Actor James Gandolfini was seated in the front row of a Brooklyn courtroom as a Long Island man sought to have his murder conviction overturned.

Gandolfini, star of the recently-wrapped, HBO mob drama "The Sopranos," was there Thursday to show his support for Martin Tankleff -- a Long Island man convicted in 1990 of murdering his wealthy adoptive parents when he was 17, the New York Post reported.

The "Sopranos" actor did not talk to reporters, but sat in the front row as Tankleff's legal team urged the appellate court to consider new evidence in the case and either grant him a new trial or throw out the conviction completely.

Tankleff was convicted largely because of a written confession, which his lawyers claim was coerced.

He was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison.  // Copyright 2007 by United Press International




Publication date: 06 October 2007   

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