Michael J. Corbitt
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Michael Jerome Corbitt (b. March 17, 1944) is a former police chief of Willow Springs, Illinois and a high ranking associate of Chicago Outfit mobsters such as Sal Bastone and Tony Accardo. He became a cooperating witness after being convicted of the murder of Diane Masters. He has authored a book about his experiences, with mobster Sam Giancana, entitled "Double Deal: The Inside Story of Murder, Unbridled Corruption, and the Cop Who Was a Mobster".
Michael Corbitt was born to an Irish American family in Chicago, Illinois. After a several years in a Roman Catholic parochial school, he was transferred to public school at the age of nine. He would later recall that, without a Catholic school uniform to hide behind, it was obvious just how poor his family was. Humiliated by the poverty of his parents and tired of hand-me-down toys and clothing, he turned to shoplifting and later graduated to running with an Italian-American street gang.
His bravado soon drew the attention of the Chicago Outfit, who recruited him into running errands around one of their social clubs. After several years of owning a Sunoco gas station which doubled a mobster hang out, Outfit boss Sam Giancana offered him a position inside the police in Willow Springs, Illinois. According to Corbitt's memoirs, Giancana told him after he accepted the position, "But just remember kid...don't forget who your friends are." Shortly thereafter, Corbitt was sworn into the Willow Springs police department by notorious political boss Doc Rust.
[edit] References
- Corbitt, Michael, "Double Deal: The Inside Story of Murder, Unbridled Corruption, and the Cop Who Was a Mobster," 2003.