Former Mobster Frank Calabrese Dies

Former Chicago mobster Frank Calabrese died Tuesday in a federal prison. The 75-year-old Calabrese, a hit man for the mob known for his brutality, was convicted in 2007 on a host of charges, including several murders from the 1970s. He was serving a life sentence at a prison in North Carolina when he died.

Calabrese Sr. was convicted partly through the testimony of his son, Frank Calabrese Jr., who secretly record his father talking about several murders over the phone. Calabrese Jr. told the Chicago Sun-Times: "It's very emotional right now because there were two sides to my dad, and I miss the good side."

Calabrese Sr.'s incarceration was part of a major crackdown on organized crime in Chicago, known as the Family Secrets trial. The federal government was able to put a slew of gangsters into prison, including Cabarese Sr., who was known for strangling his victims and then slashing their throats.

Calabrese's other sons also attested to their father's violent side, saying he was brutal in his private life.

Calabrese died on Christmas of unknown causes, according to the federal prison bureau. Calabrese Jr. said: "I believe he was taken on Christmas Day for a reason. I hope he made peace. I hope he's up above looking down on us. ... He's not suffering anymore. The people on the street aren't suffering anymore."