Late Italian Magistrate Giovanni Falcone Remembered in Washington, DC

Mass at Holy Rosary Church in Washington DC

Italian magistrate Giovanni  Falcone, who was assassinated in Sicily in 1992, was  remembered by the Italian American community  in Washington, DC at a solemn mass held at Holy Rosary Church in Washington, DC.  The event was organized by Giannicola Sinisi, Justice Attache at the Italian Embassy in Washington, who was a colleague of Falcone.  Monsignor Marco Sprizzi of the Papal Nunciature and Father Lydio Tomasi, Pastor of Holy Rosary Church, celebrated the mass.  Minister Sebastiano Cardi, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Italian Embassy spoke about Falcone’s contributions to law enforcement, not just in Italy but also in the United States through his collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Also speaking at the event was Carmine Russo, a retired Special Agent of the FBI, who recounted his meeting and subsequent collaboration with Giovanni Falcone.

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Italian American Hero Giuseppe Petrosino Commemorated in Washington

On October 8, 2009, a wreath-laying ceremony commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the assassination in Sicily of Joseph Petrosino, a New York police lieutenant, was held at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.  Participating in the event were Craig W. Floyd, the chairman and chief executive of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial fund and Robert Leonardi, director general for international affairs for the Region of Sicily. Italian Embassy officials, deputy chief of mission Sebastiano Cardi and justice attache Giannicola Sinisi presented the wreath, which was donated by the Region of Sicily.  Master Sergeant Antonio Giuliano sang the American and Italian national anthems; the invocation was given by Monsignor Salvatore Crisculo, chaplain of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. Also attending were representatives of the Sons of Italy, the National Italian American Foundation, and the Friends of Charles Bonaparte.

Theodore Roosevelt, in his capacity as N.Y. Police Commissioner, personally promoted Petrosino to Sergeant of Detectives on July 20, 1895, making him the first Italian American to lead the department’s homicide division.  In December 1908, Petrosino was promoted to Lieutenant and given command of the Italian Squad whose mission was to curtail the criminal activities of the Mafia and the Mano Nera.  In 1909, Petrosino traveled to Italy to identify criminals who had immigrated to the United States.  He was shot and killed in Palermo on March 12, 1909.  More than a quarter-million people attended his funeral in Queens, N.Y.  He remains the only N.Y. police officer to die in the line of duty outside of the United States.  Petrosino’s name is engraved at the National Law Enforcement Officers’ memorial on Panel 56-E.

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Assassination of Petrosino Commemorated in Washington – NIAF Executive Director Criticizes Media Treatment of Italian Americans

At a ceremony held on March 12, 2009, at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, to commemorate the assassination of Giuseppe “Joe” Petrosino, James Di Santis, Executive Director of the National Italian American Foundation, said that it was important to recall the story of Lt. Petrosino because “too many journalists still feel comfortable in drawing associations between Italian Americans and organized crime. ”  De Santis said that the media “overlooks our strenghts as an ethnic group that still cherishes a strong family structure, deep religious convictions and a passion for doing what is right.”

The commemoration was sponsored by the Friends of Charles Bonaparte, a group of current and former U.S. Department of Justice officials who support an annual ceremony commemorating Bonaparte, the 46th Attorney General and the Founder of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Attending the event were senior officials of the U.S. Department of Justice, Lou Scalfari, the President of the Lido Civic Club, the oldest Italian American civic organization inthe Nation’s Capital, and Pino Cicala, the Italian American voice in Washington DC and producer of Antenna Italia.

Francesco Isgro, a co-founder of the of the Friends of Charles Bonaparte, said in his welcoming remarks that the anniversary of the assasination of Petrosini was “an event that should not go unnoticed by all Americans and especially Italian Americans.”  Father Lydio Tomasi, Pastor of the National Italian parish, Holy Rosary Church gave an invocation.  Joe Grano, the Chair of the Constantino Brumidi Society and also an organizer of the event, recounted the life of Petrosino from his roots in Padula near Salerno,  to his funeral in New York City where more than 200,000 people lined up the streets during his funeral procession.

Hon. Francis M. Allegra, federal judge for the U.S. Court of Claims, and a former DOJ official, spoke about the “rule of law” and how all enforcement officers whose names are engraved on the Memorial, including Jospeh Petrosino, sacrificed their lives to uphold the rule of law.

NIAF’s National Executive Director, said that it was important that we recognize “modern-day Lt. Petrosino’s who dedicate their lives to sustaining a society that is characterized by its respect for the law. We can all take great pride in those Italian Americans in law enforcement, the legal profession and the bench who carry out their responsibilities with dignity, fairness and passion.”

Folllowing the remarks, the attendees placed red roses on the wall were Petrosino’s name is engraved for eternity.

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Giuseppe "Joe" Petrosino's Assassination To Be Commemorated In Washington, DC

The 100th Anniversary of the assassination of NYC Lt. Giuseppe (“Joe”) Petrosino in Sicily will be commemorated at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial on March 12, 2009, at 12:00 Noon. The event is sponsored by the Friends of Charles Bonaparte, and by Italian American Organizations in the Washington Metropolitan area.  Click here for the program. Read Daily News article on Petrosino; Read article on Petrosino.

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Giuseppe "Joe" Petrosino's Assassination To Be Commemorated In Washington, DC

The 100th Anniversary of the assassination of NYC Lt. Giuseppe (“Joe”) Petrosino in Sicily will be commemorated at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial on March 12, 2009, at 12:00 Noon. The event is sponsored by the Friends of Charles Bonaparte, and by Italian American Organizations in the Washington Metropolitan area.  Click here for the program. Read Daily News article on Petrosino; Read article on Petrosino.

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