Forty years ago, Oscar Goodman went to court in what easily qualifies as one of the cases of the 20th Century, as Goodman defended a man accused in the second murder of a federal judge in U.S. history.
Jimmy Chagra was on trial for paying Charles Harrelson $250,000 dollars in 1979 to kill U.S. District Court Judge John Wood, known as “Maximum John.” Wood, 61, was shot in the back while getting into his car at his San Antonio home.
Chagra was a drug trafficker, professional gambler and carpet salesman. He called Las Vegas his second home.
Harrelson’s son was 18 at the time. Today, he’s well-known actor Woody Harrelson, who became famous as an actor in the TV show “Cheers,” then many movies.
And Oscar Goodman? He was a lawyer who’d become known for his defense of known or alleged mob associates in Las Vegas.
He was also very good at his job. In a Florida courtroom, Goodman punched so many holes in the government’s case, Chagra was acquitted. It was a shocking verdict —especially since the FBI had called this their most involved investigation since the Kennedy assassination.
"Jimmy Chagra was a really fascinating individual," said Geoff Schumacher, the vice president of exhibits and programs at the Mob Museum. He grew up in a "big deal" family, and eventually began trafficking marijuana with connections to a Mob family. He took that money to Las Vegas where he "became a high roller."
"I told him I would not represent him in the murder case when he insisted on going on the stand," said Goodman. "He was a horrible witness. When he went on the stand during the drug [trial], he was arrogant, he got everything that he ever wanted once he began to accumulate money, and he felt that he could say whatever he wanted. He could have a forum that he couldn't say bad things about the judge and he used it all and it just rebounded and he got creamed. They couldn't wait to find him guilty."
In 1998, Woody Harrelson funded an appeal for his father, Charles Harrelson, and hired Alan Dershowitz. Part of his argument was that his dad only spend about $7,000 on his defense, and that evidence had come from prisoners who were offered reduced sentences. The appeal was rejected up to the Supreme Court.
Schumacher said he doesn't think the state made a good case against him.
"Well, the truth of the matter is when Harrelson was arrested, he couldn't wait to tell them that he also killed a John F. Kennedy that he was one of the three people who were on the the roll down in Dallas," Goodman said.
He said when you looked into Harrelson's eyes, you only saw blue, no pupils.
"You would not want to get involved with this guy because he looked like the devil incarnate. Very handsome, but scary," Goodman said.
The Mob Museum on Wednesday, Jan. 18, is hosting "Against All Odds: Oscar Goodman and the 40th Anniversary of the Jimmy Chagra Murder."
Guests: Oscar Goodman, former mayor of Las Vegas and attorney; Geoff Schumacher, vice president of exhibits and programs, The Mob Museum
