South Philadelphia Mob Soldier Indicted For Murder

Veteran organized crime reporter George Anastasia is covering the trial of a suspected South Philadelphia mob hitman for Bigtrial.net.

Mobster Anthony Nicodemo has been indicted on first degree murder and conspiracy charges in the shooting death of a South Philadelphia drug dealer and suspected government informant.

The indictment was announced this afternoon at a status hearing for Nicodemo in Common Pleas Court. The 41-year-old mobster, who has been held without bail since his arrest in December, did not attend the session.

His lawyer, Brian McMonagle, declined to comment.

The indictment is expected to up the ante in the case against Nicodemo who now faces life in prison or a potential death sentence for the murder of Gino DiPietro. The case has also fueled speculation about whether Nicodemo, long a suspect in a second gangland murder, would agree to cooperate in order to get out from under his legal problems.

The conspiracy charge in the DiPietro case would seem to indicate that authorities believe Nicodemo did not act alone in carrying out the hit. In fact, several sources have said investigators believe he may have been the driver, rather than the shooter, in a slaying that one police source has called one of "the dumbest" mob hits in Philadelphia history.

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.bigtrial.net/2013/03/mob-soldier-indicted-for-murder.html#more

You can also read coverage of the case by Robert Moran at the Philadelphia Inquirer via the below link:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20130311_Reputed_mobster_indicted_in_South_Philly_slaying.html