Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Trigger Burke, Old Sparky, Sing Sing Prison, Jim DeFilippi—true crime LIVE unpacking Forty Steps to Old Sparky, the doom-fated path of a 1940s–50s gangland assassin executed at Sing Sing in 1958.
Tonight we sit down with author Jim DeFilippi to walk the “forty steps,” explore who Trigger Burke really was, how Sing Sing’s electric chair earned its name, and what the book reveals about crime, conscience, and capital punishment—then we take your questions live.
Gun Charges Hold Burke Pal
By Loren Craft
A 28-year-old pal of Elmer (Trigger) Burke—the second buddy of the notorious gunman to be grabbed by cops in less than a week—was jailed in lieu of bail yesterday despite some fast shuttling between courts by his attorney.
James E. Sexton, of 211 W. 87th Street, was arraigned in Felony Court before Magistrate John P. X. Masterson on charges of receiving a stolen gun and violating the Sullivan Law.
He had been arrested at 6:55 a.m. Wednesday in a taxicab at Eighth Avenue and 18th Street. Police said he had with him a .38 caliber revolver stolen from Eugene Kornberg during a stickup at 839 12th Avenue last September, and a .45-caliber German automatic. He told the cops he had an “appointment” to sell the gun, they said.
Ignores Defense Plea
Assistant District Attorney Victor Cosmelli demanded $30,000 bail on the receiving charge. Masterson set bail at $10,000 on the receiving rap, and $2,500 on the Sullivan Law count.
During the efforts of Sexton’s attorney, Stephen Fuchsino, to lower bail, Fuchsino then went to Part One of General Sessions, where Judge Jacob Gould Schurman lowered the receiving charge bail to $2,500.
Back went Fuchsino to Felony Court, but Masterson said he could not “be bound by the ruling of another part”; thus was Judge Schurman’s cut ignored.
Hearing July 8
So Fuchsino brought Sexton to General Sessions, but Schurman had left for the weekend. Sexton, who has a minor record, will get a hearing July 8, 1955.
Police said Burke is wanted for questioning in several West Side stickups.
• Jim DeFilippi’s site: jimdefilippi.com
• Forty Steps to Old Sparky (Amazon): amazon.com/dp/B0BSFYR375
• Barnes & Noble page: barnesandnoble.com/w/forty-steps-to-old-sparky-jim-defilippi/1142952109
• Goodreads: goodreads.com/book/show/87594200-forty-steps-to-old-sparky
🎙️
00:00 Cold open
00:25 Welcome & housekeeping
02:00 Who was Trigger Burke?
10:00 Building the book: why “Forty Steps”
20:00 Sing Sing & “Old Sparky” context
30:00 Burke’s final days
40:00 Audience Q&A
58:00 Takeaways & closing
Trigger Burke, Old Sparky, Sing Sing Prison, Jim DeFilippi—true crime LIVE unpacking Forty Steps to Old Sparky, the doom-fated path of a 1940s–50s gangland assassin executed at Sing Sing in 1958.
Tonight we sit down with author Jim DeFilippi to walk the “forty steps,” explore who Trigger Burke really was, how Sing Sing’s electric chair earned its name, and what the book reveals about crime, conscience, and capital punishment—then we take your questions live.
Gun Charges Hold Burke Pal
By Loren Craft
A 28-year-old pal of Elmer (Trigger) Burke—the second buddy of the notorious gunman to be grabbed by cops in less than a week—was jailed in lieu of bail yesterday despite some fast shuttling between courts by his attorney.
James E. Sexton, of 211 W. 87th Street, was arraigned in Felony Court before Magistrate John P. X. Masterson on charges of receiving a stolen gun and violating the Sullivan Law.
He had been arrested at 6:55 a.m. Wednesday in a taxicab at Eighth Avenue and 18th Street. Police said he had with him a .38 caliber revolver stolen from Eugene Kornberg during a stickup at 839 12th Avenue last September, and a .45-caliber German automatic. He told the cops he had an “appointment” to sell the gun, they said.
Ignores Defense Plea
Assistant District Attorney Victor Cosmelli demanded $30,000 bail on the receiving charge. Masterson set bail at $10,000 on the receiving rap, and $2,500 on the Sullivan Law count.
During the efforts of Sexton’s attorney, Stephen Fuchsino, to lower bail, Fuchsino then went to Part One of General Sessions, where Judge Jacob Gould Schurman lowered the receiving charge bail to $2,500.
Back went Fuchsino to Felony Court, but Masterson said he could not “be bound by the ruling of another part”; thus was Judge Schurman’s cut ignored.
Hearing July 8
So Fuchsino brought Sexton to General Sessions, but Schurman had left for the weekend. Sexton, who has a minor record, will get a hearing July 8, 1955.
Police said Burke is wanted for questioning in several West Side stickups.
• Jim DeFilippi’s site: jimdefilippi.com
• Forty Steps to Old Sparky (Amazon): amazon.com/dp/B0BSFYR375
• Barnes & Noble page: barnesandnoble.com/w/forty-steps-to-old-sparky-jim-defilippi/1142952109
• Goodreads: goodreads.com/book/show/87594200-forty-steps-to-old-sparky
🎙️
00:00 Cold open
00:25 Welcome & housekeeping
02:00 Who was Trigger Burke?
10:00 Building the book: why “Forty Steps”
20:00 Sing Sing & “Old Sparky” context
30:00 Burke’s final days
40:00 Audience Q&A
58:00 Takeaways & closing
