Infamous Poker Player Jimmy Chagra Dead at 63
Jamiel Alexander “Jimmy” Chagra, suspect in a 1979 federal judge assassination, notorious drug runner and poker player, lost his battle with cancer on Friday, August 19, 2008 at 63 years of age. Jimmy led a chaotic life as a known drug runner throughout the majority of his time. Much of the money he acquired through drug dealings was lost at the poker tables in Las Vegas. He was a recreational gambler with a penchant for the expensive tables, losing untold amounts of money to professional poker players like Doyle Brunson and the late Chip Reese.
In 1978, Chagra was accused of masterminding an assassination attempt on Assistant US Attorney James Kerr. He plead guilty to the charges and was sentenced to life by federal judge John Wood Jr., who was known for his harsh penalties against known drug felons.
Chagra then organized another assassination attempt of a federal judge, this time Judge Wood, and was successful. Judge Wood was killed May 29, 1978. Chagra’s third wife, Elizabeth, was also ensnared when she was convicted for delivering the $250,000 to the hit man hired to kill Judge Wood. The hit man was none other than Charles Harrelson, father of actor Woody Harrelson.
Three months later, though the conspiracy charges had been dropped, Chagra’s sentence was handed down for interfering in the investigation of Judge Wood’s murder. Jimmy spent 6 months on the lam before being captured by the Drug Enforcement Agency in February 1980.
Chagra was sentenced to 30 years in prison for masterminding an international drug smuggling scheme but was released in 2003 due to health issues. It was reported by the El Paso Times that Jimmy Chagra was believed to have been placed in the Federal Witness Protection Program. Chagra was living by the alias “James Madrid” and resided in a mobile home in Mesa, Arizona at the time of his death.
Lynda Chagra said
am October 22 2008 @ 3:49 am
Jimmy Chagra was my husband and I miss him very much. He got his name back before he died. We lived in a mobile home in mesa Arizona, not a trailer camp. I did not know the man that went to prison but I new the man that came out of prison. It was very hard for me to relate the two. He was a wonderful husband and life will never be the same with out him.
Lynda
graham said
am October 25 2008 @ 10:41 am
Sorry for your loss Lynda… I have fixed the post as you stated.