John Gotti

John Joseph Gotti, Jr (October 27, 1940 - June 10, 2002) was the leader of the New York City Gambino "crime" family in the mid 1980's and early 1990's. John Gotti was the most powerful "crime" boss during his era. He became widely known for his outspoken personality and flamboyant style. The FBI hated Gotti due to his free spirited attitude and recorded in their memoirs as to how pursuing and convicting Gotti was personal to them. Gotti was only known as a criminal by U.S. Authorities, but was viewed by many as simply a non-conformist who did not succumb to poverty or a paper system to survive. Gotti was not seeking any media or law enforcement attention, and was quoted as saying he was just simply "trying to survive".

He was known by the media as "The Dapper Don" because he wore expensive clothes and as "The Teflon Don" because the majority of attempts to convict him resulted in either a hung jury or an acquittal, which the FBI eventually stooped to cheating their own system, and breaking their own rules to ultimately convict Gotti.

Early Life

Poverty

John Gotti's parents were immigrants from Italy. They faced numerous instances discrimination and were treated poorly by their new society. Gotti often had to fight for food, and was harassed at school for being of modest means. Gotti went without many basic goods and services denied to Italian immigrants when he was growing up, and often endured unwarranted harassment by Law Enforcement, as did many newcomers to America of the time.

Leader of the Fulton-Rockaway Boys Gang

When Gotti was 12, he became the leader of a local street gang of kids in his childhood area of New York known as the Fulton- Rockaway Boys. Many were immigrants, or children of immigrants who were badly mistreated by society. The Fulton-Rockaway Boys were known for their frequent robberies and car-jackings. When Gotti was 14, he was attempting to steal a cement mixer from a construction site when it fell, crushing his toes. The injury caused by the cement mixer left him with a permanent limp.

Attempts at Legitimate Careers

Gotti attempted to work legitimately in 1962 as a presser in a coat factory and as an assistant truck driver. However, by 1966 his attempts were not providing enough to take care of his family.

Personal Life

Marriage

John Gotti married Victoria DiGiorgio on March 6, 1962. The marriage produced five children—two daughters (Angel and Victoria) as well as three sons (John, Frank and Peter).

Charitable Contributions

John Gotti has been filmed by media and recorded as walking the streets of New York handing out $100.00 bills to those in need, including New York's homeless population. John Gotti was said to have been admired by his community for his many acts of generosity to those in need.

Community Events

During the 1980's every holiday, Gotti would organize large parties including free food, entertainment and fireworks to those in his former neighborhood. Gotti was said to have enjoyed brining joy to underprivledged members of society, and seeing the children of those areas able to enjoy a happy childhood.

Loss of youngest son Frank Gotti

On March 18, 1980, Gotti's youngest son, 12-year-old Frank Gotti, was run over and killed on a family friend's minibike by John Favara, a neighbor. Police found Favara not to blame for the accident, and no charges were ever filed against him. In the months after the accident, the word "murderer" was spray-painted onto Favara's car, however no proof was ever found as to who did this, or why. Favara was later reported as packing his suitcases and stating he wanted to move to a new town. On July 28, 1980, Favara disappeared after leaving work; he was never seen again. The Gotti family was in Florida at the time of his disappearance. In January 2009, prosecutors claimed that Charles Carneglia, an alleged mob soldier awaiting trial on five murders, said he dissolved Favara's remains in a drum of acid after murdering him, however besides this claim, no current proof has been presented.

Gambino Crime Family

Gambino Crime Family Soldier

Gotti's criminal career with the Gambino crime family began when he joined Carmine Fatico's crew, which was part of what became known as the Gambino family after the murder of Albert Anastasia. Gotti's first nine arrests were in the company of Angelo Ruggiero. Together with his brother Gene and Ruggiero, Gotti carried out truck hijackings at Idlewild Airport (subsequently renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport); during this period, he was given the nicknames "Black John" and "Crazy Horse."

In February 1968, United Airlines employees identified Gotti as the man who had signed for stolen merchandise; the FBI arrested him for the United hijacking soon after. Two months later, while out on bail, Gotti was arrested a third time for hijacking—this time for stealing a load of cigarettes worth $50,000, on the New Jersey Turnpike. Later that year, Gotti pleaded guilty to the Northwest Airlines hijacking and was sentenced to three years at Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary. Prosecutors dropped the charges for the cigarette hijacking. Gotti also pleaded guilty to the United hijacking and spent less than three years at Lewisburg.

After he was released from prison, Gotti was placed on probation and ordered to acquire legitimate employment. Meanwhile, he returned to his old crew at the Bergin Hunt and Fish Club, still working under caporegime Carmine Fatico. Fatico was indicted on loansharking charges in 1972 and made Gotti, still not yet a made man in the Mafia, the acting capo of the Bergin Crew, reporting to Carlo Gambino and his underboss, Aniello Dellacroce.

Meeting Carlo Gambino

After Carlo Gambino's nephew Emanuel Gambino was kidnapped and murdered, John Gotti was assigned to the hit team alongside Ralph Galione and Angelo Ruggiero for the main suspect, Irish-American gangster James McBratney. The team botched their attempt to abduct McBratney at a Staten Island bar, and Galione shot McBratney dead when his accomplices managed to restrain him. Identified by eyewitnesses and a police Bergin insider, Gotti was arrested for the killing in June 1974. With the help of attorney Roy Cohn, however, he was able to strike a plea bargain and received a four-year sentence for attempted manslaughter for his part in the hit.

Gambino Crime Family Captain

Template:Expand section Gotti was released in July 1977 after two years imprisonment. He was subsequently initiated into the Gambino family, now under the command of Paul Castellano, and immediately promoted to replace Fatico as Capo of the Bergin crew.

Assault Trial

In September 1984, Romual Piecyk, a repairman in New York, became angry that his truck was blocked in by a parked vehicle belonging to Gotti's associate Frank Colletta, who was out with Gotti that day. Colletta soon returned to the vehicle, resulting in Piecyk and Colletta's engaging in a physical altercation.[1] Gotti then entered the physical altercation by allegedly striking Piecyk. After the altercation, Piecyk called the police, who arrived on the scene and arrested Gotti for felony assault. Several days later, Piecyk testified in front of a grand jury, which formally indictedGotti. A year later, days before the trial was set to begin, Piecyk contacted a police sergeant involved in the case and informed him that he wasn't going to testify against Gotti. The police sergeant wrote in a report concerning the contact with Piecyk that Piecyk had stated he had received threatening phone calls and that his vehicle's brakes had been cut. Several days later, Piecyk told a New York Daily News reporter that he had not been receiving threatening phone calls and that his vehicle was never tampered with. Piecyk then stated that he would appear as a witness for Gotti. Piecyk was quoted as stating, "I am not going to go against Mister Gotti, I'm going in his behalf. I don't want to hurt Mister Gotti." [2] The day the trial began, Piecyk did not show up and could not be immediately located by the district attorney's staff. Days later, Piecyk was located in Long Island's Mercy Hospital, where he had undergone surgery on his shoulder. Piecyk then checked out of the hospital and was taken into protective custody by Queens, NY, detectives as a material witness.[3] When Piecyk reached the trial, he stated that he did not see the person who assaulted him in the courtroom and that he couldn't remember who had assaulted him. The charges against Gotti were subsequently dismissed. After the trial, Piecyk held a press conference outside the courthouse and stated that "Gotti was being treated unfairly by the media."[4] Piecyk then submitted an affidavit to Gotti's lawyers stating that Gotti had never intimidated or threatened him. The New York Daily News then covered the event with the famous headline "I Forgotti!" [5]

Taking over the Gambino Family

Paul Castellano, Gambino's brother-in-law, was elevated to the head of the crime family after Gambino's death in 1976. Gotti's crew was discovered to be selling heroin, against the rules of the family. In late 1985, Gotti allegedly ordered the execution of Paul Castellano (he was shot six times along with his bodyguard, Thomas Bilotti, outside Sparks Steak House in mid-town Manhattan.

Prosecution and Constant attention of Law Enforcement

FBI Surveillance and Evidence

Gotti was under electronic surveillance by the FBI at all times; they broke into an apartment he used to plant a bug which caught him on tape discussing a number of murders and other criminal activities. The FBI also caught Gotti questioning why his underboss, Sammy Gravano, had so many guys who were close to him winding up dead. On December 11, 1990, FBI agents and New York City detectives raided the Ravenite Social Club and arrested Gotti, Gravano, and Gambino Family consigliere Frank Locascio.

Federal prosecutors have credited Gotti himself with assisting them in imprisoning all 23 family capos (in 1990) because Gotti ordered that all family capos had to meet him each Wednesday at the Ravenite Social Club, allowing the feds to establish the existence of a criminal enterprise.

Charges and Final Trial

Gotti was charged with 13 counts of murder (including those of Paul Castellano and Thomas Bilotti), conspiracy to commit murder, loansharking, racketeering, obstruction of justice, illegal gambling, and tax evasion.

Gotti was tried in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York before United States District Judge I. Leo Glasser. John Gotti's attorney, Bruce Cutler, was barred from defending him in this case because the court ruled that Cutler was in-house counsel" for the Gambino crime family and was too closely tied to organized crime.

Testimony of Sammy Gravano

Sammy Gravano, John Gotti's underboss, agreed to testify against Gotti and Locascio, with the promise of being entered into the Witness Protection Program. Gravano subsequently pleaded guilty to a single count of racketeering as part of a plea agreement in which he admitted responsibility for 19 murders. Gravano's testimony against John Gotti was considered to be a large asset to the prosecution's case against Gotti. The prosecution overlooked the deaths of 19 people just for Gravano to speak.

Jury Verdict and Conviction

On April 2, 1992, after only 13 hours of deliberation, the jury found Gotti and Locascio guilty on all 13 charges. On June 23, 1992, Judge Glasser sentenced Gotti to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Gotti Supporters Attacked by Police outside Courthouse

After the verdict was read, approximately 1,000 Gotti supporters who had been outside the courthouse peacefully assembled as constiutionally allowed to do so became upset and started chanting "Free John Gotti". Soon, NYPD Officers rushed the area telling the crowd to leave. Although unclear why the provocation began, Officers began using physical force on the demonstrating bystanders, causing the demonstrators to return the actions to Officers and their vehicles. 8 Officers, and numerous assemblers were injured in the altercation.[[6]]

Incarceration

Gotti was sent to the United States Penitentiary at Marion, Illinois, where he was kept in a cell 23 hours a day. His Federal Bureau of Prisons ID was 18261-053. While in prison, Gotti offered $100,000 to the Aryan Brotherhood to kill Walter Johnson, a mentally unstable inmate who had tried to fight him with a sucker punch. The Aryan Brotherhood accepted Gotti's offer. The prison guards realized that Johnson was in danger and moved him to a different cell block, ultimately transferring him to another prison. Gotti's visits with family while imprisoned were videotaped against his wishes and sold to the media.

Death

John Gotti died of throat cancer at 12:45 p.m. on June 10, 2002 at the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri, where he had been transferred once the cancer was diagnosed. Gotti had the lower half of his jaw removed because of the cancer and was fed through a tube. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn announced that Gotti's family would not be permitted to have a Mass of Christian Burial but allowed it after the burial.[7]

Funeral

Gotti's funeral was held in a nonchurch facility.[8] After the funeral, an estimated 300 onlookers followed the procession, which passed Gotti's Bergin Hunt and Fish Club, to the gravesite. Gotti was buried next to his son Frank Gotti. Gotti's brother Peter Gotti was unable to attend due to his incarceration [9]

Bibliography

• Blum, Howard. Gangland : How The FBI Broke the Mob. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993. ISBN 0671687581
• Capeci, Jerry and Gene Mustain. Mob Star: The Story of John Gotti. New York: Penguin, 1988. ISBN 0-02-864416-6
• Capeci, Jerry and Gene Mustain. Gotti: Rise and Fall. New York: Onyx, 1996. ISBN 0-451-40681-8
• Davis, John H. Mafia Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the Gambino Crime Family. New York: HarperCollins, 1993. ISBN 0-06-109184-7
• Raab, Selwyn. Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires. London: Robson Books, 2006. ISBN 1861059523

External links

• CarpeNoctem profile
• Biography.com - John Gotti