University of Virginia Library

'Wizard' Turns State's Evidence; Terps Quit

N. C. State's Burleson Stops Trial,
Exposes Statewide Burglary Ring

By SHIRLEY SEYMOUR

Burleson (left) And Stahurski: Centers In A Storm

RALEIGH, N.C. – Startling
disclosures by N.C. State
basketball center Tommy
Burleson disrupted Burleson's
trial here this afternoon and
threatened to, in Burleson's
words, "Throw the whole mess
into the Supreme Court."

Burleson, charged with
several counts of breaking into
coin-operated pinball
machines, juke boxes, soft
drink machines and
prophylactic vendors on the
State campus, brought the
proceeding to a screeching halt
by turning state's evidence
midway through today's
session.

"I'm tired of being the fall
guy," Burleson announced
during the testimony of a
prosecution witness, "there are
powerful people in this
courtroom trying to put the
hurt on me Big Casino. I'm not
going to stand still and take
it."

With that, Burleson,
standing erect and stretched to

his full height of 7-4, pointed
an accusing finger at Anthony
J. "Tony" Alamani, a rumored
Mafia Don oerating out of
nearby Creedmoor, N.C., and
said "There's the man you
want."

Alamani began a quick bolt
towards the rear exit of the
Wake County courthouse but
was restrained inches from
freedom by several bailiffs. The
progress of the trial was then
stopped to allow Burleson to
make a statement.

"Alamani's the big cheese,"
Burleson states, "he heads up a
ring of vending-machine
burglars that's like, well,
statewide. I don't know how I
got involved in this thing,
anyway. Mr. Alamani was
always so nice, giving me
money, comic books, Playboy
magazines, Coca-Colas –
everything I wanted. I didn't
know he had evil motives."

"I could have just kept
quiet and taken the rap,"
Burleson continued, "but I
want the satisfaction of putting
that rat bastard greaseball
(Alamani) behind bars. I quit.
I'm turning state's evidence!"

Wake County Judge Roscoe
J. Pennypacker ordered the
trial halted and scheduled a
pre-trial hearing for Alamani
for next Friday morning.
Burleson was allowed to leave
the courtroom a free man in
the custody of his coach,
Norman Sloan.

Burleson's shocking
comments interrupted the flow
of a trial that had been going
steadily against him. On the
stand at the time of the
outburst was Duke basketball
coach Raymond "Bucky"
Waters, the sixth of seven ACC
coaches to testify against
Burleson.

"I saw him do it," Waters
was saying under oath, "I was
messing around in the State
dorms trying to borrow a few
bucks from David Thompson
when I saw the defendant
break into, and subsequently
burglarize, the 'King of
Diamonds' pinball machine."

Previously, other league
coaches had sworn that they
were witnesses to several other
illegal acts by Burleson
including, according to
Clemson coach Taylor "Tates"
Locke, the 1962 Brinks
Robbery.

"I just know what I saw,"
was Locke's only comment.

Alamani's lone post-trial
comment was that he was "still
pals" with Burleson and was
preparing to "offer him a
'contract' he couldn't refuse."