Trying to Maintain a Normal Life

In 1959, a two-part television series based on the life of Al Capone was released, causing significant harm to his surviving family members. The series posed a serious threat to their privacy and resurfaced painful subjects they had been trying to put behind them. Sonny Capone, in particular, had to relocate his children to a different school due to the relentless teasing they endured from their peers, making it impossible for them to lead normal school lives.

Faced with humiliation, shame, and emotional distress, Mae Capone, Capone’s sister Mafalda, and Sonny Capone decided to take legal action against the networks, seeking $6 million in compensation for the damages inflicted upon them. The case ultimately reached the Supreme Court, but the judges denied the family’s claim for financial restitution.