Editing Murder, Inc. (section)

=== Vito Gurino ===
[[Vito Gurino|Vito "Socko" Gurino]] was sought for questioning in the Brooklyn murder investigation as the member assigned to eliminate witnesses against the "Combination".<ref name="Gurino1">[https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0914FE3854117A93C6AB178FD85F448485F9 Gang Prison Call to Be Investigated; Queens Prosecutor Asserts if Crime Is Revealed He Will Take Definite Action; New Warden Appointed; Action Follows Report Gunman, Now Missing, Threatened Murder Ring Witness], ''The New York Times'', April 24, 1940. p. 24.{{subscription required}} {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106180457/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0914FE3854117A93C6AB178FD85F448485F9 |date=November 6, 2012 }}</ref> First, Gurino attempted to silence a small-time gangster and eyewitness to the George Rudnick murder.<ref name="NYT_1940-03-29_p1">[https://www.nytimes.com/1940/03/29/archives/murder-ring-plot-to-kill-a-witness-foiled-by-police-odwyer-says.html Murder Ring Plot to Kill a Witness Foiled by Police; O'Dwyer Says Gang Got Man Out of Jail Against His Wish in Order to Slay Him; Almost 'Taken for Ride'; Picked Up by Detectives as He Argued Against 'Trip'], ''The New York Times'', March 29, 1940. p. 1.{{subscription required}} {{Cite news |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F5061FF93F54117A93CBAB1788D85F448485F9 |title=MURDER RING PLOT TO KILL a WITNESS FOILED BY POLICE; O'Dwyer Says Gang Got Man Out of Jail Against His Wish in Order to Slay Him ALMOST 'TAKEN FOR RIDE' Picked up by Detectives as He Argued Against 'Trip'-- Woman Held in $100,000 |access-date=July 14, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106180503/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F5061FF93F54117A93CBAB1788D85F448485F9 |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |url-status=bot: unknown |newspaper=The New York Times |date=1940-03-29 }}</ref> Police picked up Angelo "Julie" Catalano on the streets of Brooklyn shortly after he was bailed out by the syndicate, as Gurino tried to convince him to "hide out" on Long Island.<ref name="NYT_1940-03-29_p1"/> Several days later, Gurino used a contact, corrupt Queens County Deputy Sheriff William Cassele, to enter the county's civil prison on the night of March 29, 1940.<ref name="Gurino1"/> Cassele then forced Joseph "Joe the Baker" Liberto, who was being held as a material witness in the George Rudnick murder, to meet with Gurino.<ref name="Gurino1"/> According to Liberto, he was pushed up against a wall in his cell and threatened with death if he cooperated with the District Attorney.<ref name="Gurino1"/> Liberto was taken into custody shortly after an acquaintance drove him to a farmhouse on Long Island. Liberto quickly exited through a window, convinced he was going to be killed.<ref name="Gurino1"/> Gurino, who was hiding out in New Jersey for much of 1940, was arrested on September 12, 1940, at the Church of the Guardian Angel in Manhattan, screaming hysterically in fear for his life.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1940/09/12/archives/murder-ring-fugitive-seeks-haven-in-church-trigger-man-hysterical.html Murder Ring Fugitive Seeks Haven in Church; 'Trigger Man' Hysterical in Fear of Killers; Gunman Seeks Refuge in Church] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106180509/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10610FC3454107A93C0A81782D85F448485F9 |date=2012-11-06 }}, ''The New York Times'', September 12, 1940. p. 1.{{subscription required}}</ref> Shortly after being arrested, Gurino confessed to three syndicate murders and implicated himself in four others.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1940/09/13/archives/gurino-confesses-to-three-murders-rings-toughest-trigger-man.html |title=Gurino Confesses to Three Murders; Ring's 'Toughest Trigger Man' Implicates Himself in Four Others, O'Dwyer Says; Killed Two in Apartment; Gained Access When Confederate, Now in Death House, Wore Woman's Clothes as Ruse |newspaper=The New York Times |date=September 13, 1940 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106180518/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60A10FD3454107A93C1A81782D85F448485F9 |archive-date=November 6, 2012 }}{{subscription required}}</ref> In March 1942, Gurino pleaded guilty to three murders.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1942/03/24/archives/gurino-pleads-guilty-on-3-murder-counts-trigger-man-of-brooklyn.html Gurino Pleads Guilty on 3 Murder Counts; Trigger Man of Brooklyn Ring Admits 2d-Degree Charges], ''The New York Times'', March 24, 1942. p. 1.{{subscription required}} {{Cite news |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60E15FB345F167B93C6AB1788D85F468485F9 |title=GURINO PLEADS GUILTY ON 3 MURDER COUNTS; Trigger Man of Brooklyn Ring Admits 2d-Degree Charges |access-date=July 14, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106180527/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60E15FB345F167B93C6AB1788D85F468485F9 |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |url-status=bot: unknown |newspaper=The New York Times |date=1942-03-24 }}</ref> In April 1942, Gurino was sentenced to 80 years to life in prison.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1942/04/08/archives/80year-sentences-for-murder-ring-ace-gurino-trigger-man-gets-three.html 80-Year Sentences for Murder Ring 'Ace'; Gurino, Trigger Man, Gets Three Consecutive Terms], ''The New York Times'', April 4, 1942,{{subscription required}} {{Cite news |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40711FE3E5D167B93CAA9178FD85F468485F9 |title=80-YEAR SENTENCES FOR MURDER RING 'ACE'; Gurino, Trigger Man, Gets Three Consecutive Terms |access-date=July 14, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106180534/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40711FE3E5D167B93CAA9178FD85F468485F9 |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |url-status=bot: unknown |newspaper=The New York Times |date=1942-04-08 }}</ref> He died of a heart ailment on April 22, 1957, at [[Clinton Correctional Facility|Dannemora Hospital for the Criminally Insane]].<ref>http://news2.nnyln.net/plattsburgh-press-republican/plattsburgh-press-republican-1957-february-may/plattsburgh-press-republican-1957-february-may%20-%200905.pdf{{dead link|date=May 2016}}</ref>