It's well known that Kurt Calabrese found a package meant to look like a dynamite bomb on his porch steps, on the day jury selection began in the Family Secrets case.
But it was only the latest in a series of threats that Calabrese had received over several years, apparently relating to the case.
Calabrese revealed the nature of the threats in an exclusive interview with the Sun-Times. The print version of the story, with more details, can be checked out at www.suntimes.com.
Calabrese said that two live rats with nooses around their necks were placed on his front porch more than 5 years ago when he was living in Elmwood Park.
Along with them was a note, containing quotes from the Bible, regarding the relationship between fathers and sons.
It was the first of four or five typed letters Kurt Calabrese said he received that were vaguely threatening, although one contained more specifics, he said.
They were often placed on his car. One or two were placed when his car was in the driveway at home, another when the car was in the train station lot, yet another at a suburban mall.
The latest one came in his mailbox, after the fake bomb was left at his home.
Kurt Calabrese acknowledges he has no evidence of who the notes came from, but suspects his father, Frank Calabrese Sr., is behind them. Calabrese Sr. is a reputed Outfit hitman on trial in the Family Secrets case.
"I'm as upset with the person who brought them as the person who had them sent," Kurt Calabrese said.
The unusual twist is that Kurt Calabrese is not part of the Family Secrets case. He wasn't cooperating with his father's defense or with the prosecution, and had never even spoken publicly about the case until his interview last week with the Sun-Times.
This is a perfect example of how a mobbed man like Calabrese can drag his whole family down by invoving them in this business.
Just because Kurt didn't testify or have anything to do with family secrets doesn't mean he will escape the mob radar.
The mob figures this guy knows enough to be a threat and he can thank his dad for that.
I am sure there are mob dads who don't want the same life for their kid who would!
You risk your families life as it is just because of what you are connected too!
The same thing is going on with Ronnie Jarett Jr. who had stepped into his fathers shoes by committing burglaries.
He too was warned to stop trying to find out who killed his dad. My brother-in-law works with him and Ronnie works for the city.
The message is plain and simple, keep your mouth shut and stay out of the news. Everyone knows dad is somewhat behind it but it shouldn't surprise anyone, should it!
Kurt should move on start life else where and put this tragic part of his life behind him.
As for his brother he was just as much involved as his dad and enjoyed the life style and the power!
The heat came down and he folded like a lawn chair, and testified against dad.
I don't feel sorry one bit for him and he is lucky he is in America, where only someone can committ numerous crimes then testify against dad, and escape prison time.
He also gets a free ride from the tax payers by going into federal witness protection program. I think he was worried about getting wacked even before he testified against dad!
STEVE WARMBIR RESPONDS: A few points of clarification.
Kurt Calabrese, from all the people I've talked, has already moved well on from his father's orbit and established his own life with his family.
Frank Calabrese Jr. did his time in prison for the crimes he committed and since he's been out, he has led a law-abiding life, according to law enforcement sources.
He's not in witness protection.
He wasn't charged in the Family Secrets case.
He simply testified.
And no matter what you think of it, if he hadn't secretly recorded his father, there may not have been a case made against Frank Calabrese Sr.