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Anthony
ANTONE
Classification:
Murderer
Number of victims: 1
1975
Victim profile: Richard
Cloud
(Tampa private detective)
Location: Hillsborough
County, Florida, USA
Status:
Executed by
electrocution in Florida on January 26, 1984
Capital punishment is a
controversial subject. And although a Harris Survey indicates that 68%
of the American public favor the death penalty, nevertheless, it is
still the kind of subject that tends to polarize people. Either one is
for it or against it; there just does not seem to be much middle
ground on the subject. Back when I first penned this article, there
were 1,289 individuals on death rows in thirty-four states.
At that time, the last man to
have been executed was sixty-six year-old Anthony Antone, who was
electrocuted in Florida. Antone, an Organized Crime figure, was
convicted of the contract murder of Richard Cloud, a former working
associate of mine. While Dick was a detective with the Tampa Police
Department and I was a detective with the Hillsborough County
Sheriff's Office, we worked on several cases together. I remember,
fondly, a commendation I received from the Los Angeles Police
Department that was the direct result of Dick's invaluable assistance
on a very important investigation. (Incidentally, this was back when
the LAPD was known as the finest police department in the country.)
Richard Cloud was the kind of
policeman of which stories are written and movies are made. He was
tenacious, unorthodox, implacable, and, unfortunately, very, very
tough. (He was fired from the TPD for using “excessive force.”) When
Det. Cloud was assigned a case, he did not let up until the
perpetrator was arrested, convicted, and serving time. Needless to say,
Det. Cloud was the kind of man who made enemies.
In fact, it seems he was
always receiving death threats, and on several occasions it had even
been rumored that certain individuals had put a contract out on him.
Unfortunately, when Cloud was fired from the police department, he was
no longer “protected.”
In other words, it is a well-known
fact that gangsters do not usually kill police officers, because they
do not want the entire law enforcement community breathing down their
necks. But Anthony Antone, evidently thinking that Cloud was “safe,”
put a contract out on Cloud and he was murdered as he answered a knock
at the front door of his home. He was shot several times by a hit-man
who posed as a door-to-door salesman. He left a wife and young son.
I find it extremely ironic
that when Anthony Antone became the twelfth person to be executed
since 1976, his final statement to the press was, “Father, forgive
them, for they know not what they do.”
HOMER REX DAVIS
HARVEY DAVENPORT
GEORGE ABRAHAM DE FEIS
JAMES ROSATI, and
EDWARD STONE,
the defendants herein, did unlawfully, willfully,
and knowingly conspire, combine, confederate, and agree together, .
. . to commit certain offenses against the United States, to wit: to
violate Title 18, United States Code, Section 1962(c).
2. It was a part of said conspiracy that the
defendants were associated with an enterprise as defined by Section
1961(4), Title 18, United States Code, which enterprise was engaged
in and the activities of which affected interstate commerce, to wit:
a group of individuals associated in fact to engage in various
criminal activities including (1) "contract" murders, . . . (2)
armed robberies, . . . (3) possessing and dealing in narcotics, . .
. (4) possessing and dealing in counterfeit United States currency,
. . . (5) possessing and dealing in stolen United States Treasury
bills, . . . (6) obstruction of justice, . . .
3. It was a further part of the conspiracy that
the defendants would conspire to conduct and participate, directly
and indirectly, in the conduct of the enterprise's affairs through a
pattern of racketeering activities.
4. It was a further part of the conspiracy that
the defendants ANTHONY ANTONE, MANUEL GISPERT, ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW,
and BENJAMIN FOY GILFORD solicited and received "contracts" to
murder various individuals.
5. It was a further part of the conspiracy that
the defendant FRANK DIECIDUE arranged for a murder contract on one
Jose Manuel Garcia.
6. It was a further part of the conspiracy that
the defendant VICTOR MANUEL ACOSTA hired the defendant ANTHONY
ANTONE to arrange for the "contract" murder of Bernard Dempsey,
Cesar Rodriguez, Richard Cloud, and others.
7. It was further a part of said conspiracy that
VICTOR MANUEL ACOSTA, ANTHONY ANTONE, ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW, and
BENJAMIN FOY GILFORD murdered Richard Cloud to prevent him from
testifying . . ..
8. It was a further part of the conspiracy that
the defendants ANTHONY ANTONE, MANUEL GISPERT, and ELLIS MARLOW
HASKEW would obtain dynamite from the defendants FRANK BONI, JR.,
a/k/a "MUSTACHE FRANKIE", and HOMER REX DAVIS, and would manufacture
destructive devices and triggering mechanisms to carry out the
aforementioned "contract" murders.
9. It was a further part of the conspiracy that
the defendants ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW, MANUEL GISPERT, BENJAMIN FOY
GILFORD, and ANTHONY ANTONE would utilize automatic handguns,
shotguns, high powered rifles, silencers, specially equipped
vehicles, and explosive devices in their efforts to carry out
various "contract" murders.
10. It was a further part of the conspiracy that
the defendants ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW, BENJAMIN FOY GILFORD, and LARRY
NEIL MILLER would commit various armed robberies to obtain money and
other property in part to finance the murder operation.
11. It was further part of the conspiracy that
the defendants ANTHONY ANTONE, MANUEL GISPERT, VICTOR MANUEL ACOSTA,
FRANK BONI, JR., a/k/a "MUSTACHE FRANKIE", ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW, and
others engaged in the possession, sale and distribution of cocaine
in part to supply their own narcotic use and in part to finance
their various criminal activities.
12. It was further part of the conspiracy that
the defendants ANTHONY ANTONE, JAMES ROSATI, GEORGE ABRAHAM DE FEIS,
HARVEY DAVENPORT, LARRY NEIL MILLER, ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW, and others
would fraudulently possess and distribute counterfeit United States
currency in part to finance their various criminal activities.
13. It was further part of the conspiracy that
the defendants ANTHONY ANTONE, VICTOR MANUEL ACOSTA, GEORGE ABRAHAM
DE FEIS, JAMES ROSATI, ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW, and others would possess
and attempt to sell stolen United States Treasury bills in part to
finance their various criminal activities.
OVERT ACTS
14. In furtherance of the said conspiracy . . .
the following overt acts, among others were committed:
a. In or about June 1975, in Tampa, Florida,
FRANK DIECIDUE, MANUEL GISPERT, and ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW did
unlawfully, willfully and with premeditation attempt to murder Jose
Manuel Garcia utilizing a shotgun.
b. On or about June 14, 1975, FRANK BONI, JR.,
a/k/a "MUSTACHE FRANKIE", transferred to MANUEL GISPERT and ELLIS
MARLOW HASKEW approximately thirty (30) sticks of dynamite together
with a quantity of blasting caps near Yeehaw Junction, Florida.
c. On or about June 21, 1975, MANUEL GISPERT and
ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW distributed cocaine to FRANK BONI, JR., a/k/a "MUSTACHE
FRANKIE", in the Southern District of Florida.
d. On or about June 27, 1975, ANTHONY ANTONE
manufactured a destructive device in Tampa, Florida.
e. On or about June 28, 1975, in Tampa, Florida,
ANTHONY ANTONE, MANUEL GISPERT, and ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW placed a
destructive device on a vehicle operated by Jose Manuel Garcia.
f. On or about June 29, 1975, in Tampa, Florida,
the destructive device referred to in Overt Act "e" exploded,
injuring Jose Manuel Garcia.
g. In or about July 1975, Jose Manuel Garcia
hired MANUEL GISPERT to murder Cesar Rodriguez.
h. On or about July 28, 1975, MANUEL GISPERT
received approximately twenty (20) sticks of dynamite from HOMER REX
DAVIS in Tampa, Florida.
i. On or about July 29, 1975, ANTHONY ANTONE
manufactured and constructed a destructive device in Tampa, Florida.
j. On or about July 30, 1975, MANUEL GISPERT and
ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW traveled from Tampa, Florida, to Winter Park,
Florida, in an automobile furnished by VICTOR MANUEL ACOSTA, for the
purpose of murdering Bernard Dempsey.
k. On or about July 31, 1975, in Tampa, Florida
MANUEL GISPERT and ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW placed a destructive device
on a vehicle owned by Cesar Rodriguez.
l. On or about July 31, 1975, in Tampa, Florida,
the destructive device referred to in Overt Act "k" exploded,
injuring Peter Kadyk.
m. In or about August 1975, ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW
had a telephone conversation with FRANK DIECIDUE in Tampa, Florida,
concerning payment for services rendered in connection with the Jose
Manuel Garcia bombing.
n. . . .
o. On or about September 17, 1975, ELLIS MARLOW
HASKEW and BENJAMIN FOY GILFORD attempted to murder Cesar Rodriguez
with a sawed-off double barrel shotgun which had been furnished by
EDWARD STONE.
p. After September 17, 1975, and prior to October
23, 1975, ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW and EDWARD STONE discussed
modification of a van from which a high powered rifle could be fired
for use in future contract murders.
q. On or about September 25, 1975, ELLIS MARLOW
HASKEW and BENJAMIN FOY GILFORD committed an armed robbery on
Beatrice Emery in Tampa, Florida.
r. In or about October 1975, VICTOR MANUEL ACOSTA
furnished a silencer and a .32 caliber automatic pistol to ANTHONY
ANTONE in Tampa, Florida.
s. On or about October 1, 1975, ELLIS MARLOW
HASKEW and BENJAMIN FOY GILFORD committed an armed robbery on A. M.
Lee in Lakeland, Florida.
t. On or about October 15, 1975, ELLIS MARLOW
HASKEW, BENJAMIN FOY GILFORD, and LARRY NEIL MILLER committed an
armed robbery on Marina Fawcett in Zephyrhills, Florida.
u. On or about October 23, 1975, BENJAMIN FOY
GILFORD murdered Richard Cloud in Tampa, Florida.
v. . . .
w. . . .
x. In or about November 1975, ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW
delivered approximately one kilogram of cocaine to ANTHONY ANTONE in
Tampa, Florida.
y. . . .
z. On or about December 20, 1975, LARRY NEIL
MILLER passed counterfeit United States currency in Clearwater,
Florida.
a.a. . . .
b.b. On or about February 26, 1976, ANTHONY
ANTONE possessed approximately eight thousand nine hundred fifty
dollars ($8,950) in counterfeit United States currency in Tampa,
Florida.
All in violation of Sections 1961 and 1962(d),
Title 18, United States Code.
The Grand Jury further charges:
COUNT TWO
1. From on or about May 30, 1975, up to and
including the date of the filing of this indictment, in the Middle
District of Florida and elsewhere,
FRANK DIECIDUE
VICTOR MANUEL ACOSTA
ANTHONY ANTONE
MANUEL GISPERT
ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW
BENJAMIN FOY GILFORD, and
LARRY NEIL MILLER,
the defendants herein, being persons associated
with an enterprise as defined by Section 1961(4), Title 18, United
States Code, which enterprise was engaged in and the activities of
which affected interstate commerce, to wit: a group of individuals
associated in fact to engage in various criminal activities
including (1) "contract" murders, . . . (2) armed robberies, . . .
(3) possessing and dealing in narcotics, . . . (4) possessing and
dealing in counterfeit United States currency, . . . (5) possessing
and dealing in stolen United States Treasury bills, . . . (6)
obstruction of justice, . . . did unlawfully, willfully, and
knowingly conduct and participate, directly and indirectly, in the
conduct of such enterprise's affairs through a pattern of
racketeering activities.
2. The pattern of racketeering activities as
defined by Section 1961(1), Title 18, United States Code, engaged in
and conducted by the defendants includes the Federal violations
charged in Counts Nine, Ten, Eleven and Twelve of this indictment,
which are alleged and incorporated in this Count by reference as if
fully set forth herein, the State murder offenses chargeable under
Sections 782.04 and 777.04, Florida Statutes Annotated, Volume 22,
and the State robbery offenses chargeable under Section 812.13,
Florida Statutes Annotated, Volume 22, which are described below:
a. Acts of Racketeering Involving Murder:
(1) (same as Count One, overt act a.)
(2) On or about June 29, 1975, in Tampa, Florida,
ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW, MANUEL GISPERT, ANTHONY ANTONE, and FRANK
DIECIDUE did unlawfully, willfully, and with premeditation attempt
to murder Jose Manuel Garcia, a human being, utilizing a destructive
device.
(3) On or about July 30, 1975, in Winter Park,
Florida, ANTHONY ANTONE, MANUEL GISPERT, and ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW did
unlawfully, willfully, and with premeditation attempt to murder
Bernard Dempsey, a human being.
(4) On or about July 31, 1975, in Tampa, Florida,
ANTHONY ANTONE, MANUEL GISPERT, and ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW did
unlawfully, willfully, and with premeditation attempt to murder
Cesar Rodriguez, a human being, utilizing a destructive device.
(5) On or about September 17, 1975, in Tampa,
Florida, ANTHONY ANTONE, BENJAMIN FOY GILFORD, and ELLIS MARLOW
HASKEW did unlawfully, willfully, and with premeditation attempt to
murder Cesar Rodriguez, a human being, with a sawed-off double
barrel shotgun.
(6) On or about October 23, 1975, in Tampa,
Florida, VICTOR MANUEL ACOSTA, ANTHONY ANTONE, BENJAMIN FOY GILFORD,
and ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW did unlawfully, knowingly, and with
premeditation murder Richard Cloud, a human being.
b. Acts of Racketeering Involving Robbery:
(1) (substantially same as Count One, overt act
t.)
All in violation of Sections 1961, 1962(c), 1963,
and 2, Title 18, United States Code.
The Grand Jury further charges:
COUNT THREE
On or about June 28, 1975, at Tampa, Florida, in
the Middle District of Florida,
FRANK DIECIDUE
ANTHONY ANTONE
MANUEL GISPERT, and
ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW,
the defendants herein, knowingly possessed, and
aided and abetted, counseled, commanded, and procured the possession
of, a firearm, that is a destructive device which consisted of
dynamite, electric blasting caps, a 9-volt battery, and an
electrical switch,. . . said possession being a violation of Section
5861(c), Title 26, United States Code, and Section 2, Title 18,
United States Code.
The Grand Jury further charges:
COUNT FOUR
On or about June 29, 1975, at Tampa, Florida, in
the Middle District of Florida,
FRANK DIECIDUE
ANTHONY ANTONE
MANUEL GISPERT, and
ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW,
defendants herein, aided and abetted by each
other, maliciously damaged and destroyed, by means of an explosive,
a vehicle . . . used by Jose Manuel Garcia in interstate commerce
and in activities affecting interstate commerce, and caused personal
injuries to said Jose Manuel Garcia; in violation of Sections 844(i)
and 2, Title 18, United States Code.
The Grand Jury further charges:
COUNT FIVE
On or about July 29, 1975, at Tampa, Florida, in
the Middle District of Florida,
ANTHONY ANTONE
MANUEL GISPERT
ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW and
HOMER REX DAVIS,
defendants herein, knowingly possessed, and aided
and abetted, counseled, commanded, and procured the possession of, a
firearm, that is a destructive device which consisted of dynamite,
electric blasting caps, a 9-volt battery and an electrical switch,
which had been transferred to them in violation of Chapter 53, Title
26, United States Code, in that none of the requirements of Section
5812(a) regarding such transfer had been complied with; said
possession being in violation of Section 5861(b), Title 26, United
States Code, and Section 2, Title 18, United States Code.
The Grand Jury further charges:
COUNT SIX
On or about July 31, 1975, at Tampa, Florida, in
the Middle District of Florida,
ANTHONY ANTONE
MANUEL GISPERT and
ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW,
the defendants herein, knowingly possessed a
firearm, that is a destructive device which consisted of dynamite,
electric blasting caps, a 9-volt battery, and an electrical switch,
. . . said possession being a violation of Section 5861(c), Title
26, United States Code, and Section 2, Title 18, United States Code.
The Grand Jury further charges:
COUNT SEVEN
On or about July 31, 1975, at Tampa, Florida, in
the Middle District of Florida,
ANTHONY ANTONE
MANUEL GISPERT and
ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW,
the defendants herein, aided and abetted by each
other, maliciously damaged and destroyed, by means of an explosive,
a vehicle, . . . used by Cesar Rodriguez in interstate commerce and
in activities affecting interstate commerce, and caused personal
injuries to Peter Kadyk; in violation of Sections 844(i) and 2,
Title 18, United States Code.
The Grand Jury further charges:
COUNT EIGHT
In or about October 1975, at Tampa, Florida, in
the Middle District of Florida,
ANTHONY ANTONE
MANUEL GISPERT
ELLIS MARLOW HASKEW
BENJAMIN FOY GILFORD and
LARRY NEIL MILLER,
the defendants herein, knowingly received and
possessed, and aided and abetted, counseled, commanded, induced and
procured the receipt and possession of a firearm, that is, a
silencer for a .32 caliber automatic pistol which had been
transferred to said defendants in violation of Chapter 53, Title 26,
United States Code, in that none of the requirements of Section
5812(a) regarding such transfer had been complied with; said
possession being in violation of Sections 5861(b) and 5861(d), Title
26, United States Code.
The Grand Jury further charges:
COUNT NINE
On or about October 23, 1975, in the Middle
District of Florida, VICTOR MANUEL ACOSTA, ANTHONY ANTONE, ELLIS
MARLOW HASKEW, and BENJAMIN FOY GILFORD did unlawfully, willfully,
and knowingly corruptly endeavor to obstruct and impede the due
administration of justice in the United States District Court for
the Middle District of Florida; that is, (they) did willfully,
knowingly and with premeditation murder Richard Cloud, a witness, to
prevent said witness from testifying before the United States
District Court . .. and to prevent said witness from testifying
before a Federal Grand Jury . . . .
All in violation of Sections 1503, and 2, Title
18, United States Code.
The Grand Jury further charges:
COUNT TEN
In or about November 1975, at Tampa, Florida, in
the Middle District of Florida, ANTHONY ANTONE, the defendant herein,
did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute
approximately one kilogram of cocaine, . . . in violation of Section
841(a)(1), Title 21, United States Code.
The Grand Jury further charges:
COUNT ELEVEN
On or about December 20, 1975, in Clearwater,
Florida, in the Middle District of Florida, the defendant LARRY NEIL
MILLER did unlawfully and with intent to defraud, pass, utter, and
publish a counterfeit obligation of the United States, . . . at
Gayfers Department Store, then knowing said obligation to be
counterfeit, in violation of Section 472, Title 18, United States
Code.
The Grand Jury further charges:
COUNT TWELVE
On or about February 26, 1976, at Tampa, Florida,
in the Middle District of Florida, the defendant ANTHONY ANTONE did
unlawfully, and with intent to defraud, keep in his possession and
conceal falsely made, forged, and counterfeited obligations of the
United States, . . . and he then knew that such obligations were
counterfeit; in violation of Section 472, Title 18, United States
Code.
(Portions of the indictment which are not
relevant to this decision have been deleted).
This issue is raised in connection with Count
One of the indictment by defendant Boni who was charged only in
that count. However, because defendants have adopted all relevant
arguments of codefendants' briefs, we consider the issue as it
applies to Count Two, the substantive RICO violation, as well