Crime

Chick Goodroe: Former Burglar & Influential Member of the K&A Gang

June 16, 2021 Crime, History 49:04

Chick Goodroe is a former burglar and influential member of Philly’s infamous K&A Gang. Now, a man who has done his time and moved on to more a more legal lifestyle, Chick joins The Philly Blunt—with K&A Gang author Allen Hornblum—Chick joined us to talk about his entrance into the world of burglary, some of his best and worst heists, and running in a world of fast cash, fast cars, and Playboy Playmates.

The K&A Gang, also known as Philly’s Irish Mob, was a legendary group of predominately burglars from the 1950s through the 1970s. Chick Goodroe was one of its youngest members.

Chick once spent two days hiding in the Wetlands after the police found a safe in his car during a check point, spent a decade on the run in Florida, tried to rob Don Ho’s apartment while on vacation in Hawaii, and even had a rabbi in Connecticut unknowingly introduce him to potential targets.  

This is a fascinating interview and rare glimpse into the criminal world of another era, one in which he and his gang never used any weapons.

Thanks to author and former Blunt guest Allen Hornblum for making this happen and sitting in with us. His book about the K&A Gang is available HERE.

Thanks also to O’Neal’s Pub for hosting this fun interview. 

A. Charles Peruto, Jr. – Legendary Criminal Defense Attorney

July 23, 2020 Crime, Politics 51:00

A. Charles “Chuck” Peruto, Jr. may be the biggest name in Philly criminal defense work. He wasted no time in making a name for himself in his 20s, taking the case of the Whitman Park Sniper. A few years later, he represented Joey Coyle, an unemployed longshoreman who stumbled across a bag filled with $1.2 million that had fallen out of a Brinks Truck. He also represented murderer Gary Heidnik and defended Joey Merlino. After Meek Mill passed over Peruto to take on another lawyer, Chuck took the judge in the Mill case as a client.  He is currently planning on running for DA, since he thinks that Krasner is doing such a poor job. 

Peruto discussed why Joey Coyle got caught, the tricks he used to unsuccessfully convince the jury that Heidnik was insane (he wasn’t), whether repping the mob was scary, and why he thought the judge in the Meek Mill case got a bad deal. Peruto talked about how he likes Krasner but doesn’t respect him as DA, and his thoughts about police.
 
He discussed the importance of law school, the problem with Ivy League educated attorneys, and how to win over a jury.
 
Peruto also told a never before heard story about his infamous fight with Howard Eskin at the Palm and Lynne Abraham that has to be heard.
 
He holds back on absolutely nothing. Whether you agree or disagree with him, you’ll be interested to hear what he has to say. A true Philadelphia original. 
 
LINKS:

MICHAEL COARD – “Angriest Black Man in America”

June 11, 2020 Activist, Authors, Crime, Politics, TV/Radio 1:08:21

Activist, journalist, defense attorney, and self-proclaimed “Angriest Black Man in America!”, Michael Coard joins us for Bluntcast #16.

We discuss the George Floyd protests here in Philly and around the world.

Michael also gave us his opinion on the Rizzo Statue. He actually wanted the statue to remain in place with a few additions to serve as a constant reminder of the city’s past racial history.

We talked about his views on defunding the police and he offered some advice on what white folks can do to be part of the solution.

LINKS:

Michael Coard: Instagram/Twitter/Facebook

Philly Detective, Rapper, Actor, Comedian Lawrence Arnell

May 2, 2020 Artist, Crime, Music 00:49:52

For Quarantine BLUNTCAST #7 we talked with Philadelphia Police Detective, MC, Comedian, podcast host Lawrence Arnell.

This originally aired as part of our LIVE BLUNTCASTS series via Zoom every Friday night on The Philly Blunt Facebook Live page.

Lawrence Arnell was born and raised in North Philly. Music was always important to him and he secured a record deal with Tommy Boy Records early in his life and then experience soured him on record labels and the corporate world of the music business. That experience motivated him to find other ways to support himself. Lawrence talked about what motivates him to pursue so many diverse careers and how COVID-19 has affected Philly police work. He talks about being shot at as a police officer and keeping his cool while under fire by cracking jokes. 

Lawrence also gave a candid and insightful discussion of Philly race relations with regards to law enforcement and his personal experiences being African American police officer in Philadelphia. 

LINK:
Lawrence Arnell

George Martorano – The Longest-Serving First-Time Non-Violent Offender in Federal History

March 8, 2020 Activist, Artist, Crime 57:06

George Martorana is our guest for this episode of the Philly Blunt. In the 1970’s and early 1980’s George was selling marijuana in the Philly area. Some reports say that he was moving upwards of $75 million dollars a year of the stuff. He caught the attention of the FBI and they ended up busting a truckload of marijuana that they tied back to Martorano. In 1984, following the advice of his attorney, he pleaded guilty to multiple drug charges, under the impression that he’d be expected to serve 40-50 months, as the prosecution recommended.

George, as a first-time non-violent offender, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The only way he was to leave prison was in a body bag. At the time, it was the longest prison term ever to be imposed on a first time non-violent offender in American history.

While in prison, George was subjected to five years of underground solitary confinement and sentenced to Marion, the worst of the federal prisons.

George served 32 years as a model prisoner and is only a free man due to the President Obama’s prison reform plan for drug offenders who had received harsh sentences.

While in prison George became a prolific writer, having authored over 31 books. He became a teacher while behind bars and worked to take inmates out of gangs and into the classroom. As a teacher, he helped over 8,000 inmates earn their GED. He traded peanut butter for a man’s life. He also is credited with preventing a hijacking of a Con-Air aircraft by prisoners while flying from Philadelphia to Oklahoma for an appeal.

George is now an inspirational speaker and an advocate for cannabis reform. He is also the owner of Hip Hemp Cafe, Philadelphia’s first CBD lounge, on 7th Street just south of South Street.

It’s a fascinating discussion that we hope you enjoy.

LINKS:
HIP HEMP CAFE: www/Instagram/Facebook

George Anastasia Tells All About the Philly Mob

October 22, 2019 Crime, Entertainment, Writers 41:05

This episode is tailor-made for any fan of true crime. George Anastasia probably knows more about the Philly Mafia than any other civilian. He covered the Philly Mob and local organized crime for over thirty years for the Philadelphia Inquirer and is currently doing video updates with Dave Schratwieser for PhillyVoice.com.

George discussed how a guy from Dartmouth with a degree in French and no journalism education ended up at the Philly Inquirer and how covering the Atlantic City beat led him to a career covering organized crime.

George sheds light on the history of the Philly Mob as well as what he knows about power struggles and specific incidents. We discuss the future of the Italian mafia and competition from other organized crime groups like the Russian mob and what their differences are.

We recorded this one at the Kitchen Consigliere in Collingswood, New Jersey. Kitchen Consigliere is owned by chef Angelo Lutz, who is George’s friend and ended up doing some time for incidents of his past life.

LINKS:

George Anastasia: Philly Voice

Kitchen Consigliere: www/facebook

Larry Lavin: Philly’s Former Cocaine King Tells All.

January 21, 2019 Crime 44:19

In the mid-1970s, Larry Lavin started attending dental school at Penn. As he says in the podcast, “Things were so different back then.” Drugs flowed freely and casually. In his sophomore year, he joined a fraternity, where one of the brothers sold pot. Larry took his minor operation and expanded it. Soon he was BMOC, the biggest pot dealer at Penn. He wasn’t making a fortune, but the dental student, who had grown up poor, was enjoying the spending cash. 

But in the late 1970s, there was a national crackdown on pot. And as the orders got larger, it became harder to get the smelly and bulky substance distributed safely. Enter cocaine. As Larry said, “Why carry an elephant on your back when you can carry an elephant in your pocket?” Lighter, much easier to transport…and addictive. Larry would study all day, then get to work at night, running his rapidly expanding empire. 

By the early 1980s, the one time frat pot dealer was a multimillionaire, and looking for ways to diversify (as JGT said in the podcast, “Larry was Stringer Bell.”) Enter Mark Stewart, who encouraged him to pour his money and resources into the music business. Soon they had an artist, Frankie Smith, with a big hit, the Double Dutch Bus. Larry was greasing palms in the music business, trying to make the song a hit. Little did he know that the songs success would actually bring down his drug and music empire. Find out how in the latest installment of the Philly Blunt! 

Links:
Johnny Brenda’s: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram