round contest. Arrest and legal troubles In May 1969, DePaula was arrested by federal agents along with a group including Gary Garafola, Maxim Griesler, Henry Marler, Paul Evans, John Gardner, John DiMayo and Richard Brunell (Brunell later became a government witness against the other defendants) and charged with conspiracy, theft and possession of stolen copper. The offences were alleged to have taken place in March 1968. A few days later, his licence was suspended by the New York State Athletic Commission. He was also subpoenaed by the New York District Attorney's Office to appear before a grand jury investigating corruption in the boxing industry. On December 16, 1969, DePaula was indicted for perjury in regard to one of the responses he had given to prosecutors at the grand jury hearings earlier in the year. His co-indictees; James 'Jimmy Nap' Napoli and Joseph Calabro were suspected by an F.B.I. and N.Y.P.D. task force of having fixed DePaula's bout with Bob Foster. DePaula's trial in regard to the copper heist began on April 14, 1970 at the Federal Criminal Court in Newark, New Jersey. On May 7, the jury acquitted him of charges of possession and theft, but failed to reach a verdict on the charge of conspiracy. Shooting and death In the early hours of the morning of May 14, 1970, DePaula, in the company of Sharon Elwell, his 18-year-old girlfriend, was dropped off in front of Elwell's apartment situated on Harrison Avenue in Harrison, New Jersey. They found a note stuck on the front entrance which informed them that the door was not working and to use the back entrance. DePaula was shot as he made his way through an adjoining alley. He was taken to the Jersey City Medical Center where he developed paralysis. He died four months later. Trial of suspects The trial of DePaula's alleged assailants, Garafola and Richard 'Ricky' Phelan was held at the Municipal Court Building in Jersey City between February and March 1971. Both were acquitted of all charges. References Further reading External links "Frankie DePaula Professional Boxing Record at BoxRec" "Frankie DePaula Fan Page on Facebook" "JERSEY BOY: The Life and Mob Slaying of Frankie DePaula Group on Facebook" "Audio interview with Adeyinka Makinde, author of JERSEY BOY: The Life and Mob Slaying of Frankie DePaula on Talkin' Boxing With Billy C, September 2010" Kane, Martin http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1082063/index.htm Frankie the Banger gets Banged Sports