Gus Boulis Murder Trial To Resume Wednesday
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami/AP) – After another day of delays in the trial of two men accused of organizing the murder of South Florida businessman Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis, the judge has ruled that it will resume on Wednesday.
Trial was halted Thursday and Friday because of lawyer David Bogenschutz's undisclosed illness. He represents Anthony "Big Tony" Moscatiello on trial for murder along with Anthony "Little Tony" Ferrari. They could get the death penalty if convicted.
On Monday, Broward Circuit Judge Ilona Holmes ruled on the midweek restart after a doctor reassured her that Bogenshutz would recover by then from his undisclosed illness.
There was concern of a possible mistrial or releasing the sequestered jury because of the illness-caused delays.
Moscatiello and Ferrari are accused ordering a hit man to kill Boulis during a struggle for control of the SunCruz Casinos gambling fleet.
Boulis was attempting to regain control over SunCruz after selling the fleet a few months earlier to New York businessman Adam Kidan and former Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Both were later convicted of fraud in that $147.5 million transaction.
Moscatiello, reputedly tied to New York's Gambino crime family, gave the orders that led to Boulis' killing to ensure he'd continue receiving thousands of dollars as a SunCruz consultant.
In February 2001 Boulis was in his BMW on a Ft. Lauderdale street when a car pulled in front of him and stopped. When Boulis stopped, the hit man drove up alongside in a black Mustang and fired several shots from a handgun.
Last week a third man implicated in the murder, James "Pudgy" Fiorillo, testified that he was involved in surveillance of Boulis and helped get rid of evidence, including the black Mustang and .380-caliber handgun used by the hit man.
As for the hit man, authorities have identified him as John Gurino, an associate of Moscatiello's, who was himself killed later in a dispute with a Boca Raton delicatessen owner.
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