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Photos: Bloomgarden murder trial

Self-styled mobster Howard Bloomgarden sits next to attorney Linden Millard during his murder trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Bloomgarden was accused of ordering the kidnappings and killings of two men in 1994.

Self-styled mobster Howard Bloomgarden sits next to attorney Linden Millard during his murder trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Bloomgarden was accused of ordering the kidnappings and killings of two men in 1994.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Self-styled mobster Howard Bloomgarden confessed in federal court to ordering the killings of two Redondo Beach men. But his confession was ruled inadmissible in his murder trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Prosecutors were determined to win a death sentence for him anyway.

Bloomgarden murder trial

Los Angeles County Deputy Dist. Atty. Geoffrey Lewin was assigned the Howard Bloomgarden case, filed in 1996, in 2011. “It was originally thought of as a pretty simple case,” he said.   (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Bloomgarden murder trial

Lead defense attorney Jack M. Earley, left, and Deputy Dist. Atty. Geoffrey Lewin at the Howard Bloomgarden murder trial. During closing arguments, Earley said the star prosecution witness was “bought” by taking a plea deal.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Bloomgarden murder trial

Howard Bloomgarden began dealing drugs while a student at the University of Miami, with the help of his close friend Peter Kovach, court records show. He was accused of having Kovach kidnapped and killed in 1994.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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