As a result, people used him. In an earlier trial, Mrs. Harrelson's husband, Charles Harrelson, was convicted of the 1979 assassination of U.S. District Judge John H. Wood Jr. in San Antonio, Texas, the only such killing of a sitting federal judge this century. In real life, it highlighted the criminal acts of those accused in Woods killing a drug lord, an actors father and some of their relatives. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The reward was eventually paid out to a handful of people who included a horrible creton bankrobber who shared a jail cell with Charles Harrelson, a woman who delivered the $250,000 payout for the hit to Harrelson, and a kid who found a piece of the murder rifle in a creek bed, said Sam Millsap, who chaired the reward committee. The jury started deliberating on Feb. 3, 1983. After Monday's conviction, Sessions said he would be forced to postpone the March 18 sentencing in San Antonio of Mrs. Harrelson, her husband Charles and Mrs. Chagra for the earlier convictions. March 2 (UPI) -- A Minnesota police officer came to the rescue of a raccoon he spotted running around with a jar stuck over its head. Elizabeth Chagra, the wife of Jamiel (Jimmy) Chagra, the drug dealer who is to be tried in a separate proceeding on charges of paying Mr. Harrelson $250,000 to murder the judge, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Sessions, who ordered a majority of the contempt hearing closed to the public, said during an interview with the news media in his chambers that Mrs. Harrelson's claim of marital privilege was the reason forpartial dismissal of the government's request. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. But do note that it is not possible to be certain of a person's genealogy without a family's cooperation (and/or DNA testing). In exchange for agreeing to testify against Investigators questioned several long-term convicts, offering reduced sentences for information about the judge's killing. ." Less than a year before Judge Wood was slain, Lee Chagra, Joseph's older brother, who had defended numerous narcotics suspects in Judge Wood's court, was killed in his office by armed robbers. Harrelson claimed to have killed 50 The hearing was the first in which federal prosecutors have failed to obtain a contempt citation against people refusing to testify before the grand jury investigating the fatal shooting of U.S. District Judge John H. Wood Jr. Two of those people recently were released. According to newspaper stories citing trial testimony, a drug trafficker and flamboyant gambler originally from El Paso, Jamiel Jimmy Chagra, paid Harrelson $250,000 to kill Wood because Chagra feared a trial and sentencing by Maximum John. Wood earned the moniker for his reputation of giving tough sentences to drug traffickers. Joe Chagra ended A few days later they returned a not-guilty verdict to the murder charge. In the investigation, which cost at least $5 million, the Government recorded more than 1,000 conversations, most of them by telephone, that Jamiel Chagra was involved in at various prisons, particularly the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan. "Texas SniperThe Charge: Murdering a Judge." He was very good at what he did, Ray Jahn said. It is believed to be correct at the time of inputting and is presented here in good faith. A portrait of Federal Judge John H. Wood, Jr. hangs at the Federal Courthouse. The visiting room was bugged to gather information from mobster Nick Civella, also a Goodman client. Jamiel Chagra: guilty of conspiracy to obstruct justice, drug charges, and tax evasion. He was serving a 30-year sentence there that he received on the drug charge that was to be tried before Judge Wood. Federal District Judge William S. Sessions, who was a pallbearer at the slain judge's funeral and who, as chief judge in the district, appointed himself to preside in the case, said he would impose a sentence March 8, after the trial of Jamiel Chagra in Florida. 10- 6-1982 (L-R ) Leroy Jahn and Ray Jahn prosecutors in trial for muder of John H. Wood Jr. San Antonio Express-News file photo, JOSE BARRERA, STAFF / SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS. They shook down everybody in South Texas.. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. Support is The trial is separate because Joseph Chagra, in exchange for a lighter sentence, made a deal with the Government to testify against all the defendants except his brother. . Elizabeth Chagra: guilty of conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to obstruct justice, tax evasion, conspiracy conviction overturned February 15, 1985, on appealSentences: Charles Harrelson: two life sentences plus five years. He was bringing in freighter ships of marijuana in the 70s.. The jury found Chagra guilty. Suspected burglar inside New Brunswick home was a panicked deer. Jack Sheehan has been living and writing in Las Vegas for 40 years. Mr. Chagra was one of three sons of a Lebanese rug merchant who had emigrated from Mexico to El Paso. In addition to his son and brother, Mr. Chagra is survived by his mother, Josephine, and two sisters, Samantha and Patsy. When Chagras former drug-smuggling partner Henry Wallace turned and became a witness, the charges against Chagra were increased and he faced the prospect of life in prison without parole. US based Meghan and Harry.. FameChain has their amazing trees. The government indicted Harrelson, the Chagra brothers, Jo Ann Harrelson and Jimmy Chagras wife, Elizabeth, who delivered the $250,000 payoff for Charles Harrelson. WebThe map led the feds to learn that the murder weapon had been purchased by Harrelsons wife, Jo Ann. Charles Harrelson was born on July 23rd, 1938, in Lovelady, Texas, the son of Alma Lee (ne Sparks; 19072002) and Voyde Harrelson (19011976). By that time the FBI investigation into the judges assassination was more than two years old. Meanwhile, the drug trial was held before Woods replacement, U.S. District Judge William Sessions. From start to finish, I was treated with kindness and dignity. The unlawful killing of another human being without justification or excuse. In his testimony over more than five days on the witness stand, Mr. Harrelson said he had gone to lure Jamiel Chagra into a crooked card game. Adding further to their indignation, the trial was presided over by then-federal Judge William Sessions, who was a pallbearer at Woods funeral and delivered a eulogy, Campion said. On May 29, 1979, Judge John H. Wood was killed in San Antonio, Texas, by a shot from a high-powered rifle to the back of the head. - Steve Spain, Executive Director, Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity. Wood died in 1979 when he was assassinated by Charles Harrelson. Woody Harrelson's dad Charles Voyde Harrelson was a career criminal who died in prison while serving two life sentences for murdering a judge in a contract At one point in a rambling dialogue, Jimmy warned Joe that he was up to his neck in the murder plot. Moving to the Harrelson Center has been pivotal to our growth. Jimmy Chagra, the high-stakes gambler who faced sentencing by Wood in a drug case shortly before the judge was killed, was cleared of conspiracy. March 3 (UPI) -- A 7-year-old Louisiana boy with a firm grasp of baseball rules is seeking a Guinness World Record as the world's youngest umpire. The verdicts concluded an 11-week trial that grew out of one of the most extensive Federal investigations in the nation's history, involving every one of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's 54 offices in the United States at varying times over more than three years. It killed U.S. District Judge John H. Wood Jr. the first federal judge to be assassinated in the country. Chagra and his wife, Liz, and young daughter relocated to Las Vegas in 1978 and moved into a house across the street from attorney Oscar Goodman. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the conspiracy conviction February 15, 1985, on the grounds that the prosecution failed to show premeditation and malice. Yes, Chagra Russell continued. On May 29, 1979, Wood was shot dead in the parking lot outside his San Antonio townhouse. "The Judge Wood Murder Case." Murder is perhaps the single most serious criminal offense. Together we create higher quality programs, were better able to remove barriers, and we have more space to provide instruction with positive adult role models. 'The hearing will continue when I hear further from the government or the witness (Mrs. Thursday, May 28: Oscar's "Case of the Century": The Life Wood died in 1979 when he was assassinated by Charles Harrelson. Later, Chagra admitted to the judges murder and to the attempted murder of Kerr in an effort to free his wife from prison. On Express-News.com: Judge Sarah Garrahan-Moulder, who helped prosecute hit man Charles Harrelson in San Antonio, dies at 84. WebJo Ann Harrelson, Charles Voyed Harrelson and Elizabethnichols Chagra, Defendants-appellants, 754 F.2d 1153 (5th Cir. Elizabeth Chagra was convicted of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to obstruct justice. USAA wants some remote employees in the office three days Jury takes an hour to reach verdict over deal at Port S.A. Texas Vista owner has threatened hospital shutdown before, Rosie Castros appointment much more than a 3-month council stint, Access to Bexar County Courthouse just got easier, Man and adult stepdaughter accused of sexual assault on children, Man suspected of serial arson in far south Bexar County area. The evil sought to be avoided by pr, A sentence whereby a convict is released from confinement but is still under court supervision; a testing or a trial period. In effect, he was being tried for murder, when he claimed that his only involvement was in a con-game to get the murder pay-off money for a killing performed by someone else. Mr. Harrelson said Mr. Kay borrowed the car some days before the killing, but that he had it back and was in Dallas on the day of the killing. U.S. District Judge John H. Wood was assassinated in San Antonio May 29, 1979, by Charles Harrelson. However, U.S. District Judge William S. Sessions ordered the hearing continued at a later date, indicating Mrs. Harrelson still faces possible imprisonment. The 5th U.S. King, Wayne. A lot of the early investigation went off on some tangents, and they rounded up some Bandidos, lawyer Campion said. It was the day after (Memorial) Day, the day Chagras trial was to start, Ray Jahn said. Jo Ann Harrelson was found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct justice. WHEN FIFTY-YEAR-OLD JOE CHAGRA flipped his Toyota Landcruiser on Interstate 10 west of El Paso in December, killing himself and two passengers, it was a sad final chapter in the life of a man best known as one of the conspirators in the 1979 murder of San Antonio federal judge John Wood. Bill Thompson, HP staff / Houston Chronicle, S.A.-area rancher catches the hearts of American Idol judges, Take a look inside this $3.5 million 'mystery' mansion, USAA wants some remote employees in the office three days a week, Boy, 11, shoots self in head with gun he found in apartment, 10 things to do this weekend in San Antonio, New food truck park opens at The CO-OP SA, Heres why it hailed through the Alamodome last night, Chicken Salad Chick to open second S.A. location, Judge Sarah Garrahan-Moulder, who helped prosecute hit man Charles Harrelson in San Antonio, dies at 84, Look inside historic $2.3 million King William home. Jo Ann got a 25-year sentence. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. See the article in its original context from. ", - Jim Everette, Harrelson Center Ex-Officio Board Member, We are all different parts, but part of the same body. The Chagras were known as key members of a so-called Dixie Mafia, heavily involved in drug smuggling. Judge Wood denied any impropriety and refused to remove himself from the case. Explore how the celebrity world connects. The trial for the Harrelsons and Elizabeth Chagra took place in the newly named John H. Wood Jr. courthouse over objections from defense lawyers. Harrelson claimed that when the murder took place, he was in Dallas, 270 miles away. Mrs. Harrelson, who had said she was '99 percent sure' she would be jailed Monday, is the wife of convicted hit man Charles V. Harrelson, who is imprisoned in Houston on state charges. March 3 (UPI) -- A Kentucky man who stopped to buy some breakfast said he lost his appetite when he won $50,000 from a scratch-off lottery ticket. Tips poured in. Probation can be given i, Charles Goodyear Discovers the Process for Creating Vulcanized Rubber, Charles I 16001649 King of Great Britain, Charles Jean Gustave Nicolas de la Valle Poussin, Charles Lyell Publishes The Principles of Geology (1830-33), in Which He Proposes the Actual Age of Earth to be Several Hundred Million Years, https://www.encyclopedia.com/law/law-magazines/charles-harrelson-trial-1982-83, John Francis Knapp And Joseph Jenkins Knapp Trials: 1830. He enjoyed a high-rolling lifestyle at Caesars Palace and Binions Horseshoe but he was not a very good gambler. ", Woman wins $100,000 lottery prize 11 hours after $11,000 casino jackpot. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Harrelson argued that Kay's wife had purchased a Weatherby hunting rifle of the type used to kill the judge some 12 days before the killing. Ive published three articles in this magazine about Wood and the Chagras, but Ive never written all I knowuntil now. SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- A convicted hit man's wife Monday won a first round in her battle with federal prosecutors who want her jailed for refusing to testify against her husband in the probe of the slaying of a federal judge. ." In 1995, he appeared as himself in the movie, Casino.. Judge Wood, known as ''Maximum John'' because of the sentences he had given drug dealers, set May 29, 1979, as the day the trial was to begin. -- Jo Ann Harrelson, a former Las Vegas gambler and wife of the hitman convicted of killing a federal judge, was found guilty of perjury -- the latest in a string of convictions in the case. March 3 (UPI) -- At a White House meeting on Friday, President Joe Biden thanked German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for Germany's "profound" help in countering Russian aggression in Ukraine. Chagra was once held by Colombian authorities after his drug-smuggling plane crashed there. Rob Condon, Executive Director, Young Scientists Academy, "We have been at the Harrelson Center for 3 years and it's been a dream come true! However, there was no physical evidence and investigators had to rely on circumstantial evidence and informants. Through these collaborations, we have been able to extend our reach to help more families in our local community. Not wanting to put his family through a trial, Joe pleaded guilty to something he didnt do, Chagra Russell said. Chagra was a prolific marijuana smuggler and spent his ill-gotten fortune on casinos in Las Vegas, where he moved in 1978. We're not a hand-out place; we're a hand-up place.". Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). The center supports its partners with below-market rental rates that cover all utilities, parking and security. He gave us details that only he knew, Ray Jahn said. It was a tragedy., She couldnt speak to Jimmy Chagras crimes or conduct, saying, we werent close.. Kathryn Wood, the widow of the slain judge, provided a five-page handwritten letter from Elizabeth Chagra, apologizing for her involvement in the murder. Jamiel Chagra was tried separately, in Jacksonville, Florida and received a sentence of 15 years and was fined $120,000 on the charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice and conspiracy to possess marijuana. ", "We value the Harrelson Center for the resources that they give us every day for our community, "Since Voyage moved into The Harrelson Center in January, our partnership and combined programming has only strengthened. Jo Ann Harrelson, whose daughter has been imprisoned more than three months for refusing to testify before a federal grand jury, walked away from the federal But Mr. Jahn, the Federal prosecutor, said in his final argument Saturday, ''Charles Harrelson had three talents. Mrs. Harrelson faces up to 25 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Harrelson, a card gambling felon and accused hit man with ties to organized crime, was the father of actor Woody Harrelson and met Jimmy Chagra in Vegas in 1979 after being paroled in an unrelated murder case. Bikers and other street toughs were dragged in on hold-over charges. On the basis of the wiretaps, the FBI searched Joes home, turning up not only his private stash of drugs but also the map Harrelson had given him. You know Harrelson knocked off the judge, Jimmy told him. 3 children killed, 2 hospitalized in North Texas domestic incident, 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'True Romance' actor Tom Sizemore dead at 61, Dozens killed, injured as Jakarta fuel depot fire engulfs neighborhood, Syndicated show 'Rachael Ray' wrapping 17-season run, Migrant woman dies after U.S. Coast Guard stops vessel carrying 54. Elizabeth Chagra died in prison of ovarian cancer in September 1997 at age 43. Chagra also was a prime suspect in the attempted murder of Assistant U.S. Attorney James Kerr of San Antonio. Joseph agreed that he should. Explore how the celebrity world connects. Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/law/law-magazines/charles-harrelson-trial-1982-83. ''O.K., honey,'' Mrs. Chagra said she replied. Further, most of the evidence and testimony against Charles Harrelson had been gathered from prisoners who were offered reduced sentences in exchange for implicating Harrelson. The collaborations and friendships are blessings to me and to our organization. Throughout, Charles Voyde Harrelson, the man convicted of killing the judge May 29, 1979, with a single shot in the back from a highpowered rifle, appeared at ease, leaning back in his chair and offering the jury faint smiles. The Jo Ann Carter Harrelson Center Inc. is a North Carolina nonprofit corporation 501c3 (EIN 20-3598248) that supports and partners with other nonprofit organizations in the Wilmington community. I told him he should.. Joseph Chagra refused to testify against his own brother Jamiel (Jimmy), however. Three reputed Chicago mobsters were convicted in September 2007 for their involvement in a series o, To make a decision or reach a conclusion after examining all the factual evidence presented. In a plea agreement, Joe Chagra got a 10-year sentence. Jimmy Chagra was sentenced to 30 years for his original drug-trafficking charges, plus 10 years for the lesser charges he was convicted of when he was tried for the Wood murder. Thats not the problem I have, Ray Jahn quoted Jimmy Chagra as telling Harrelson. Charles Harrelson was the last of the classic American hitman. And, indeed, Joe found out who shot Judge Woodand who hired himduring an attorney-client interview he conducted with Harrelson after his arrest at the Harris County jail. Joseph Chagra accepted a plea bargain. After Joe was killed, the bad publicity inevitably returned, so Patty took their daughter, Samantha, a seventeen-year-old high school honor student, to all the television stations in El Pasojust so they could see her face and know what they had put her through. After that, Patty told me, the flavor of the stories softened. It was then, the Government asserted, that ''the fear began. Jo Ann Harrelson was summoned before a federal grand jury in the Western District of Texas investigating her husband's complicity in the murder. Since much of the wiretapping was inadmissible in court, the government had a major problem with its case: The only witness who could connect Jimmy with Harrelson was Joe. 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'True Romance' actor Tom Sizemore dead at 61, Syndicated show 'Rachael Ray' wrapping 17-season run, Migrant woman dies after U.S. Coast Guard stops vessel carrying 54. Whether they are seeking financial help, spiritual help, whether they are looking for a job, clothing, food or encouragement, a listening ear or someone to help build them up, people can come here because it is not only in the heart of Wilmington but IS the heart of Wilmington. They werent taking no for an answer, defense lawyer Brown said. All relationship and family history information shown on FameChain has been compiled from data in the public domain. Joes testimony put Harrelson in prison for life; ironically, in his separate trial, Jimmy was acquitted, thanks largely to Joes unwillingness to testify against him. Elizabeth Chagra: 30 years for conspiracy to murder, two concurrent five year sentences for obstruction of justice and tax evasion. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. ", Louise Hicks, Executive Director, Community In Schools of Cape Fear, "We are grateful for the resources and partners the Harrelson Center has introduced to us. Fire Ants Have Unleashed Chaos in Texas for Decades. "Charles Harrelson Trial: 1982-83 Liz got a 30-year sentence. He believed in the law. The Jo Ann Carter Harrelson Center Inc. is a North He has also covered immigration, minority affairs and legal affairs as part of the projects team here and for other print, TV and radio outlets. ", Anne Best, Executive Director, Family Promise, The truest measure of love is revealed by how we respond to the needs of others. She also said that when she had demurred about delivering the money, thinking it was a gambling payoff, he had hissed, ''This is for the judge.'' The bug picked up Chagra talking with his wife and brother Joe about the judges murder. Released in 1978, he married for a third time the next year, this time to Jo Ann Starr. At least 5 dead following year's first severe spring weather outbreak. Courthouse in San Antonio, Texas, Tuesday morning, September 28, 1982, to begin the trial for the May 1979 murder of Federal Judge John H. Wood, Jr.( AP PHOTO/ STEVE KRAUSS). When the murder trial got underway in San Antonio, in exchange for a guilty plea to commit conspiracy to murder and a sentence of 10 years, Joseph Chagra testified against Harrelson, who he claimed was the hit man. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. ", & Dr. March 4 (UPI) -- Three children are dead and two others remain hospitalized Saturday after a domestic incident in a North Texas town, authorities said. U.S. District Judge William Sessions did not schedule sentencing for Mrs. Harrelson, who was to be returned today to the Federal Correctional Institute in Fort Worth, Texas. Encyclopedia.com. They tortured her for no (reason). But Chagra and Harrelson werent immediate suspects, and it took thousands of man-hours before they were identified as such. Patricia Sharpe writes a regular restaurant column, Pats Pick, for Texas Monthly. From online or printed sources and from publicly accessible databases. Just after Judge Wood was killed, Joseph Chagra, then 31, said the slaying was the worst thing that could have happened to his other brother, Jamiel, 32, who was known as Jimmy. "Foster Pantry moved on campus in May 2021 after joining the Harrelson Center initially as an Associate Partner in 2019. The Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission to advance the public understanding of organized crime's history and impact on American society. Daniel Vaughn is the countrys first barbecue editor, and he has eaten more barbecue than you have. He agreed to testify against Mr. Harrelson and pleaded guilty to conspiracy in return for a 10-year prison sentence and relief from having to testify against Jimmy. Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? I promised Samantha that I would write that Joe was a good father, and I know damn well he was. At least two grand juries have investigated the slaying for more than two years, and U.S. Attorney General William Webster last March said indictments were near, but no charges have been levied in the case. But I believe Joe made up those stories as part of a deal with the prosecution, and so do many others close to the case. He believed in the justice system, but it didnt do right by him., Do I feel like he got robbed? Whats Up With All the Kangaroos on the Loose in Texas? The only other person in the world who knew that Harrelson did the hit on Judge Wood was Jimmy, who ordered it. As each juror affirmed the vote of guilty on counts of conspiracy to murder, murder and conspiracy to obstruct justice, several had tears in their eyes and one woman shook visibly and broke into sobs. The Harrelson Center has provided us with affordable rent, a safe and comfortable space to host volunteers, board meetings and support groups, and a wonderful event space to host larger events. They did a full-court press. In death as in life, El Paso crime family scion Joe Chagra is getting a bad rap. March 3 (UPI) -- In a cost-saving move, retail giant Amazon announced Friday that it will delay construction on a planned second corporate headquarters dubbed "HQ2" in Arlington, Va. President Joe Biden thanks German chancellor for his nation's help in Ukraine. They pulled out all the stops. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. May 29, 1979: Wood was shot to death outside his San Antonio condo. Noah Harrelson{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Noah Harrelson", "gender": "Male" }, Beckie Harrelson{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Beckie Harrelson", "gender": "Female" }, Joel Sparks{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Joel Sparks", "gender": "Male" }, Lemma Sparks{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Lemma Sparks", "gender": "Female" }, Voyde Harrelson{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Voyde Harrelson", "gender": "Male" }, Alma Glover{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Alma Glover", "gender": "Female" }, Daisy Harrelson{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Daisy Harrelson", "gender": "Female" }, Leonard Humphrey Harrelson{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Leonard Humphrey Harrelson", "gender": "Male" }, Claude Elegan Harrelson{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Claude Elegan Harrelson", "gender": "Male" }, Sybil Nunley{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Sybil Nunley", "gender": "Female" }, Edward Leon Harrelson{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward Leon Harrelson", "gender": "Male" }, Woody Harrelson{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Woody Harrelson", "gender": "Male" }, with Diane Harrelson{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Diane Harrelson", "gender": "Female" }, Jordan Harrelson{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Jordan Harrelson", "gender": "Male" }, Brett Harrelson{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Brett Harrelson", "gender": "Male" }, born 1963, age 55 Warren Burnett, the attorney for Mrs. Chagra, expressed ''bitter, bitter disappointment'' and said he would also appeal the verdict. After invoking the Assistant U.S. Attorney James Kerr, who had prosecuted several drug cases before Judge Wood, had barely escaped an assassination attempt some six months before Wood was killed. Mr. Harrelson's wife, Jo Ann, was found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct justice, the only charge against her in this case. CHAGRA: ASSASSINATION OF JUDGE JOHN WOOD AND LINKS TO CHARLES HARRELSON, FATHER OF WOODY. Judge Wood was the first Federal judge to be assassinated in this century. 10/19/1981 - Charles V. Harrelson, charged in the murder of U.S. District Judge John H. Wood, in court. SHREVEPORT, La. Livestreaming available the night of the event by clicking here. He was sentenced to life in prison. He was a cheat, he was a con man and he was a murderer. 1985) Annotate this Case US Court of Appeals for the The trial of Jamiel Chagra was set for May 29, 1979, but Judge Wood was shot as he left his apartment in Alamo Heights for court.