1979: Ted Kennedy asked to enter Chagra murder investigation

March 13, 1979

Complaints from the family of slain El Paso attorney Lee Chagra concerning the investigation into the shooting death of Chagra last December and the ensuing federal grand jury investigations into alleged racketeering and other crimes have reached the office of U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy in Washington.

Tom Southwick, the senator’s press secretary, said Monday the senator’s office had received a telephone call from former pro football player Roosevelt Grier last week asking for help. Kennedy is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

However, Southwick said no decision has been made on whether to enter the case.

“Last Thursday we received a call from Rosie Grier suggesting that we ought to look into the case,” Southwick said. “We suggested that the family contact us with whatever problem they may have and what it is they want done. As of yet we have not herd from the family. If we do hear from them, then we will take a look at the matter and do whatever is appropriate.”

Southwick said the senator does not know about what the problem may be and staff members don’t know much about it beyond what Grier related to them on the telephone.

“He (Grier) was a little unclear as to what we should do about it and what the facts were,” Southwick said. “We are not sure what they want us to do.”

Joe Chagra, an attorney and younger brother of Lee, said the family sought Kennedy’s aid through Grier.

“Yeah, I think Joanne’s (widow of Lee) the one that got it started,” Joe Chagra said. “Rosie was a good friend of Lee. Lee used to handle cases for him – poor black kids in California. Lee would represent these kids for free. I think he met Lee in Las Vegas.

“I think that what happened is that she asked him (Grier) a long time ago, and he just now got around to it,” he said. Grier is a friend of the Kennedy family and was particularly close to the late Robert Kennedy.

Authorities have arrested three men in connection with Chagra’s slaying, but Joe Chagra said the family still believes there might be other people involved who haven’t come up yet. “There’s no proof or evidence – just a gut feeling.”

Joanne Chagra said Grier was contacted because he was a friend of Chagra.

“We are just infuriated by the invading of my husband’s private files and by the whole judicial system abuse,” Mrs. Chagra said. “We feel we can get something done only by appealing to the higher ups. They can come down here and review some of the things that are going on – such as the grand jury acting as a prosecutor.”

Both Mrs. Chagra and her brother, Sib Abraham, would not reveal any details of their allegations.

Comments

[Pearl Rhoda Downey- Cross]

oops I think I opened a can of worms! I was
always told to let a dead dog lie. But to me
there was more conspiracy to Lees death that
needs to be told and someone out there knows
more than was found be it close to home and
business. Its one cold case EPPD probably
would like to go away. Two soldiers involved give me a break.

[El Paso Proud]

If you are interested in the Chagra murder, read Dirty Dealing by Gary Cartwright. I found it to be a very interesting book.