Michele A. Angiulo, brother of former Mafia underboss

Michele A. Angiulo of Medford, a brother of former Boston Mafia underboss Gennaro "Jerry" Angiulo, died Wednesday of complications from lung cancer. He was 79.

Born in 1927, Mr. Angiulo spent most of his life in the North End. "He had an address in Medford, but the North End was his life," said his wife of 54 years, Concetta "Connie" (Capodilupo).

Mr. Angiulo was an usher at St. Mary's Chapel in the North End, and was once described by friends and neighbors as a loyal churchgoer, but he was best known for his connection to the Patriarca crime family.

In 1986, Mr. Angiulo was convicted, along with several of his brothers, on gambling charges. He was sentenced to three years in prison and fined $5,000 for his role in conducting an illegal gambling business on Prince Street. His brothers, convicted of more serious charges, were each sentenced to 25 years or more.

Mr. Angiulo and his lawyer questioned whether the jury was able to act objectively, due to what his lawyer, Henry D. Katz, said were "preconceived opinions that the defendants were bad men."

Even when times were tough for Mr. Angiulo, he found support among friends and neighbors. Weeks after his 1986 conviction, US District Judge David Nelson freed Mr. Angiulo on bond after receiving more than 200 letters praising the defendant.

"To some of those that know him best, Michele A. Angiulo is a loyal churchgoer, devoted family man and a sort of hero to youngsters," reported a Boston Globe article published March 15, 1986.

In one letter to the judge, a 10-year-old girl wrote, "he means an awful lot to me. . . . He's a very nice man." Another supporter wrote that Mr. Angiulo had "great fondness and concern for his fellow man" and would put "another's welfare before his own under any circumstance."

The decision to release Mr. Angiulo was ultimately overturned in September 1986 by the US Court of Appeals, which said Nelson had applied "an erroneous standard." Mr. Angiulo was arrested and re-incarcerated after the ruling. He served a three-year sentence. His brother, Gennaro, remains imprisoned.

According to his wife, Mr. Angiulo was active in the North End community, where he served as a trustee in the St. Anthony de Padua Society.

"The whole North End is devastated. Everyone here knew my husband," she said.

In addition to his wife and brother, he leaves one son, Michael of Florida; a sister, Stella Orlandella of Saugus ; and brothers Francesco "Frank" of Boston, and Donato "Danny" of Medford.

A funeral Mass will be said tomorrow at 9:45 a.m. in St. Leonard Church in Boston.