Shows
Finnigans TakeArrestedSend us a textThe noose is tightening on Jerry as fellow SOS members are talking to the Feds causing paranoia and deceit in the ranks. Jerry is arrested by the FBI which begins 10 years of incarceration, four of which are at Chicago's MCC in solitary confinement.Find the show on X for updates and more conversation, @FinnigansTake. You can find Neal on X @NealEdelstein2025-01-0239 minFinnigans TakeIncarcerationSend us a textJerry spends four years in solitary confinement at the MCC before he settles on a plea deal. He discusses his time in jail and how it shaped his new outlook on life.Find the show on X for updates and more conversation, @FinnigansTake. You can find Neal on X @NealEdelstein2025-01-0239 minFinnigans TakeThe End?Send us a textJerry readjusts to life outside of jail and addresses accusations of crimes leveled against him. He also discusses the notorious "Hunting Photo". We end with a Q & A about policing in a post George Floyd world and crime issues facing Chicago. Find the show on X for updates and more conversation, @FinnigansTake. You can find Neal on X @NealEdelstein2025-01-021h 05Finnigans TakeBurned OutSend us a textJerry is flaming out in SOS and requests a transfer to Midway Airport. Once there he quickly realizes crime and conflict have followed him. Find the show on X for updates and more conversation, @FinnigansTake. You can find Neal on X @NealEdelstein2025-01-0243 minFinnigans TakeThe Strange Death Of John FinniganSend us a textJerry is awoken in the middle of the night by an emergency call, his younger brother John has died. Jerry races to the scene of the crime to discover John used his girlfriend's service weapon to kill himself. Things unravel quickly as Jerry believes John's death was not a suicide. Find the show on X for updates and more conversation, @FinnigansTake. You can find Neal on X @NealEdelstein2025-01-0231 minFinnigans TakeThe Insurance Scam Gone WrongSend us a textAn investigation into a car insurance scam by a reassigned cop is the catalyst for the start of the end of Jerry and the rouge police group. Find the show on X for updates and more conversation, @FinnigansTake. You can find Neal on X @NealEdelstein2025-01-0243 minFinnigans TakeChicago's Third RailSend us a textJerry arrests a gang member who is politically connected to Aldermen Ed Burke, a man at the top of Chicago's political power machine. In true Chicago fashion, politics, policing and power collide in a web of deceit and drama. Find the show on X for updates and more conversation, @FinnigansTake. You can find Neal on X @NealEdelstein2025-01-0230 minFinnigans TakeBill FinniganSend us a textJerry is on duty when he gets a call about a bar fight but he and his partners blow off the call. Jerry later discovers his eldest brother Bill was killed in a stabbing at the bar. No charges are brought against the man who killed Bill so Jerry initiates his own investigation and is shocked by what he discovers.Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan.Find the show on X for updates and more conversation, @FinnigansTake. You can fi...2025-01-0248 minFinnigans TakeThe MethodologySend us a textJerry details his methods for removing guns from the streets of Chicago, while his stragety was not always legal, the results were undeniably. Find the show on X for updates and more conversation, @FinnigansTake. You can find Neal on X @NealEdelstein2025-01-0248 minFinnigans TakeThe ComplainersSend us a textJerry's success as an aggressive cop pays off for not only him but for his bosses and top brass of the Chicago Police Department. With success come complaints and the negative attention begins to pile up. This is a look inside the complaint system and how it trapped Jerry in a box he could not get out of. Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan.Find the show on X for updates and more conversation, @FinnigansTake. You can find Neal on...2025-01-0235 minFinnigans TakeSOSSend us a textJerry joins Special Operations Section, an elite unit that would remove drugs and illegal guns off the streets of Chicago. This roving pack of cops was a freight train already coming off the rails when Jerry joins them and his presence accelerates the units ultimate demise. Find the show on X for updates and more conversation, @FinnigansTake. You can find Neal on X @NealEdelstein2025-01-0243 minFinnigans TakeFormative YearsSend us a textOur first conversation details Jerry's youth and the influences that began his trajectory toward becoming a Chicago police officer. Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan.Find the show on X for updates and more conversation, @FinnigansTake. You can find Neal on X @NealEdelstein2024-11-2934 minFinnigans TakeThe AcademySend us a textJerry decides to take the entry exam and become a cop. His training officer is a seasoned veteran with more than 20 years on the job, Jerry instantly realizes how dangerous Chicago is.Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan.Find the show on X for updates and more conversation, @FinnigansTake. You can find Neal on X @NealEdelstein2024-11-2948 minFinnigans TakeThe Tact TeamSend us a textJerry joins the 7th district tactical team of the Chicago Police Department where he quickly becomes seasoned in the ways of Chicago's "real police". Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan.Find the show on X for updates and more conversation, @FinnigansTake. You can find Neal on X @NealEdelstein2024-11-2937 minFinnigans Take7th DistrictSend us a textJerry is assigned to the 7th District, an area of Chicago that is tantamount to a war zone. Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake. Find the show on X for updates and more conversation, @FinnigansTake. You can find Neal on X @NealEdelstein2024-11-2937 min
Finnigans TakeIn ConclusionJerry readjusts to being on the outside and addresses accusations of crimes leveled against him. He also discusses the notorious "Hunting Photo". We end with a Q & A session.Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake.Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2024-01-111h 10
Finnigans TakeIncarcerationJerry spends four years in solitary confinement at the MCC before he settles on a plea deal. He discusses his time in jail and how it shaped his new outlook on life.Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake.Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2024-01-1043 min
Finnigans TakeArrestedThe noose is tightening on Jerry as fellow SOS members are talking to the feds. The FBI swoops in and arrests him at his home which begins a 10 year incarceration odyssey.Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake.Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2024-01-0942 min
Finnigans TakeChicago's Third RailJerry and SOS members make an arrest of a gang member who is politically connected to Aldermen Ed Burke, a man at the top of Chicago's political power. Was this arrest the start of the end of SOS? Jerry believes so and in true Chicago fashion, politics, policing and power collide in a web of deceit and drama.Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake.Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...2024-01-0434 min
Finnigans TakeThe Insurance Scam (Gone Wrong)This is the beginning of the end of SOS and Jerry's career, which ignited with an investigation of a car insurance scam by a member of SOS who joined an FBI special task force.Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake.Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2024-01-0246 min
Finnigans TakeThe Strange Death of John FinniganJerry is awoken in the middle of the night by a call from a cop, his younger brother John has been shot and killed. Jerry races to the scene of the crime to discover John used his girlfriend's service weapon to kill himself. Things unravel quickly from there.Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake.Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-12-2835 min
Finnigans TakeBurned OutJerry is burned out in SOS and requests a transfer to Midway Airport where he can take a breather but where Jerry goes, crime and conflict follow.Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake.Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-12-2634 min
Finnigans TakeSOSJerry joins Special Operations Section and details how the unit would remove drugs and illegal guns off the streets of Chicago. This roving pack of cops was a freight train already coming off the rails when Jerry joins, with a history of members being indicted for a litany of crimes. The unit was highly effective but also troubled.Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake.Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...2023-12-2146 min
Finnigans TakeComplainersJerry's success as an aggressive cop pays off for the brass of the Chicago Police Department but the complaints against him begin to pile up. Jerry details how the complaint system works and how it built a box he could not get out of.Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake.Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-12-1938 min
Finnigans TakeThe MethodologyJerry details how he would remove guns from the streets of Chicago, the methodology was not always legal but the results were undeniably effective.Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake.Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-12-1451 min
Finnigans TakeBill FinniganThis chapter details the murder of Jerry's eldest brother Bill who is killed in a stabbing in a bar fight. When no charges are brought against the man who killed Bill, Jerry does his own investigation and believes the fix was in.Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake.Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-12-1251 min
Finnigans TakeThe Tact TeamJerry joins the 7th district tactical team of the Chicago Police Department where he quickly becomes seasoned in the ways of Chicago's "real police".Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake.Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-12-0740 min
Finnigans Take7th DistrictJerry requests and is subsequently assigned to the 7th District, an area of Chicago that is tantamount to a war zone in the 1980's.Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake.Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-12-0540 min
Finnigans TakeThe AcademyJerry decides to take the entry exam and become a cop. His training officer is a seasoned veteran with more than 20 years on the job, and Jerry realizes very quickly how dangerous Chicago is.Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake.Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-11-3051 min
Finnigans TakeFormative YearsOur first conversation details Jerry's youth and the influences that began his trajectory toward becoming a Chicago police officer.Follow Neal on X at @nealedelstein and the podcast at @FinnigansTake.Music: "Refraction 3" from the album "Lux: Refractions” by loscil, courtesy of Scott Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-11-3037 min
Finnigans TakeThe RepercussionsThe second teaser before we launch Finnigans Take, the never before told story of Chicago cop Jerry Finnigan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-11-2902 minFinnigans TakeFinnigans Take Teaser 1The rise and fall of notorious Chicago cop Jerry Finnigan. Jerry has never told his story until now. Stay connected for premiere informations and news.Find Neal at X/Twitter @nealedelstein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2023-10-1605 min
The Cooley AccountEpisode 17: In ConclusionSend us a textThe final chapter and conclusion of the Bob Cooley journey. Thank you all for listening, and stay connected as the conversation continues on X and other social media platforms. Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening! 2023-03-0609 minThe Cooley AccountEpisode 16: The End Of Pat MarcySend us a textPat Marcy is indicted on corruption charges; his co-defendant is Alderman Roti. Bob is the first witness to testify, but things go sideways immediately. This conversation details the end of Pat Marcy and Fred Roti, as well as a detailed dive into a circus ticket scheme rigged off the back of disadvantaged Chicago kids. Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening! 2023-03-0245 minThe Cooley AccountEpisode 15: The WireSend us a textBob has to leave Chicago for good as the FBI fans across the city with subpoenas and indict a cadre of politicians and organized crime members. Also in this conversation, Bob details wearing a wire on Fred Roti and how he escaped a death test that Pat Marcy attempted to snare him in. There’s also the story about how he set up John D’Arco Jr. into nearly passing an insurance law in return for a bribe.Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for list...2023-02-2239 minThe Cooley AccountEpisode 14: The Beginning Of The EndSend us a textGrowing frustrated, Bob begins to build his own cases against the 1st Ward and the Chicago Outfit. He wears a wire on Pat Marcy and hatches a plan to bring down Johnny D'Arco Junior by passing legislation for a bribe. There's also a sting operation that goes sideways in Wisconsin when Bob and the FBI set up some mobsters with the opportunity to rob a $ 1 million poker game. Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening! 2023-02-1429 minThe Cooley AccountEpisode 13: The AftermathSend us a textAfter departing the Crime Task Force office, Bob carries with him the weight of a life-altering moment. In the days that follow, the FBI unexpectedly arrives at his office, driven by a mission to validate his claims, urging him to don a wire. In a familiar pattern, the unfolding events hurtle toward a perilous conclusion, with lives hanging in the balance, entangled in the sinister world of ‘trunk music’ and the menacing threat of blowtorches. Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening! 2023-02-0744 minThe Cooley AccountEpisode 12: A Crisis Of ConscienceSend us a textAt the behest of Pat Marcy, Bob defends a man accused of assaulting a female cop. Bob's encounter with Marcy after the trial is the spark that sends him to visit the Organized Crime Strike Force and turn on the 1st Ward. We also touch upon gambling operations at the local horse racing tracks in the Chicagoland area. Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening! 2023-01-3139 min
Richard Skipper's Friday Wrap Up Show: It's Cheese Lover's Day! 1/20/2023For Video Edition, Please Click and Subscribe Here: https://youtu.be/zmdvvH30EIo
I, however, will be celebrating National Book Blitz Month with some surprise guests to discuss books with quite a few surprises! Let's see how cheesy we all will be... CREATE! How Extraordinary People Live to Create and Create to Live by RONALD RAND Create Sharing their insights on the process of creativity and the importance of the arts for humankind CREATE! features over 100 rare Interviews — actors, artists, choreographers, composers, dancers, designers, directors, musicians, composers, mime artists, playwrights, poets musicians, and writers — including Edward Albee, Alec Baldwin, Carol Burne...2023-01-201h 06
Richard Skipper CelebratesRichard Skipper's Friday Wrap Up Show: It's Cheese Lover's Day! 1/20/2023For Video Edition, Please Click and Subscribe Here: https://youtu.be/zmdvvH30EIo I, however, will be celebrating National Book Blitz Month with some surprise guests to discuss books with quite a few surprises! Let's see how cheesy we all will be... CREATE! How Extraordinary People Live to Create and Create to Live by RONALD RAND Create Sharing their insights on the process of creativity and the importance of the arts for humankind CREATE! features over 100 rare Interviews — actors, artists, choreographers, composers, dancers, designers, directors, musicians, composers, mime artists, playwrights, poets musicians, and writers — including Edward Albee, Alec Baldwin, Carol Burne...2023-01-201h 05The Cooley AccountEpisode 11: The Chinese Mob (Chicago Style)Send us a textBob is introduced to members of Chinese organized crime by Chicago Alderman Fred Roti. A few members of the Ghost Shadows are pinned for a murder and need Bob's help. This begins a new chapter in Bob's life that takes him to the East Coast and an underworld of Chinese mobsters stretching from Manhattan to Boston. Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening! 2023-01-1938 minThe Cooley AccountEpisode 10: The Strange Death Of Karen Lee KoppelSend us a textThere's a hit on Bob’s life for refusing to expose a witness in a trial. We also discuss the disappearance of Karen Lee Koppel. Koppel goes missing after her relationship with the head of the janitors union goes sideways. (This was a cold case, but through sources, I have found out it is an active investigation.) We end as Bob enters another world of corruption when he is hired by the Chinese mafia at the behest of Alderman Fred Roti. Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Than...2023-01-1340 minThe Cooley AccountEpisode 9: Fixing Murder & Marcy PowerSend us a textCarol Jean DiPasalegne was murdered by her husband, but the 1st Ward fixed the case so her husband would walk free so the machine could steal the insurance money on a double indemnity clause. Bob also explains how Pat Marcy gained control of the 1st Ward and exerted his ruthless power. Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening! 2023-01-0537 minThe Cooley AccountEpisode 8: Harry Aleman's Double Jeopardy?Send us a textWe continue our conversation about the Harry Aleman murder trial and detail how Bob fixed the case. The stakes are life and death for Bob as Judge Wilson wavers about his conclusion due to threats in the papers targeting Wilson and his family. The Aleman case is unprecedented in the annals of the American legal system. Questions? Comments? Find Neal on Twitter at @NealEdelstein. Thank you for listening! 2022-12-3044 minThe Cooley AccountEpisode 7: D'Arco, Marcy & AlemanSend us a textThis conversation propels us into the inner sanctum of Chicago’s 1st Ward. A shadow government within a government that controlled the state of Illinois. Two men operate the levers of power, both of whom started as gunmen for Al Capone. One is John D’Arco Sr. who needs Bob to take his wayward son under his wing and teach him how to be a lawyer (despite him being a state senator). The other is Pat Marcy, a man of near-mythical proportions who had the presence of a stone-cold killer. Marcy needs Bob to fi...2022-12-221h 06The Cooley AccountEpisode 6: Beating Murder(s)Send us a textBob takes on two high-profile murder cases and mounts the "jagoff defense" in the Joey Airdo trial. Early success catapults him on a trajectory toward becoming known as a fixer in Chicago, but he's also collecting enemies inside the FBI and the Chicago Police Department.We also discuss a run-in with the notorious Tony Spilotro and a tip from a reliable source about betting on select Ivy League basketball games that are guaranteed winners. It's all ramping toward Bob’s entry into the 1st Ward inner circle and the mysterious Pat Ma...2022-12-1349 minThe Cooley AccountEpisode 5: Count Dante And The Purolator HeistSend us a textA strange character named Count Dante enlists Bob for legal help. The Count is being charged with murder for an attack on an opposing dojo whose owner is siphoning his clients. Bob finds himself entangled in the Count's bizarre world, which he has to break away from. After the Count's mysterious death, Bob discovers evidence that he was involved in the Purolator Armored Express Heist. The crime remains unsolved and at the time was the largest cash heist in the US. Bob also discusses the Chop Shop Wars and an accumulating body count...2022-12-051h 03