MEMORANDUM-JOSEPH R. MEROLA.
Originator: CIA
From: CHIEF, MIAMI FIELD OFFICE
To: DIR DOMESTIC CONTACT SERVICE
Document date: 11/20/1972
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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104-10219-10018

2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

-UNITED STATES GOVERYMENT

Memorandum

: Director, Domestic Contact Service

ATIN:

Services

Division

FROM : Chief, Miami Field Office

SUBJECT: Joseph R. Merola

COME TAL

MIM-181-72

DATE: 20 November 1972

1. We recently received a call from Joseph R. Merola, Gordon

Cooper and Associates, Opa-Locka, Florida, who informed us that he

was entering the county jail in Nassau County, New York on 13 Novem-

ber 1972 to begin a one year sentence for petty larceny.

He stated

that he felt he should let us know his whereabouts "in case you wanted

to get hold of me for anything".

2. Merola, of course, protested his innocence to us and stated

that he was accused of participating in an armed robbery and was tried

on this charge in May 1972 with the trial ending in a hung jury.

He

claimed that the prosecuting attorney recommended dismissal of the

charges because of his inability to prove Merola's guilt.

Merola

alleges that the judge stated that Merola's record proves him an un-

desirable character and therefore the charges should not be dropped.

The judge thereupon offered him the choice of a retrial with a promise

of a twenty-five year sentence if convicted, or to plead guilty to a

charge of petty larceny with a one year sentence. Merola choose the

latter.

3. We thanked him for his thoughtfulness and wished him well.

S BRUCE E. MAINWARING

DwHaldane: hmm

GONFIUENTIAL

AgE 2 INDET CL BY 004476

Buy U.S. Savings Bonds Regularly on tbe Payroll Savings Plan

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