Judge Allows 'Mafia Cop' Lawsuits To Move Forward
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - A judge is allowing the families of seven men killed in mob hits to move forward with wrongful death lawsuits against the city because the crimes involved two ex-detectives.
According to the Staten Island Advance, Judge Raymond Dearie says there's evidence suggesting the killings wouldn't have occurred if New York Police Department Detective Louis Eppolito had been fired or disciplined after he was caught passing police records to a mobster in 1984.
The city's Law Department says it's reviewing the decision.
Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa are serving life in prison. The slayings took place between 1986 and 1991.
Eppolito's retired from the NYPD in 1990. His father was a member of the Gambino crime family. Eppolito played a bit part in Martin Scorsese's mob drama "GoodFellas" and launched an unsuccessful career as a screenwriter.
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