continued to appeal his death sentence vigorously in New York and transfer from federal custody.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1944/01/22/archives/lepke-is-turned-over-to-state-placed-in-sing-sing-death-house-lepke.html Lepke Is Turned Over to State by the U.S.; Taken to Sing Sing and Put in Death House], ''The New York Times'', January 22, 1944 p. 1.{{subscription required}} {{Cite news |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F1081FFC3B54107B93C0AB178AD85F408485F9 |title=Lepke is Turned over to State; Placed in Sing Sing Death House; Lepke is Turned over to State by the U.S.; Taken to Sing Sing and Put in Death House |access-date=July 1, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106180043/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F1081FFC3B54107B93C0AB178AD85F408485F9 |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |url-status=bot: unknown |newspaper=The New York Times |date=1944-01-22 }}</ref> Lepke, Weiss and Capone were executed in [[Sing-Sing]] prison on March 4, 1944.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1944/03/05/archives/lepke-is-put-to-death-denies-guilt-to-last-makes-no-revelation-two.html Lepke Is Put to Death, Denies Guilt to Last; Makes No Revelation; Two Aides Also Die], ''The New York Times'', March 5, 1944{{subscription required}} {{Cite news |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F5091FFF3A58157A93C7A91788D85F408485F9 |title=Lepke is Put to Death, Denies Guilt to Last; Makes No Revelation; Two Aides Also die |access-date=July 1, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116135620/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F5091FFF3A58157A93C7A91788D85F408485F9 |archive-date=January 16, 2014 |url-status=bot: unknown |newspaper=The New York Times |date=1944-03-05 |last1=Feinberg |first1=Alexander }}</ref>