Gail Collins Pappalardi

Gail Collins Pappalardi was the songwriting wife of the late Felix Pappalardi. She had contributed lyrics to many Mountain songs and cowrote Cream's "Strange Brew" with Felix and Eric Clapton.

Related Topics:
Felix Pappalardi - Mountain - Cream - Eric Clapton

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On April 17, 1983 she used a two-shot .38 Special derringer to shoot Felix once in the neck in their fifth floor East Side Manhattan apartment. He was pronounced dead at the scene and Gail was charged with second degree murder.

Related Topics:
April 17 - 1983 - .38 Special - Derringer - Neck - Floor - East Side - Manhattan - Apartment - Second degree murder

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Prosecutors claimed that Felix Pappalardi's 11 month affair with the attractive 27 year old blonde Valerie Merians was the reason for the murder. At the age of 43 Gail Collins Pappalardi was acquitted of second degree murder and manslaughter, but found guilty of criminally negligent homicide. A judge sentenced her to 16 months to 4 years in jail, and at the same time criticised the jury for its leniency and Pappalardi's lawyers for their defence of her. Manhattan Supreme Court Justice James Leff said that Pappalardi's lawyers used "shabby" tactics when they claimed the medical examiner's report was wrong and that investigators had stolen jewelry.

Related Topics:
Affair - Blonde - Valerie Merians - Manslaughter - Criminally negligent - Homicide - Judge - Jury - Medical examiner - Jewelry

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Gail Collins Pappalardi's defense was that the firearm had gone off accidentally while Felix was giving her a bedside gun lesson.

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