WILSON NEWSPAPER ARTICLES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP04-00312R001001870001-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 15, 2008
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: October 22, 1983
• Content Type: MISC

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 ARTICLE APPEARED 22 October 1983a`L- /
ON PACE e -S
ExmCIAer faces more jail
By BRIAN KATES wife because she had sued hirn`fo --$7
million had been-dismissed 3 nudge
Former CIA agent Edwin Vii- 'Edward Weinfeld for lack of evidence.
son-faces up to 25 years in prison Wilson already is serving 32yearsin
when be is sentenced N ov: 4 for -prison for-selling arms and explosives
to Libya.
Conspiring to murder -two federal , Key -evidence-against W~1son mad
prosecutors,--a-busineSs'SsSOCiate been ape of he-defendant-ordering
and five witnesses who linked the-death `of 'i government -informant
him to. -a scheme to -trans -rt -and a handwritten fit -list" of-people
arms and explosives .to :Libya - he 'wanted killed, -the federal-pros.
ecutor- said -in -his summation =of the
A Manhattan Federal -Court jury government's case. -.
deliberated four hours .Thursday night Defense attorney Michael Dowd had
before convicting Wilson of the argued thatWilson was the victim of a -
charges, and 14 :others
includi
,
ng plot by the- CIA to keep him :quiet
-obstruction of justice.and retaliating because-he-"knows a 1of" about covert
against six government witnesses. The CIA activities. Dowd -dismissed-the gov -
jury of 10 men and two women acquit- ernment's evidence as the creation of
ted Wilson of -conspiring with -his son, "three desperate xnen -the federal in-
Erik to murder-two other-federal pros- mants' who. had -testified against the
ecutors from Washington who had in- former-spy.' "-
vestigated his weapons dealings. Wilson-was charged with hirin fel-
ic Wilson was not on -trial; .loin inmates -to -arrange the murders at'
AT THE CLOSE
f
o
the prosecution $50,000 Z0S500,000 per hit, Prosecutors
case, a further charge against Edwin said ~o- one was :killed because the
Wilson .to wander #tis ing;Aes: d the FN.abnut the :pIoL
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Oc ;.leer c&, J
Former Intelligence Agent Convicted
of Attempted Murder
By A.ItNOLD H. L)IBASCH
E.dw_ P. Wilson, a former agent of
the Central Intelligence Agency, was
convicted Thursday night of anempt-
tag to murder two prosecutors and six
Vrttnesses.
The fury's verdict came after three
hours of delioerauons in Federal Dis-
t-ict Court in Manhattan. Mr. Wilson,
56 years old, could face up to 25 years in
prison for attempted murder and addi-
vonal time on lesser charges, but be
was acquitted of a constipir?acy charge
carrying a sentence of life in prison.
J udgt Edward Weinfeld set Nov. 4
for Mr Wilson's sentencing. The intel-
ligence agent is already serving prison
sentence of 32 years for shipping arms
wLib a.
T Ike jury of nine men and three
women reached the verdict at 9:25
F.M. after a full day of bearing
sun;mauoas and final instructions on
the laws governing the case.
E v neoce Called 'Overwbetming'
The prosetvt3on's summation said
there was -overwhelming evidence"
that N-. Wilson had asked other in-
mate- i=: p: son to help him carry out
plar>< tD commit several murders. Eu-
gene Neal Kaplan, the chief prosecu-
tor, toic the jury Mr. Wilson became "a
oe -aer to mar:" after being lured out
o' Lib... and arrested for illegal arm-,
s ?rnert.s l
He decided that his despair could
only be ended by killing people," Mr. Kaplan said, "and he set out to do just that. Mr. Kaplan stressed a taped canver? sation in prison last summer betweenMr. Wilson and an inmate about an-
Other inmate. Wayne Trimmer, who had become a key witness against Mr.Wilson. ..Get Trimmer dead before court," Mr. Wilson said in the transcript of the tape. In those few words, the prosecu- tar told the jury, "Wilson admits the scheme." - The taped conversation and other I evidence, the Prosecutor said, corrobo rated the testimony of Mr. Trimmer and two other inmates about Mr. Wil. son's plans to kill witnesses to preventthem from testitvina. Defense Invoked Common Sews defense attorney, MiMichael G. Dowd, said in his su y, ?. that the three inmates had made up the accusa?
t ion on in an effort to gain their oa'n free
dom from prison. Regarding tapes of some of the con versauons, Mr. Dowd argued that
part were inaudible, other part were ambiguous and the rest war merely
"jailbouse talk." "You can't suspend reason and com- man sense," he told the jury. 1'.e said Mr. Wilson would not recru t inept in-marts for a murder plot because the former agent was s "cziruiiriA and
shrewd" man who had "served unoer.
cover in perilous situations."
The indictment of Mr. Wilson in
eluded Charges of conspiracy, at
tempted - i
murder, retaliation against
witnesses and obstruction of j
While he was in prison wttuting for
trials in the Libyan arms cases, he plot.
red to kill witnesses and pr
oseartora,
according
to the charges. Be asked an
inmate, Mr. Trimmer, to 15nd a .'hit
man" to commit the murders, the
charges
said, but the inmate informed
the Federal l authorities.
Then, the charges continued ,o two
Mr
.
Wilson offered to pay M,000 t
other inmates to a,-range the murder of
Mr. Trimmer for informing. The two
inmates,
David R. Vogel and John Ran?
dolp
it. also informed the authorities.
Part of one charge, which at sauce
Mr. . Wilson of planning to kill his for-
men wife, was dismissed by the judge
before jury
was began be
-
Whose death would obswct justice.
Mr. Wilson
did not testify in the trial,
which began on Oct. 4. Tie witnesses
included the three informers and an un?
der+c
over agent
killer who
said be had been paid S,y Bb(:
by
Mr. Wilson's 2 .-year-did son, Erik.
a-s a dower Payment for the murders.
'
Erik Wilson was to have gone on trial
for aiding his la-.he- in the murder con.
spiracy
, but the Prosecutor said he
would reconsider the matter because
the verdict Tnursday indicated the )u-y
did rot regard the son as a knowing
participant in the scheme.
The jury did not convict Edwin WiI.
son of Federal conspiracy charges, ap
parently because it did not bturve his
son was a !mewing Conspirator and a
defendant ca
f
ne
conspire alone under
i the Federal tact-o
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DATE PACE _ -
Jury Begins Deliberatio,i
In Ex-Agent's Trial
Jury deliberations began yesterdU
in the trial of Edwin P. Wilson, a f ..
mer intelligence agent charged wtta
plaruling to murder two prosecutog'
and several witnesses.
Federal District Judge h:dwaftt
Weinfeld in Manhattan gave his tints)
Instructions to the jury after the pros',
cution and the defense had delivered
their summations. The jury then delta.
erated into the evening.
If convicted, Mr. Wilson could fac7C.*
life in prison. The 55-year-old formate.
agent of the Central Intelligencc
Agency is already serving a long prisolt as
term for shipping arms to f.ibya. 4e.
The prosecution's summation yestee.?
day contended that the jury had heart
"overwhelming evidence" that Mr.
.
Wilson had asked other inmates (ft;,
?
National news is on pages
I A 14-21, BS and B 16.
prison to help him carry out plans to.
commit several murders.
A defense attorney, Michael (3r?.
Dowd, said in his summation that tt?
Government had the burden of proving:
the charges beyond a reasonable doubt
He added, "Mr. Wilson, like anyone'j
else, is presumed innocent."
The indictment charged Mr. Wilsuti-'
with conspiracy, attempted murderr4,
rptaliaUon against witnesses and oLv~
struction of justice.
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DATE 21 OC-T: PAGE 'Z)
dormer CIA Agent Convicted
of Murder Attempts
NEW YORK-Former CIA agent Edwin P.
06 on was convicted yesterday of the attempted
:r_tiurder of two firdwal prosecutors, a business as.
'sedate and five government witnesses who linked
Ah to the We of explosives to Libya.
;'Wilson, already serving 32 years in prison foe
!0* sale of weapons and explosives to Libya, was
4iq+itted of the most serious charge against him:
temsj ,racy to murder two federal prosecutors who
d investigated his weapons dealings,
:14-all, the U.S. District Court jury convicted
>7son of 15 counts and acquitted him of three.
feces up to 25 years in prison.
7U governmefit had dwred that W&w and
A
s-ion, Erik, who will be tried separately, con-
Ir> d to kill the two prosecutors,
-" . 4 was doaeged with hiring fellow in-
to arrange the murders at $50,000 to
SG00,000 escK Proeecators said no one was slain
- bklaq a the inmates told the FBI about the plot.
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DATE -7-1 QC-r- 8-3 PAGE 1
Ex-CIA agent Edwin Wilson was con-
victed of the attempted murder of two fed
eral prosecutors. a business associate and
five government witnesses who linked him
to the ask of expaoafves to Libya.
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V1 ati 1'ORI: ' I }'ill :S 1 ) ' N I I Icy ()CZ - CT .:~ 1'/1G1: Af
Charge Dropped in Trial
Of Former C.I.A. Agent
By TV* A.eoct.ted Pro.
A Federal district judge yesterday
dismissed charges that a former agent
of the Central Intelligency Agency,
Edwin P. Wilson, tried to arrange the
slaying of his former wife but let a
series of other charges stand.
Barbara Wilson failed to appear as a
i;uvernment witness against her for-
mer husband Monday at the court in
Manhattan.
After the Government rested its case
this morning, Judge Edward Weinfeld
dismissed a charge that Mr. Wilson
tried to obstruct justice by trying to
have his former wife slain.
Mr. Wilson remains charged with a
conspiracy to murder two government
prosecutors and a series of Federal wit-
nesses who had linked him to ship-
ments of explosives to Libya.
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kn:ui vnv TTMM1:S 1)AII (5 0c-T-_ 83 1'AGL _ G
COURT TOLD WILSON
WANTED WIFE DEAD
Third Informer Testifies About
'Plots' by Ex-C.I,A. Agent
By ARNOLD H. LUBASCH
Edwin P. Wilson, a former agent of
the Central Intelligence Agency, was
described in trial testimony yesterday
as a man who hired professional killers
to murder his former wife.
The testimony came from John Ran-
dolph, the third informer to testify at
Mr. Wilson's trial an murder conspir-
acy charges in Federal District Court
in Manhattan. Mr. Wilson is already
serving a sentence for illegal arms
shipments to Libya.
Mr. Randolph said Mr. Wilson had
asked him to employ a gang of killers
called the "Aryan Brotherhood" to
murder several people, including some
prospective witnesses and his former
wife, Barbara Wilson.
"He told me Barbara was hiding
from him, she was scared of him," Mr.
Randolph recalled, adding that Mr.
Wilson had complained that his former
wife was suing him for a $7 million
property settlement.
"I want her to go an a long, long
trip," Mr. Wilson was quoted as telling
Mr. Randolph in a Federal prison
where they were being held.
'Jost Make Her Disappear
According to Mr. Randolph, at first
Mr. Wilson suggested that the killer
hired to murder his former wife should
..break her neck" and "crash her car"
to make it look like an accident, but
later said, "Jost make her disappear."
Afterward, Mr. Randolph said, Mr.
Wilson wanted the killer to take all of
her jewelry. particularly a diamond
ring. adding that "the diamond was a
good-luck piece - and he wanted it
beck."
Mr. Wilson. 56 years old, shook his
bead from time to time as be sat listen-
to life the in prism It ccoulid onvicted of ploning
murders.
Eugene Neal Kaplan, the chief prose-
cutor, presented documents that Mr.
Randolph identified as information
that Mr. Wilson had provided to help
find Barbara Wilson. The documents
included a description of her and ad-
dess is where she might be found.
The prosecutor played a taped con-
versation that Mr. Randolph said had
concernred Mr. Wilson's instructions
for a killer to murder his former wife, a
key witness, Wayne Trimmer, and
some other people. "I'll tell him to do
Barbara first," Mr. Randolph said, on
the transcript of the tape. Mr. Wilson
replied, "Yeah."
Trimmer above all," Mr. Wil-
son added, on the transcript. "That's
100 percent of the problem. That's even
before Barbara. If he thinks he can do
him, do him."
Mr. Randolph supported testimony
given Thursday by David R. Vogel. ah-
other informer. Both are convicted
bank robbers who met Mr. Wilson in
prison. Mr. Vogel testified that Mr.
Wilson had offered $W,000 for the
murder of Mr. Trimmer, who was also
a prisoner.
7 he defense has told the jury that the
th se informers fabricated the accusa-
tion against Mr. Wilson because they
wanted a deal to free them from long
prism terms. Judge Edward Weinfeld
said tht trial would resume Monday.
when the cross-examination of Mr.
Randolph continues.
r1l
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14 October 1983
Former CIA agent Edwin Wilson ordered his former wife's neck broken and
the crime concealed as an auto accident, because she was trying to get $7 Million
Or this money, a prosecution witness testified Friday.
iuz witness John Randolph, a convicted bank robber, said Wilson then had
second thoughts about getting tax agents involved in the death of Barbara Wilson
and directed ' 'dust make her disappear. Pull a Houdini act. "
Ranaciph, serving a 16-year sentence at the federal prison in Otisville,
N.Y., where hE met Wilson, testified in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.
Lilson, already serving 32 years in prison for shipping arms and explosives
tc Lioya, is standing trial on charges that he ordered the murders of 11 people
f rorr, his prison cell..
None of the intended victims was injured.
ThE would-b_ v ictims included his wife, as well as a key informer against
: lson some of the witnesses who testified against him at his trials in
exan aria, Va., and Houston, and former business associates who owed him money.
W'l'_son allegedly concocted the murder scheme while he was in prison in
"anhattar. it was brought to the attention of the FBI and an undercover anent
whO was assigned to the case.
Randolph said Wilson initially wanted his former wife's neck broken and the
crime made to look like it resulted from a car accident to keep her from gaining
control of his assets. HE later changed his mind.
' I'r not going to dive her S7 million, " the witness quoted Wilson as
'LE-,ling him in prison. "I want her to go on a long, long trip.''
Randolph said Wilson made hand-written notes to an FBI undercover agent
posinc as a hitman detailing Mrs. Wilson's description and habits and where she
right be located in either New Jersey or Virginia.
Wilson gave his approval to the killer to take all of Mrs. Wilson's jewelry
except a diamond ring that Wilson wanted for himself because ''it was a good
piece, " Randolph quoted the defendant as saying.
11
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