Zito’s ex-son-in-law guilty
Domenic (Mimmo) Antonio Scopelliti was found guilty of manslaughter in the shooting death of mobster Rocco Zito, his former father-in-law.
Scopelliti, 54, was found not guilty on Thursday of the more serious offences of first- and second-degree murder for the Jan. 29, 2016 shooting in Zito’s North York bungalow at 160 Playfair Ave. in North York.
Scopelliti looked forward and stood straight as he heard the verdict in the University Ave. courthouse.
The jury had deliberated since Tuesday afternoon. Sentencing is scheduled for June 20.
Scopelliti argued that he shot Zito, 87, to death in self-defence after the longtime mobster threatened him and pulled a gun on him in an argument in the bungalow where they both lived, with seven other family members.
The Crown argued that Zito had no gun on him when he was shot dead and that he was in too feeble a state to be a physical threat.
Immediately before the shooting, Scopelliti said he called Zito a “cop lover,” “rat” and “snitch” in Italian for threatening to go to police about some relatives in Italy.
Scopelliti said Zito insulted and threatened him as Zito stood on the main floor and Scopelliti stood at the bottom of the basement stairs.
Immediately before the shooting, Scopelliti told the court that Zito said: “Come upstairs or you’ll regret it,” “If you’re a man you’ll come upstairs,” “Your are nothing, you’ll always be nothing,” and “You’re going to die before me.”
Then Zito, a loan shark with a 1986 conviction for manslaughter, pulled a handgun on him, Scopelliti said.