Read the article
Howard Beach Convictions: 2nd Degree Riot
Daily News, Saturday, July 16, 1988
by Stewart Ain and Joseph McNamara Daily News Staff Writers:
“As their families wept, three youths were convicted last night of second-degree riot in the Howard Beach racial attack in which one man died. A fourth defendant was acquitted. … When Jury foreman Jose Terazas read the verdict ex-onerating Saggese, the youth hugged his attorney, Victor Knapp. His father and Farino’s embraced.”
BNA Criminal Practice Manual Vol. 2 No. 16 – August 10, 1988
“Howard Beach Dual Juries Receive Votes of Approval: Defense attorneys who won acquittals for their clients in the latest Howard Beach case told BNA that the dual jury technique may have worked in their favor. Although a key reason for the technique is to segregate evidence heard by each jury, one attorney was also able to persuade the trial judge to excuse his client’s jury when the cross-examination strategy of the other defendant’s lawyers conflicted with his. …
Use of Dual Juries Draws Acclaim in Howard Beach Case: Lawyers for two defendants acquitted in the second round of Howard Beach trials last month praised the dual jury technique that Judge Thomas A. Demakos employed to both expedite the case and solve the problem of codefendant statements. The prosecutor for the dual trials – one involving a single defendant, the other involving four codefendants – also endorsed the device. Poeple v. Bollander, NY SupCt, Indict. No. SPOQ 146/87, Denakos, J., 7/15/88. (See 2 BNA CrimPracMan 246, 295.) …
Although defense attorney Victor Knapp Forest Hill, NY initially opposed the dual jury technique, he said he ended up liking it because it benefited his client “in a way that I didn’t really foresee.” His client, John Saggese, was acquitted of one felony count of riot in the first degree and of the lesser included offense of riot in the second degree.”
Lorenzo “Fat Cat” Nichols
Lorenzo “Fat Cat” Nichols was a notorious drug ringleader in the 1980′s in Southern Queens who reputedly ran a sophisticated drug distribution network with approximately 300 workers . Victor Knapp was part of his defense team and intricately involved in representing him and others during his parole revocation proceedings as well as the State and Federal criminal prosecutions and investigations involving charges of Racketeering (RICO) , Conspiracy , Drug Distribution and the homicide/murder of his Parole Office Brian Rooney and rookie Police Officer Edward Byrnes . The rise and downfall of Lorenzo “Fat Cat” Nichols was the subject of an “American Gangster” documentary produced and extensively shown on the BET Channel in New York . Victor Knapp appeared as guest legal commentator in connection with his prior representation of Lorenzo Nichols
Howard “Pappy” Mason
Responsible for the ordering of the execution “hit” and murder of rookie Police Officer Edward Byrne . My representation was in connection with accusations and the criminal prosecution ( ultimately proven to be untrue) that he took part in the execution / murder of Parole Officer Brian Rooney .
Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff
Representation during federal parole revocation proceedings
Gerald “Prince” Miller
Representation in various criminal cases and investigations as well as parole revocation hearings
James Stone
Representation of young man accused in the “felony-murder” of a Chinese deliveryman . This case was the basis of a “Law and Order” episode .
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