PHOTOS SHOWN AT NAPOLI'S TRIAL
Give this article

By Alfred E. Clark
Nov. 4, 1972

Credit...The New York Times Archives
See the article in its original context from
November 4, 1972, Page 68Buy Reprints
New York Times subscribers* enjoy full access to TimesMachine—view over 150 years of New York Times journalism, as it originally

Photographs that were said to show James Napoli, a reputed Mafia leader, in a restaurant rendezvous with a prizefight manager and his boxer were the basis of legal arguments yesterday during Napoli trial of on charges of perjury and contempt.

Joseph Coffey, a detective from the Manhattan District Attorney's office, testified to meeting of the three men at the Unicorn Restaurant, at 324 East 57th Street.

At the meeting with Napoli, who also was known in boxing circles as Jimmy Knapp, was the manager, Garry Garfola, and his fighter, Frank DePaula. They were alleged to have met at the establishment after fight on Jan. 22, 1969, at Madison Square Garden for the light heavyweight championship. DePaula was knocked out in the first round by the titleholder, Bob Foster.

A grand jury later looked into the meeting as well as number of others between fighters and Napoli and his representatives.

A grand jury, which was investigating allegedly fixed boxing matches, later looked into the meeting as well as a number of others between fighters and Napoli and his representatives.

Photos Taken Covertly

Mr. Coffey told Acting Supreme Court Justice Frank J. Dlangiardo, who is hearing the case without a jury at the request of the defense, that he was in the restaurant and observed the three men. The detective said that photographs’ had been taken covertly and these were produced in evidenc

The crux of the argument by the defense atorney, Gregory J. Perrin, was that the pictures were distorted and did not present a true picture.

Before recessing the trial after the morning session until Monday at 10 A.M., Justice Blangiardo indicated he would study the photographs and the legal arguments.

The case goes back at least, three years, and a co-defendant in the indictment with Napoli, was DePaula. He was shot to’ death in September, 1970, and the murder has remained unsolved.

Napoli Faces 9 Counts

Napoli is charged with seven counts of perjury and two of criminal contempt because of his conduct before a grand jury that handed up the true bill in December, 1969.

Since then, Napoli, now 60 years old, has been in and out of court more than 60 times on various pretrial motions.

Law enforcement officials said that Napoli had been the leader of the organized crime family of the late Vito Genovese since its head, Thomas Eboli, who was also known as Tommy Ryan, was slain last spring.

He has been free in $15,000 hail and is reputed to have participated in various illegal activities, including loan?sharking, bookmaking, hijacking and control of a huge policy operation.