On May 1, 2008, the Middlesex County Bar Association celebrated Law Day in its meeting hall at the old Cambridge Courthouse.  The celebration featured an inspirational speech by honoree Attorney Victor Garo. The Bar Association also honored twenty students from high schools across Massachusetts for their academic achievements as well as their contributions to student government, their community, and the law.

Victor Garo captivated the capacity crowd with his enthusiastic and often emotional recount of a 35 year battle to overturn the wrongful murder conviction and death sentence of his client Joseph Salvati, and codefendants Peter Limone, Henry Tameleo, and Louis Greco.    Among other claims, Garo successfully charged that the United States and various federal and state law enforcement officers framed Salvati, Limone, Tameleo, and Greco for the murder of Edward “Teddy” Deegan on March 12, 1965.  Then, in a most malicious fashion, the same agencies repeatedly and continuously took affirmative steps to hide the truth of the bogus convictions for over 30 years.  Garo suggested that the false convictions and cover ups were a drag-net style prosecution in which the “ends justified the means.”

Through unrelenting work Garo revealed that Deegan had, in fact, been killed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s own informants.  These informants included Vincent “Jimmy” Flemmi and Joseph “The Animal” Barboza.  Hoping to “develop” Flemmi as an informant, the FBI did not want Flemmi’s participation in Deegan’s murder to become known.  In fact, the Government went to such lengths to protect Flemmi that it not only allowed Barboza to testify falsely against the innocent defendants at trial, but it actively suppressed knowledge of his false testimony repeatedly for 30 years following the convictions -- parole hearing after parole hearing.  In short, the FBI induced Barboza to lie, they knew he lied, and they covered it up.

Previously undisclosed records now reveal that the FBI had precise knowledge of the Deegan murder even before it was committed.  In an October 19, 1964 FBI Memorandum, FBI agent Paul Rico wrote that an informant reported that Flemmi wanted to kill Deegan.  In fact, a Boston Office FBI Memorandum addressed to the Director of the FBI disclosed an informant’s report that Flemmi and Barboza had contacted Raymond Patriarca to get his “OK” to kill Deegan.

In addition, agent Rico wrote a report transmitted to the Chelsea Police department indicating that an informant told him on the very day following Deegan’s murder that Flemmi confessed to his role in Deegan’s murder, together with Barboza and three other individuals (Ronald Casessa, Romeo Martin, and Roy French).  Furthermore, an FBI Memorandum dated 7 days after Deegan’s murder notes an informant’s report that Flemmi, Barboza, Casessa, Martin and French were responsible for murdering Deegan by shooting him in the head while the six men were gaining entry to a building during a “set-up” breaking and entering in Chelsea, MA.

The Chelsea and State Police Departments had similar reports.  But none of that information was ever revealed either during prosecution or during the post conviction proceedings of the innocent men -- including sentencing, appeals and parole hearings.

Even more compelling, Garo disclosed that FBI agents Paul Rico and Dennis Condon had met with Barboza prior to any arrest in the case and induced him through fear of his life to cooperate with the FBI investigation, but never to implicate Flemmi.  As a result, Barboza falsely implicated the innocent Salvati, Limone, Greco and Tameleo, and even falsely stated that Greco shot Deegan with a .45 caliber handgun.

Despite specific knowledge to the contrary (from various informants documented in numerous memoranda), the FBI continued to develop Barboza as a witness against the innocent.  Barboza intended to perjure himself, the FBI knew about it and did nothing to stop it.  They induced it.  They assisted it.  And, they covered it up.

While the case was tried in State Court and prosecuted by the Suffolk County District Attorneys office, the FBI had cultivated it and nurtured it with the assistance of both State and Federal agents who knew the charges were false.  In 1970, Barboza even recanted his trial testimony against the four innocent men.  However, FBI agents even induced him to withdraw the recantation by promising to arrange his release from prison for a subsequent crime.

At the United States House Committee on Government Reform hearings on the issue, Massachusetts Congressman and former Norfolk County District Attorney William Delahunt commented “we don’t have Democracy if we have a justice system whose integrity is at risk.”  At the House Committee Hearings, Garo stated “the evidence shows that the government has known since 1965 that Joe Salvati was innocent…we hope that this committee will be able to do things legislatively so that another family will never have to endure the tragedy and the nightmare that the Joe Salvati family has had to endure.”

Since the disclosure of evidence, Garo successfully litigated a wrongful-conviction case with counsel for the other co-defendants against the government in Federal District Court.  Federal District Judge Nancy Gertner awarded a record $101.7 Million Dollar judgment – the largest judgment ever in a wrongful conviction case.

Greco and Tameleo died during their wrongful imprisonment. 

Salvati and Limone cherish their lives with their families. 

The balance due is still outstanding.

And justice for all.