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Jailed Graziano denied furlough, N.Y. trip after dad's death

By STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 12, 2009

Updated: 05/12/2009 09:40 am

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Edward Graziano

CLEARWATER - A Pinellas circuit judge this morning denied a request by Edward Graziano that he be given furlough after the recent death of Graziano's father in New York.

Edward Graziano wanted to be temporarily released from the Pinellas County Jail so he could attend the funeral of his father, who died from cancer, but a court hearing wasn't scheduled until after the service. That court hearing took place this morning.

Graziano, who faces charges that he tried to have his wife, Debbie, killed, still wanted the furlough so he could travel to New York to pay his respects and console his mother, his attorney, John Trevena, said. In addition, Graziano likely will be expected to take over his father's funeral home business, Trevena said, so he needed to go to New York to tend to that business matter.

Circuit Judge R. Timothy Peters denied the furlough request.

Assistant State Attorney Scott Rosenwasser, who is prosecuting Graziano and who argued against the furlough, noted services had already taken place. He also said Graziano's mother has plenty of family support and that any documentation regarding the funeral home business that needed to be signed could be done by mail.

Graziano was arrested Feb. 26 on a charge of solicitation to commit murder. At the time, he was on probation for two prior charges, one of which involved an assault on his wife. Technically, he is being held without bail at the Pinellas County Jail because authorities believe he violated his probation by getting arrested again.

Graziano has twice asked that bail be set and been denied.

The Graziano family is locked in a civil suit with famed former wrestler Hulk Hogan and Hogan's family. The Grazianos' son, John, was the sole passenger in a car wrecked by Hogan's son, Nick Bollea, on Aug. 26, 2007, leaving the former Marine with brain damage. John Graziano is in the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital in Tampa.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336.

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