The Nation - News from March 7, 1989

U.S. District Judge John Sprizzo in Manhattan granted defense motions to drop conspiracy charges against seven of the 14 defendants in the “Pizza Connection II” drug conspiracy trial. His ruling meant five of the defendants walked free, while other charges remained against the two others. The defendants were accused of participating in an international ring smuggling heroin and cocaine that was tied to the 1987 “Pizza Connection” trial that convicted 17 of 18 defendants, all members or associates of the Mafia in the United States and Italy. The judge said he took the action against defendants who were not aware of what others were doing in the alleged ring.