Charles Gampero was arrested and charged with the 2nd degree after a bar fight to which he
Aggravated assault; was found Guilty
Murder; was found Guilty
Murder; Entered a plea bargain
Aggravated assault; Pleaded Not Guilty
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is: Murder; Entered a plea bargain.
In December 1994, Charles Gampero Jr. was arrested and charged with second-degree murder following the death of John Weingrad outside a Brooklyn bowling alley. Gampero maintained his innocence, asserting that he had only struck Weingrad once during an attempt to break up a fight and that Weingrad was alive when he left the scene. Despite his insistence on going to trial, Gampero faced intense pressure from the presiding judge, Francis Egitto, who warned that a guilty verdict at trial would result in a maximum sentence of 25 years to life. The judge even had Gampero’s family witness another defendant receive such a sentence, further intensifying the pressure
Under this duress, Gampero accepted a plea bargain, pleading guilty to manslaughter in exchange for a sentence of 7 to 21 years. During the plea hearing, Judge Egitto insisted on a detailed confession. When Gampero’s account didn’t align with the judge’s expectations, the judge effectively dictated the events, and Gampero acquiesced, responding affirmatively to the judge’s version of the incident
Subsequent investigations revealed that other individuals may have assaulted Weingrad after Gampero left the scene. Three witnesses came forward, stating they saw others beating Weingrad post-Gampero’s departure. Even Weingrad’s father, a former investigator, expressed doubts about Gampero’s guilt, criticizing the police investigation and suggesting that Gampero was not the person who killed his so
Gampero’s case highlights the complexities and potential pitfalls of the plea bargaining system, where defendants may feel compelled to plead guilty under the threat of harsher sentences, even when they maintain their innocence. His experience underscores concerns about the voluntariness of guilty pleas and the importance of ensuring that such decisions are made without coercion.
