A Lawyer's Fight: Defending a Boxer in a Drug Trafficking Case

Joseph Corozzo Jr. , a lawyer with a long history of defending mob-related cases, is now fighting to stay on the team representing boxer Goran Gogic, who is accused of drug trafficking. The government has been trying to remove Corozzo from the case, claiming he is under investigation for jury tampering and witness intimidation. But Corozzo and his co-counsel Angela Lipsman argue that these allegations are baseless and that the government has been targeting him for decades. Corozzo's legal career has been marked by numerous attempts from federal prosecutors to disqualify him from high-profile cases. In 2005, they tried to remove him from the trial of Gambino captain Dominick Pizzonia, citing his ties to the Gambino crime family. The judge allowed Corozzo to stay on the case, and Pizzonia was eventually convicted of racketeering and conspiracy to commit murder. In 2010, Corozzo faced similar challenges in two separate cases, with mixed results.Despite the government's efforts, Corozzo and Lipsman remain confident in their ability to defend Gogic. They argue that the allegations against them will not affect their representation of their client. Gogic's trial was disrupted in November when the FBI discovered an alleged plot to bribe a juror. The defense team acknowledged that protected legal documents may have been inadvertently left with Gogic in jail, but they maintain that this was not intentional. Gogic is accused of playing a significant role in a drug trafficking operation that moved over 20 tons of cocaine through U. S. ports. The case has drawn significant attention, and the outcome will have major implications for all involved.