IN THAT TRIAL, PAPANIER SUCCESSFULLY TESTIFIED THAT HE WAS NOT A MEMBER OF THE MAFIA, THAT HE ONLY HAD "LOOSE" CONNECTIONS TO THE MOB, AND THAT HE HAD DROPPED THEM IN AN EFFORT TO "CHANGE MY LIFE".

HE ALSO TESTIFIED THAT HE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MURDERS OF JOSEPH CAM, A DRUG DEALING PARTNER OF THE MAN TOM WORKED AS A BODYGUARD FOR, AND DANIEL "DANNY" FORGIONE, A UNION BOSS FROM FLORIDA.

BASED ON THAT TESTIMONY, THOMAS ANTHONY PAPANIER [Tommy Papanier/ PAPANIA] WAS ACQUITTED OF THE CHARGE OF CONSPIRACY TO MURDER DANIEL "DANNY" FORGIONE AND CONSPIRACY TO TRAFFIC IN COCAINE.

YET, SOON AFTER THE TRIAL, TOM BEGAN A CAREER OF TELLING A STORY THAT STATED THAT HE WAS A HIGH RANKING MEMBER OF THE MOB, THE GAMBINO ORGANIZATION TO BE EXACT.

HE THEN BEGAN TO ADD THE CONTENTS OF THE VERY TRIAL FACTS AS HIS OWN; INCLUDING TAKING RESPONSIBILITY OF ORDERING AN EXAMPLE BE MADE OF JOSEPH CAM FOR THE KIDNAPPING OF HIS BOSS, CARL COPPOLA, WHO WAS CONVICTED IN THE SAME TRIAL.

Coppola tied to 2 murders by witness
BYLINE: EPSTEIN, GAIL Gail Epstein Staff Writer STAFF
DATE: February 25, 1987
PUBLICATION: The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution
EDITION: The Atlanta Journal
SECTION: LOCAL NEWS
PAGE: C/1
Testimony this morning in the federal trial of accused racketeer Carl Coppola linked him to two murders, one of which was allegedly planned in the Dunwoody house of co-defendant Tommy Papanier. Joseph Lee testified he, Coppola, Papanier and associate Alexander Biscuiti met in January 1984 to plot the murder of Danny Forgione. Forgione was fatally shot six times at close range in Florida in March 1984.

THOMAS ANTHONY PAPANIER BEGAN TO SELL HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AUDIO AND VIDEO TAPES WHERE HE TOLD THE SAME STORY.

HEY TOM, SEE, YOU LIE, YOU CON FOLKS, BUT GOD SEES IT ALL!

WHAT WILL YOU SAY NOW?

WILL YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE BEING SUED FOR SOMETHING YOU HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH?

THAT GOD SET YOU FREE CAUSE YOU WERE INNOCENT OF THE CRIMES?

THAT YOU PROVED THAT YOU WERE NEVER A MOBSTER OR MEMBER OF THE MAFIA, LET ALONE THE GAMBINO ORGANIZATION AT THE SAME TRIAL AND WERE ACQUITTED?

BUT, YOU HAVE SAID FOR THE LAST 9 YEARS, THAT YOU ROBBED A SOCIAL CLUB 4 TIMES AS A TEEN AND THEN WAS SENT TO SHOOT TWO PEOPLE AND WAS TURNED IN BY GAMBINO HIMSELF TO SEE IF YOU WOULD TALK AND WERE SENTENCED TO TWO 5 TO TEN YEAR SENTENCES WHICH YOU SERVED AND THEN WAS INDUCTED INTO THE MOB AFTER YOUR RELEASE?

SO, WHICH IS TRUE AND WHICH IS A LIE?

MAKES NO DIFFERENCE THAT THE FACT IS THAT YOU WERE TWENTY WHEN YOU COMMITTED BURGLARIES AND THEFT RATHER THAN THE SHOOTING OF ANYONE! AND THAT THE USAF WAS INVOLVED. AND WHEN YOU RETURNED TO NY, YOU LIVED WITH YOUR MOTHER UNTIL YOU WERE MARRIED.

SO, WHAT WILL BE THE STORY NOW, WERE OR WERE NOT? DID OR DID NOT?

EITHER WAY, IT LOOKS LIKE TOM WILL HAVE TO MAKE ANOTHER ARRANGEMENT TO PAY OFF SOME MORE PEOPLE OR GO DOWN FOR THE COUNT!

WORD IS THAT IT IS ALAN BERGMAN, THE HIGH PROFILE ATTORNEY IN ATLANTA WHO ALSO PERFORMS LEGAL WORK FOR MANY STRIP CLUBS AND PORN BUSINESS IN ATLANTA, WHO IS HANDLING THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH JOEY FORGIONE'S COUNCIL.

THIS IS THE SAME ATTORNEY WHO HANDLED TOM'S LEGAL DEFENSE DURING THE TRIAL, THE SAME ATTORNEY WHO APPEARED ON TV IN ATLANTA IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT ACCUSED TOM OF BEING A MEMBER OF THE MAFIA, WHEN, IN FACT, THE PROSECUTORS MADE A DIRECT COMMENT DURING CLOSING ARGUMENTS THAT THEY NEVER WERE ACCUSING TOM OF BEING A MEMBER OF THE MAFIA...

"OH! PLEASE, MR. GOD, IF YOU ONLY GET ME OUT OF THIS I PROMISE...."

WELL MR. PAPANIA, WE AWAIT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS NEW AND BRIGHT STAR ON THE HORIZON, THE ONE THAT BRINGS LIGHT INTO DARKNESS. WILL YOU DEFEND YOURSELF, OR PAY $$ ONCE MORE TO ANOTHER WHO HAD A CLAIM AGAINST YOUR CON....

Jimmy DiCanio
Staff Writer