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Madam's Death Suicide, Police Say

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By STEPHEN THOMPSON

spthompson@tampatrib.com

Published: November 1, 2008

  Deborah Palfrey

TARPON SPRINGS - The Tarpon Springs Police Department this week released its report on the investigation into the death of Deborah Palfrey, otherwise known as the "D.C. Madam."

The department is saying the same thing it said after Palfrey's body was found May 1 in her mother's shed at Sun Valley Mobile Home Park: Palfrey, 52, hanged herself.

"When there is a high-profile case like that, people always have their theories," said Lt. Barbara Templeton of the Tarpon Springs Police Department.

"There was no evidence to suggest anyone orchestrated her death. ... She took her own life," Templeton said.

Much of what is contained in the report already has surfaced.

Palfrey had dreaded the notion of going to prison after her conviction on money-laundering and racketeering charges.

She had operated a Washington prostitution ring that catered to the rich and powerful, and she faced a maximum sentence of 55 years in prison.

Some 200 pictures associated with the suicide were made available for viewing this week.

Officer Raising Funds For Child

TAMPA - To raise money for a 10-month-old girl with leukemia, Tampa police Sgt. Eric Diaz aims to drop and give her 3,000 "burpees" in 24 hours.

No, not burps or slushy drinks: Burpees are callisthenic exercises that combine planks, pushups, squats and jumps. Diaz, 45, plans to complete as many as he can from 6 p.m. today to 6 p.m. Sunday at CrossFit Sparta in Lutz to raise money for Bella Villanti, who is undergoing aggressive chemotherapy at St. Joseph's Hospital.

"Some people have pledged a penny per burpee," Diaz said, noting he also has received donations of $5 to $200. "I don't plan on taking very many breaks. I'm going to try to do 3,000."

Bella is the granddaughter of two Tampa police officers, Bryan and Cherie Adkins.

The police department says that doctors have given the child a 40 percent chance of survival.

Diaz said anyone wishing to donate to the effort or offer encouragement is welcome to stop by the gym at 17510 U.S. 41 North, Lutz, or call the gym at (813) 949-5533.

Prosecutors Want IDs Kept Secret

TAMPA - Prosecutors don't want to tell John "Junior" Gotti about all the people who have turned on him.

The prosecution filed a motion Friday in U.S. District Court asking a judge to allow prosecutors to withhold from the defense information about some "co-conspirators or victims of the underlying criminal acts of the Gambino Crime Family Enterprise."

Gotti is facing federal prosecution in Tampa on racketeering charges that allege he participated in a vast organized crime conspiracy involving murder, drug trafficking and witness tampering that extended from New York to the Tampa area.

Prosecutors also don't want to share certain audio or video recordings obtained during the ongoing investigation, which did not include Gotti's voice.

Sharing the information, the prosecution maintains, would compromise the identities of government witnesses and "needlessly endanger their lives and property, obstruct the administration of justice and likely create a substantial danger to other members of the community."

The filing says that Gotti's defense opposes the motion. Gotti's attorney, Charles Carnesi, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Woman Attacked, Man Arrested

TAMPA - A 23-year-old Tampa man was charged with felony attempted murder, accused of trying to run over a woman with a taxi after he nearly bit off her ear, an arrest affidavit states.

Christian Omar Sanchez was held without bail Friday at the Orient Road Jail after his arrest about 2:50 that morning, jail records show.

An affidavit states Sanchez got into an argument with a woman about 2:30 a.m. in the 13000 block of Pittsfield Avenue.

The woman, who was not identified, tried to leave by getting into a taxi, but Sanchez hopped in after her, struck her and bit her right ear, almost severing it, the affidavit states.

The woman and the cab driver exited the taxi, and Sanchez climbed behind the wheel, driving after the woman.

She ran onto the back porch of her house, and Sanchez crashed the taxi into the porch, causing about $10,000 in damage, the affidavit states.

Sanchez ran from the crash scene, but Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies arrested him in the area within minutes.

He also was charged with felony aggravated battery, felony grand theft and felony criminal mischief, jail records state.

Woman Charged In Child Neglect

TAMPA - Deputies charged a woman with three felony counts of child neglect after finding three children living with roaches, feces-filled toilets, no food and limited electricity, an affidavit states.

The Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies arrested Tinnealle Harmon-Charles, 31, at her home in the 7500 block of Presley Place shortly before midnight Thursday.

According to an affidavit, Harmon-Charles frequently left the children, ages 12, 10 and 9, alone while she socialized with friends.

Deputies also said the children's beds were covered with so many items that the beds could not be used.

Harmon-Charles was booked into the Orient Road Jail early Friday and released after posting $6,000 bail.

A staff report

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