11.   All the defendants are charged as members of a racketeering enterprise that allegedly includes the New England Mafia and the Winter Hill Gang.

12.   All the defendants have been charged with murder, kidnapping and terrorist activities, crimes that carry the death penalty.

13.   Both defendants had been charged with second-degree murder.

14.   But Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Spivack said other defendants would be charged in the case.

15.   Defendants can be charged on the basis of statements from witness who do not appear in court, foreign diplomats say.

16.   Each defendant is charged with conspiracy to murder and carrying firearms.

17.   Each defendant is charged with racketeering, bribery and mail and wire fraud related to a scheme orchestrated by Paul J. Silvester, the former state treasurer.

18.   Federal indictments were issued a year ago, charging the defendants with illegal currency transactions, fraud, money laundering, illegal international commerce and other felonies.

19.   In addition to conspiracy, the defendants were charged with making false statements to the U.S. government about the intended use for the machine tools.

20.   It creates unfairness by making sentences dependent upon whether defendants are charged under a federal or a state law, which usually have different penalties for the same crime.