# United States v. DeLuca, 137 F.3d 24 (1st Cir. 1998)

Canonical: https://mobfiles.org/items/courtlistener-us-v-deluca-137-f3d-24/

First Circuit opinion of February 27, 1998 affirming the convictions of Robert P. DeLuca, Sr. and Gerard T. Ouimette for extortionate collection of credit in Rhode Island in 1994 and 1995. Its main issue was spectator screening at the trial.

United States Court of Appeals, First Circuit, decided February 27, 1998; rehearing was denied on April 14, 1998. Robert P. DeLuca, Sr. and Gerard T. Ouimette were convicted of conspiring to use, and aiding the use of, extortionate means to collect extensions of credit (18 U.S.C. § 894). The charges arose from two alleged extortion schemes in 1994 and 1995, one aimed at a Rhode Island factory and restaurant owner. The court affirmed.

The main question on appeal was whether screening of spectators by the United States Marshals Service violated the Sixth Amendment right to a public trial. The court held that it did not require reversal.

A footnote states that "a RICO conspiracy indictment previously filed in United States v. DeLuca, Crim. No. 94-10287-MLW (D.Mass.), alleged that DeLuca Sr. belonged to the Patriarca crime family." That is an indictment's allegation as the court reports it. The same district-court number is the Salemme case filed with this record.

## Sources

- CourtListener (Free Law Project), text of the opinion: https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/751763/united-states-v-robert-p-deluca-sr-united-states-of-america-v-gerard/