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October 2005

Sammy "Bull" Gravano -- vs-- Prosecutor John Molinelli.

Is Gravano a Guility Cop Killer? Or is It a Mix of Gottti "De Ja Vue" by a lying Serial killer...and Persecution by American Justice?

By Clarence Walker, Investigative Reporter & Documentary Producer of Cold-Case, Mafia-Murder stories (Houston, Texas)


Sammy
Sammy "The Bull" Gravano

     "I killed 19 people...yes I did". "But I did not kill Officer Calabro". Those are the poignant words of former Gambino underboss Sammy "the Bull" Gravano.

     Gravano, already serving a 20-year prison sentence for conspiracy--distribution of Ecstasy drugs was charged in 2003 by New Jersey authorities for the March 14, 1980 brutal murder of NYPD Detective Peter Calabro.

     Calabro's murder was a cold case until a serial killer and self-proclaimed Mafia hitman identified as Richard "Iceman" Kuklinski fingered Gravano as the man who hired him to blow Calabro off the face of the earth.

     Gravano insists he is innocent and being systematically persecuted by a prosecutor's determination to earn a reputation off Gravano's fame. He further said that he was framed for a murder by a glory-seeking, serial killer, who, in fact, is also innocent!

     Underworld sources knowledgeable about Calabro's murder who prefer to remain anonymous have no love nor sympathy for Gravano's predicament.

     One email source told Americanmafia.com: "No matter if Gravano is innocent of the murder, he's getting what he deserves from the same law enforcement people he helped to convict John Gotti and other "Men of Honor" in the mob".

     Wiseguys who claimed they would never violate the Omerta code and 'rat' on others have said Gravano's crossroad fight with Prosecutor Molinelli in New Jersey is a case of Gotti "de ja vue".

     Another source relayed this email message: "Gotti is haunting that 'rat' Gravano from the grave!"

     Lawyers for the former underboss accused D.A. Molinelli of being so gung-ho to convict Gravano for the murder he is willing to trust the word of a killer described by law enforcement officials as a pathological criminal who falsely confessed to Calabro's murder to win notoriety as the most deadliest serial killer in U.S. history.

     Law enforcement officers involved with the Calabro's murder investigation who knew of his connection with organize crime during late 1970s-til-1980 while working as an auto theft detective supports Gravano's innocense.

     "I'm 100 per-cent sure Gravano had nothing to do with it...and 99 per-cent sure Kuklinski didn't do it", says one investigator who arrested several mob associates involved in a stolen car scheme connected with the slain officer.

     For years, state organize crime and FBI investigators developed information from valuable informants that professional auto thieves connected with the Gambino Mafia paid the murdered cop thousands of dollars each week for inside information on police investigations which targeted their operation.

     If Gravano's incredible story is true...that a pathological, lying criminal, falsely implicated him in a scheme to murder a police officer to win notoriety as a celebrity killer as famous as Hannibal Lecter , perhaps Gravano's lawyers can expose Kuklinski's depraved scheme and get the former underboss off the hook.

     Bergen county D.A. Molinelli is no doubt a man on a mission to convict Gravano. Questions as to why Gravano, a professional hitman himself, would hire Kuklinski to kill the officer elicited this response from Molinelli.

     "I need no motive. "I have a confession and guilty plea from the killer, Richard (Iceman) Kuklinski". Kuklinski pled guilty to Calabro's murder and received 30 years to run concurrent with the four life sentences he was already serving for multiple homicides.

     Another controversial issue surrounding the new charge against Gravano is the deal he made with government prosecutors to testify against Gotti in 1992. Under Gravano plea bargain the agreement required the underboss to confess every murder or major crime he committed.

     A violation of the agreement would occur if, later,any of Gravano's unconfessed crimes came to light. Such discovery of withheld information would allow the government to prosecute Gravano for each crime he originally confessed too, prior to becoming a government witness.

     Victoria Gotti, wife of deceased John Gotti, wrote recently in the New York Daily News that, "Gravano claimed he confessed to all his crimes yet he is now charged with the murder of a cop."

     "If that charge is true, I think the question needs to be asked: "Did he really confess to all crimes as he and the government claimed?" Matriarch Gotti continued, "Did the government know about this additional killing but bypassed it knowing the public would never accept a suspected "cop killer" as a witness against John Gotti?"

     Debunking the grand theory that Gravano withheld information from authorities about the Calabro' murder that if he'd confessed the murder of a police officer that his deal to testify against Gotti for leniency would have been jeopardized, the Mafia-informant lawyer, Anthony Ricco said:

     "It's ludicrous to think Gravano would have held back on the Calabro murder because when he was initially indicted in 1991 for only three murders, he told the feds about 16 others that he was not originally charged with; nor had police identified him as a suspect in the 16 murders he confessed too."

     In 1996, a team of lawyers representing John Gotti on appeal after Gravano's testimony swayed the jury to convict the Gambino crimeboss; the appeal claimed that Gravano and prosecutors witheld evidence from the jury that Gravano committed two murders when he testified against Gotti: the 1972 shooting death of a car salesman and a 1976 beating death of a car dealer.

     James Fox, former FBI commander in New York, said, "those charges were motivated by revenge and hatred of Gravano to impeach his credibility".

     When Gravano helped authorities to send Gotti away for life in prison in one of the nation's most sensational organize crime trials. His snitch work against La Cosa Nostra inspired a federal judge to praise him as a hero----the number one witness against the Mafia in U.S. history.

     Judge I. Leo Glasser and scores of law enforcement authorities and prosecutors characterized Gravano as an honorable and redeemed gangster. Glasser denounced the media for calling Gravano a "rat" and a "snitch".

     Glasser stated, "I doubt if the media would have used "rat" or "snitch" to describe the criminals responsible for the World Trade Center if they had cooperated with the government".

     Gravano has denied hiring Kuklinski to kill the officer.

     "I am not guility " Gravano have said during court hearings in Hackensack Superior Court in New Jersey.

     Kuklinski, cracking a broad smile, contradicts the veteran gangster.

     "I shot and killed the officer with a shotgun provided by Sammy Gravano".

Richard 'Iceman' Kuklinski
Richard "Iceman" Kuklinski
     To kill Calabro, Kuklinski confessed during the HBO special, he waited for the officer to drive from Queens, N.Y. to Saddle River, New Jersey.

     As Calabro cruised down a road leading to his two-story home, Kuklinski said when the officer attempted to drive around the van he was driving that was used to partially block the road, he stepped forward from the blindside and fired a shotgun blast into the head of the officer.

     "I never knew the man, what he looked like or what his job was", Kuklinski smiled. "I found out the next day he was a police officer".

     D.A. Molinelli said Gravano was nearby communicating by walkie-talkie with the Iceman when the officer was shot to death.

     To support denial of the crime, Gravano, earlier this year, challenged D.A. Molinelli to have Kuklinski, himself, and a jailhouse informant to take a polygraph test.

     When Superior Court Judge William Meehan said that New Jersey prohibit the use of polygraph tests on witnesses, Gravano replied, "Maybe they will find it interesting".

     Gravano has confessed to murder of 19 men, Kuklinski confessed proudly to killing over 100 people.

     Which of these serial killers are telling the truth? Can anyone find the truth beneath the tongue of these rats?

     Depending whether longevity favor Gravano(He will be 77 when eligible for parole on the drug charge in 2026). Trapped beneath the scales of justice the king of mob 'rats' is waging a battle to save whatever life he has left.

Who killed Former NYPD Detective Peter Calabro

Peter Calabro
NYPD Detective Peter Calabro
     Former NYPD (New York Police Department) Chief John Guido insists that ex-Gambino underboss, Sammy Gravano, in fact, murdered former NYPD detective Peter Calabro.

     Guido said Calabro's slaying was orchestrated by family members of his deceased wife, Carmella Calabro. The retired officer supervised the 1977 investigation into the death of the officer's wife.

     Guido suspects the in-laws hired Gravano to kill the officer because they believed he drowned Carmella.

     "Calabro was married to a beautiful girl from a close-knit Italian family who died under mysterious circumstances", Guido told New York reporters two years ago.

     "At one point, Guido recalled, a relative came to us and said, 'You guys done all you can do. Now I have to do it my way'.

     "There is no doubt in my mind the relative went to Sammy "the Bull". Although Guido refused to elaborate the nature of the evidence to confirmed his suspicoun he insinuated money exchanged hands. "God knows what he was paid. "Carmella's relatives wanted revenge".

     When reporters pressed for the relative name, Guido responded, "I do not recall his name".

     D.A. Mollinelli weighed in on the family theory the officer was murdered because he may have murdered his wife.

     "I am aware her family believes Calabro killed her", the D.A. said.

     "The allegations were made 23 years ago". "I have a death, a shooter and confession from the shooter. It is not legally necessary to prove a motive".

     Described as a soft-spoken, tender-hearted, attractive woman---Carmella Calabro was found dead in a river by U.S. coast guards on July 28 1977.

     Witnesses told police she was last seen walking on the Coney Island beach in Long Branch, New Jersey, with her husband Peter.

     Guido further said: "We put hundreds of hours into the case. Captain Jimmy Skennion also investigated the murder. He was passionate about it".

     "He came into my office and said, 'He(Peter Calabro) killed his wife. 'I am going to get him".

     A Brooklyn grand jury found insufficent evidence to file murder charges against the officer. Skennion's dedication to nail Calabro was so intense Guido recalled this emotional moment.

     "When it was all over, Skennion, a 32-year- veteran, was crying", the retired officer lamented.

     "He said one of Carmella's relatives kissed his hand and said, 'I know you did best you could, but we're going to take care of it. He will not get away with it".

     Skennion retired in 1978 and later died. Efforts by news media reporters including Americanmafia journalist, Clarence Walker, to contact the dead woman relatives to question their suspicioun about who killed Carmella Calabro has been unsuccessful.

Meet Gravano's Twin Devil... Richard "Iceman" Kuklinski

     People who met Richard "Iceman" Kuklinski would have never suspected the intelligent, christianized, easygoing, generous and well-groomed man, was a psychopathic, Mafia hitman and serial killer.

     Iceman Kuklinski claimed to have murdered at least 100 people before police arrested him in 1986. He earned the distinctive name of Iceman from police because he kept the body of a man he murdered inside a freezer for two years.

     Convicted of four murders he is serving four life sentences in a New Jersey prison.

     Between 1992 and 2001, HBO's America undercover, visited Kuklinski at Trenton Maximum Security Prison to film a series titled: The Iceman: Confession of a Mafia Hitman.

     Kuklinski's confessed on the show he murdered 100 victims including the alleged fact he was hired by Sammy Gravano to kill NYPD detective Peter Calabro. The Calabro confession is what triggered the District attorney officials in New Jersey to charge Gravano and Kuklinski with the cold case murder.

     If Gravano, in fact, hired the Iceman to kill officer Calabro; the officer' murder was just another score for Kuklinski to make cash to support wife and children. Murder was "fun and games" for the Iceman, a power trip. Cyanide poisoning was a favorite method to take lives.He possessed an incredible urge to kill, kill, kill.

     "My freind, he once said, there's more than one way to do it...'There's more than one way to skin something".

     Kuklinski's murder techinques varied: Example:

     He used chainsaw to dismember the bodies of victims while they were alive.

     While committing a mob-related murder Kuklinski removed the tongue of a victim and rammed it into his anus to send a message for the mob.

     A business associate was killed because he visited Kuklinski's home without invitation.

     While stalking a male victim at a club, Kuklinski poured cyanide into a glass of beer; brushed against him, which caused the cyanide to spill onto the man that eventually killed him.

     Inside a crowded nightclub the hitman plunged a cyanide-laced needle into an unsuspecting victim. When HBO reporter asked what was in the needle, the Iceman soberly responded, "In his case? A heart attack".

     To see if a crossbow worked the Iceman shot a man in the forehead. "I just wanted to see if this thing worked", he told the reporter.

     Kuklinski committed a test murder while walking on the street among a crowd of people when he, covered his face with a handkerchief, and sprayed a man with cyanide. When the man collapsed and died people thought he'd had a heart attack. "The best effect, he described, is to get 'em in the nose, they inhale it.

     What was chilling about Kuklinski as he confessed the murders his relaxed confidence and serene demeanor made him appear more frightening than Charles Manson.

     To watch him confess to a life of an evil Mafia assassin was like watching a gentle human being discuss typical casual business. His cool reception masked the mental sickness of what appeared to be the image of a healthy, normal looking man.

     Another deranged example: He described how a victim desperately prayed to God and to grant the request Kuklinski gave the man thirty minutes to pray.

     "I told him if God changed the circumstances within that time frame, I would let him go".

     "What happen?" the reporter asked. "God did not change the circumstances so I killed him".

     Where did life begin for this diabolical killer, a personfication of evil?

     Born April 11, 1935, in New Jersey, Richard Kuklinski was raised in a low-income apartment project by abusive, strict-Catholic parents of Polish decent.

     His father was a brakeman for the railroad and his mother worked in a meat packing plant.

     Kuklinski attended Catholic grammar school and served as an altar boy in church. He dropped out of school in the eighth grade.

     Years later he attributed his violent background to a mean-spirited, rage-acholic father who abused him continously until he became a teenager. He grew up hating his father for the abuse and humiliation he suffered.

     A brutish, street-thug, as a teenager, Kuklinski experimented with death by killing cats and dogs in the area where he lived. At 14, he committed his first murder when he beat another kid to death.

     Kuklinski told HBO reporters, " I felt terrible...I felt fear the first time".

     During early 1960s, the Iceman met an attractive woman named Barbara. She felled in love with the future Mafia hitman who oftenly delivered flowers and gifts to her job. After a brief courtship the couple married and had three children.

     Unable to secure a well-paid job the Iceman worked for low wages at a film lab to support family. To make extra money he stole porno flicks from the lab to sell to members of the Gambino crime family.

     Money, in Kuklinski's violent-obsessed mind, brought prestige and respect. "Since I loved to kill, he once said, why not kill for money?" "Why not work as a contract killer for the Mafia?" he pondered.

     Kuklinski figured if he worked as contract murderer he could easily become wealthy and earn up to five figures or more per murder. Blood money was the Iceman goal to become wealthy, to eliminate poverty and provide his family with a comfortable lifestyle.

     Pursuing the goal to become a Mafia hitman Kuklinski joined forces with Gambino gangster Roy DeMeo. DeMeo operated a crew from the Gemini club in Brooklyn, New York.

     According to Jerry Capeci book titled :Murder Machine: DeMeo would kill whoever crossed him or anyone he suspected of being a police informant. The Gemini club was a grisly playground for murder. Victims were lured to the club at night where they would be shot, a towel wrapped around their blood-soaked head, then stabbed in the heart to stop the blood pumping.

     Informants told police the crew of killers would often eat pizza and drink beer while the corpse bled out in a bathtub. Using sharp tools, preferably a chainsaw, the gangsters would cut up the bodies for disposal into the incinerator, or they were buried in landfills.

     Some bodies were taken out to sea on a private yacht owned by one of the crew members and dumped overboard to feed the sharks. Members of the Gemini crew were Henry Borelli, Chris Rosenberg, Joseph "Dracula" Guglielmo, Joey Testa and Anthony Senter.

     Selected to work as an associate, Kuklinski, first known as the brutish Polock, started out committing robberies, extortions, collecting debts and beating up victims who refused to comply with the Mafia street rules.

     Motivated to murder for money Kuklinski urged DeMeo to give him a contract. Unsure if he wanted to trust the Pollack, DeMeo continued to give Kuklinski low-level assignments until finally he decided to test his skills in the murder business.

     After the 6'4, 250 pounds, muscled-built Kuklinski carried out a few Mafia 'whacks'. DeMeo was impressed with his prowess to kill without obvious detection. Although DeMeo was a big-money maker and heartless killer for the Gambino family, the Godfather, Paul Castellano disliked DeMeo because he allowed his crew to deal in drugs.

     Castellano disapproved of his men involved with drug-trafficking because the penalties were too severe that could tempt a member to become an informant. John Gotti incurred Castellano's wrath over the fact he allegedly allowed his crew to deal in drugs.

     During FBI investigation into the missing and murdered victims linked to DeMeo or last seen entering the Gemini club the mobster grew paranoid and increasingly on edge. In January 1983, DeMeo went off to meet a group of fellow Mafiosis.

     On January 18, DeMeo's bullet-riddled body was found in the trunk of his car.

     DeMeo's crew was finally indicted and imprisoned for life upon convictions for a total of 25 murders and numerous mob-related crimes.

     Paul Castellano was indicted for ordering the murder of DeMeo including other crimes but fate intervened. While out on bond awaiting trial Castellano and his bodyguard was gunned down outside Sparks steakhouse on December 16, 1985.

     According to FBI and Sammy Gravano, John Gotti hired assassins to kill Castellano to become the new boss of the Gambino family.

     During the mid-1970s, Kuklinski's dream to wear the crown of a wealthy hitman finally came true. He made up to $50,000,00 for each murder.

     Everyone who knew the large-frame, bearded assassin---Richard Kuklinski was "Americanized as apple pie".

     His newfound wealth brought an expensive, two-story home in a suburban neighborhood in Dumont, New Jersey, where he lived a low-key, lavish lifestyle with a lovely wife and three children who attended Catholic school.

     To camouflage a brutal occupation Kuklinski told wife Barbara and children, neighbors and close freinds he was a successful, self-employed businessman.

     In 1992, he told journalist Anthony Bruno, "I'm not the Iceman. I'm the nice man". Bruno wrote a bestselling book about Kuklinski titled: The Iceman. True Story Of A Cold-Blood Killer.

     Police zeroed in on Kuklinski, the masterful murderer, when he carelessly began leaving clues after committing these murders:

     On December 27, 1982, the decomposing body of Gary Smith was found in a hotel room. Autopsy showed Smith had been poisoned with cyanide.

     Police found the frozen body of Louis Masgay in a park on September 25, 1983. Discovery of Masgay's body earned the killer the dubious nickname---the "Iceman". Evidence later showed Kuklinski had murdered Masgay and kept his body for two years in a freezer inside of his freind's Ice cream truck to prevent estimated time of death. This scheme played into the hands of the police because the body had not been completely thawed out.

     Daniel Deppner, an associate of Kuklinski was found on May 14, 1985, on a secluded bicycle trail. Two more victims were found dead whose last known contact was no other than Richard Kuklinski.

     Finally in 1986, a task force of New York and New Jersey state investigators including federal authorities set up an elaborate sting to reel the Iceman in. Underworld informants provided information that Kuklinski, was in fact, a Mafia hitman, who enjoyed to kill, preferably using cyanide.

     An undercover ATF agent named Dominck Polifrone who shared the same polish roots as Kuklinski would go deep undercover to befreind the killer. Polifrone, himself, grew up with the Mafia guys in New Jersey. He knew the innerworkings of La Cosa Nostra culture and their networks.

     Sharp and brave, Polifrone's dialect and streetwise attitude bonded with the cagey Kuklinski. He told Iceman he was also a hitman working for New York wiseguys.

     As the pair grew closer, Polifrone wore a wire that recorded the Iceman discussing murders he committed and other violent acts. While sipping drinks the Iceman described to Polifrone how to kill with cyanide and use the car bomb invention called the "seat of death" .

     Polifrone broached the subject of paying the Iceman to do a hit and to find a jewish kid to run a drug-trafficking organization in the New Jersey area. The agent impressed the Iceman with the large amount of money he would pay him and front money to run the drug business.

     In a double-cross, Kuklinski would try to kill Polifrone but the trick was up. On December 17, 1986, the task force arrested Kuklinski and charged him with the murders.

     Confronted with the agent's evidence the Iceman unfrozed and confessed to each murder including several unconfirmed murders, referring to his evil deeds as "a matter of business".

     News of his arrest sent shock waves throughout the community where he lived among neighbors who described him as a well-liked, dedicated family man. His wife and children were horrified. How could a loving father and husband be a cold-blood murderer?

Gravano Rejects D.A. Molinelli Plea-Bargain

     Following Kuklinski's confession on Nationwide T.V. that Gravano hired him to kill Officer Calabro, D.A. Molinelli offered Gravano a sweetheart deal---a deal a guility person might have accepted.

     Court records show, Bergen County D.A. investigator Rob Anzilotti, interviewed Gravano in 2003. The interview was held while Gravano was in Maricopa County Jail in Arizona---awaiting transfer to a federal prison to serve a 20-year stretch for drug trafficking.

     Molinelli's special deal was this: If Gravano pled guility to Calabro's murder he would get 20 years to run concurrent with the 20 years he was already serving for the drug trafficking conviction.

     A 20-year concurrent sentence boils down to this: once Gravano become eligible for parole on the drug case he would simutaneously be eligible for parole for Calabro's murder.

     But Molinelli's deal included a stipulation: Gravano must confess truthfully to everyone's involvement with Calabro's death.

     Anzilotti's interview with Gravano was cordial and a bit humorous. When the officer read to Gravano the affidavit of Richard "Iceman" Kuklinski who identified him as the culprit who hired him to kill Calabro, the former Gambino underboss snapped, "If I wanted to kill Calabro, I would have 'whacked' him myself".

     Referring to Kuklinski, he added sarcastically, "What do I need that Polock for?" "I hate to say it, but we were good at it".

     "I will not cooperate nor accept the deal", Gravano told Anzilotti.

     D.A. Molinelli struck back with a vengeance. A week later after Gravano rebuffed his sweetheart deal he filed murder and murder-conspiracy charges against the Mafia inormant.

DID GRAVANO CONFESS TO CALABRO' MURDER? OR IS IT THE 'DIRTY' WORK OF A JAILHOUSE SNITCH?

     Guilt-or-innocense will always be debatable in criminal cases but if Sammy Gravano is actually innocent of Peter Calabro' murder this confessed hitman should qualify to win the nomination as the most wrongfully accused criminals to ever walk the planet.

Consider the following scenarios:

(1) law enforcement officers familiar with the murder investigation of Peter Calabro disputed Kuklinski's story that Gravano hired him to kill the officer. They know the names of the real suspects. Read published book titled: Murder Machine written by Jerry Capeci.

(2) Molinelli's predecessor, D.A. William Schmidt and a team of detectives had previously investigated Kuklinski's story that Gravano hired him to kill the officer and found no solid evidence to corroborate his confession.

(3) Kuklinski solicited Gravano's lawyer, Anthony Ricco, for $200.000.00, to recant the statement he made to police that Gravano hired him to commit the murder.

(4) When Detectives from other agencies questioned Kuklinski about murders he committed and boasted about on the HBO documentary he switched horses and rode down a trail of half-denials and in some cases he suffered from amnesia---unable to recall exact details about murders committed.

     Now here's another cross for Gravano: His name is Felipe Garcia, 51. Garcia is a notorious jailhouse snitch. He once served time with the infamous subway gunman Bernard Goetz. They remain freinds.

     A review of Bergen county criminal court records by Gravano's lawyer and Ganglandnews.com -----Garcia told authorities while held in confinement at a federal government witness correctional facility with the former underboss he overheard Gravano ridicule the Italian Province(Calabria); a place wwhere another inmate was from.

     What does the word really mean? Garcia and New Jersey prosecutor Molinelli somehow believes the former underboss was referring to Officer Calabro. Garcia's story goes deep.

     During an interview with Bergen county prosecutors and D.A. investigators , Garcia said the famous mob hitman-informant confessed to Calabro's murder and other murders in Syracuse, Florida and Fort lauderdale.

     Information concerning Calabro's murder came up unexpectedly, Garcia explained to authorities, when Gravano used the derogative word, "Cabron", to coin a new slur word---"Calabron"--- to tease a young inmate from the Italian province of Calabria.

     Garcia recalled these memorable words from Gravano, "Look Felipe, never say that name around me". Puzzled, Garcia asked, "why?". Gravano allegedly said, "that name is the name of a cop... I helped to get killed".

     Gravano's lawyer, Anthony Ricco, accused the officer who tape-recorded Garcia's statement of manipulating the convict to modify his memory of words such as substituting the word 'whacked' for the word "killed".

     Another occasion, Garcia recalled, Gravano confessed the murder took place in New Jersey and that Gravano said he was there when the 'hit' went down.

     Furthermore Garcia added the alleged fact Gravano said the assailant used a shotgun to kill Calabro because the officer had provided sensitive information about police investigations targeted at the Gambino family in exchange for weekly payments.

     Garcia claimed the reason he did not come forward earlier to expose Gravano as a cop killer because he thought the story wasn't true.

     A news media stories indicated Garcia's interview with investigators took place on March 10, 2003, shortly after he read a newspaper article about Gravano's extradition from Arizona to face murder charges in Calabro's slaying.

     Did the news article jog Garcia's memory of details he actually heard from Gravano about the officer's death or did he simply exploit and expanded a tale from another serial killer?

     Even more incredible of Garcia's claims that Gravano confessed to Calabro's murder is the fact when Garcia was arrested for murder in 2001---he ratted on fellow criminals to get a reduced sentence on charges against him.

     Despite the baggage attached to informants prosecutors have used Garcia to win murder convictions in federal and state trials.

     Attorneys familiar with Garcia's informant status have said, "Gravano better be scared if Garcia have anything on him"

     He's like a super snitch," a lawyer told news media reporters. Garcia is currently serving a prison sentence iof 12-to-25 years in New, York state for his role in the murder of a grocery clerk shot to death on August 4, 2001. He also was convicted of conspiracy to murder Kevin Medina for $2400.

     Therefore someone needs to answer this question: Why Felipe Garcia failed to tell authorities, in 2001, as part of his reduced sentence for murder, that Gravano confessed to the murder of a police officer?

     Here's another tale from Garcia's snitch work: He told Det. Robert Anzilotti while himself and Gravano were confined together when Gravano confessed to Calabro's murder and was scheduled to testify in the upcoming trial of John Gotti----Garcia said he would steam press the suits Gravano wore daily to Gotti's trial.

     What is interesting about this grand tale, according to defense investigators, Gravano's negotiations with prosecutors to testify against Gotti wasn't until November 1991---and records show the underboss did not arrive to where Garcia was confined until a month later after testifying against Gotti in early 1992.

     Where is the real truth in this convoluted saga of murder and mayhem?

     Maybe Gravano is guility of confessing the murder of Peter Calabro to Garcia. Maybe not.

     Overall, common sense should question why a clever 'rat' like Gravano confess the murder of a police officer to another 'rat' inside a facility designated for informants who thrives on 'snitching' on others to win favors and prison sentence reduction.

A Money Play... Iceman Extorts the Bull

     Earlier this year, March 22, Sammy Gravano's attorneys, Anthony Ricco and Ed wilford visited the imprisoned 'Iceman' Kuklinski to discuss the murder rap pinned on Gravano by the wanna-be celebrity killer.

     What happen during the meeting, according to Ricco, was an attempt by Kuklinski to extort money to recant the story Gravano hired him to kill NYPD officer Peter Calabro. As Ricco questioned the Iceman about the truthfulness of his cold-case tale, suddenly, he scribbled on a sheet of paper, indicating he would "make the case go away" for a cool $200.000.00!"

     Both attorneys, a puzzled look on their faces, watched in disbelief as Kuklinski ripped the paper apart, stuffed the paper in his mouth and swallowed the shredded pieces.

     Unknown to Iceman he left an impression of his extortion demand written on the pad he left on the counter where he was sitting.

     Realizing technology could recreate the writing of Iceman's extortion, Ricco alerted authorities and had the notepad confisicated for evidence. FBI retrieved the pad and started an investigation.

     Dr. Lawrence Kobilinsky told Ganglandnews.com: "With current technology, its simple for authorities to determine the written message as long as you have the page beneath the page the person wrote on".

     "There is standard equipment available to enhance the indented writing", said Koblinsky.

     Judge William Meehan realized both attorneys would testify against Kuklinski if extortion charges were filed against him and subsequently he granted their request to recuse themselves from the case.

Donna Newman
Donna Newman
     Gravano hired gunslinger Donna Newman, one of the nation's top-notch lawyers to beat the rap. Newman's practise is based in New York and New Jersey.

     Newman's impeccable legal skills earned the 2003-2004(National Association Of Criminal Defense Lawyers) and she won the 2002 'Lawyer of the Year Award' sponsored by Lawyer Weekly, USA.

     A dedicated constitutional rights advocate, Newman sued President George W. Bush and the U.S. government to have her client, Jose Padilla, released from custody.

     Federal government accused Padilla of planning to detonate a 'dirty' bomb on U.S. soil under orders by al-Qaeda terrorist network.

     It is a sure bet when D.A. Molinelli try Gravano for the murder of NYPD officer Peter Calabro---he will step into a dogfight with attorney Donna Newman to convict him

A False Confession?

     Who can deny the fact that Richard Iceman Kuklinski is, in fact, a cold-blood murderer? Although he confessed to the murder of 100 victims law enforcement authorities from various jurisdictions have not confirmed many homicides he confessed.

     Investigators preferring to remain anonymous insists the Iceman enjoy the publicity of being characterized by the media as one of the most diabolical killers in American history.

     Investigators believes the Iceman enjoy taking credit for murders he never committed.

     Journalist Anthony Bruno who wrote the book about Kuklinski can prove he lied about his involvement in a high-profile case.

     In a letter he wrote to Bruno from jail the Iceman confessed involvement with the disapperance of Teamster official Jimmy Hoffa.

     Bruno wrote, "After checking Kuklinski's version of events against the facts in Hoffa's case its clear he fabricated the whole thing".

     Journalist Bruno further said, "I suspected Kuklinski tried to peddle this story because it would raise his stock astronomically if I put it in my book".

     Kuklinski has even confessed to being the chaffeur for former Gambino boss Carlos Gambino. Underworld sources and organize crime investigators calls this story a total fabrication.

     Bruno is a highly respected, experienced journalist, whose testimony can be used against Kuklinski's false confession of involvement in the Hoffa's case can only support Gravano's defense that Kuklinski, in fact, fabricated the story that Gravano hired him to kill Officer Calabro.

Journalist Commentary

     During a long Mafia 'hitman' career as the Gambino crime family underboss, Sammy Gravano was called---"The Bull". Once Gravano became a mob turncoat, he was called, "King Rat".

     After a Federal judge sentenced the gangster to 20 years in prison in 2002, the news media called him---"The Chicken".

     No matter which name describe Gravano the best he is in jail where he belongs for a long time. It may never be known whether or not Gravano withheld information from authorities over a decade ago that he hired Kuklinski to murder NYPD officer Peter Calabro.

     Only the feds and Gravano knows this secret.

     But if evidence proves him guility the law should prosecute Gravano to maximum penalty. Don't we know the story. Sammy "the Bull" Gravano was a close freind and confidant of Gambino mob boss John Gotti. when they were charged with federal Rico crimes in 1991.

     For Gravano, facing the same severe penalty as Gotti, life in prison, the nightmarish thought of spending the last days on earth in a cage was indeed real. Unlike the brave, human-killing machine he once was in the free world the gangster's instinct was survival.

     Although Gravano's crimes merited a life sentence the "bull" knew if he betrayed Gotti his life would be spared.

     In a plea-bargain with die-hard prosecutors whose aim to gun down "Teflon" Gotti---Gravano betrayed Teflon like Peter betrayed Jesus---agreeing to testify against Gotti to serve only five years in prison for participating in 19 murders.

     While in prison, knowledgeable sources said Gravano was the same braggart who strolled the streets of New,York, city. He regaled them with stories of murder and mayhem in the Mafia, boasting about the 19 murders he committed in calculated fashion.

     He confided to anyone willing to listen it was his powerful testimony to bring down Gotti---the most feared and popular crimebosses in U.S. Mafia history. Gravano furhter boasted to fellow inmates the feds allowed him to keep illegal assets worth over $8 million he earned while working in the Mafia world.

     This Mob informant even bragged the undeniable fact after he helped the government to convict Gotti the five-year prison sentence he was serving amounted to three months 'per body' for 19 murders.

Their names are:

(1) Eddie Garofalo

(2) Paul "Big" Pauly"Castellano

(3)(Robert "DiB" Dibernardo

(4) Alan Kaiser

(5) Francesco Oliveri.

(6) Louis DiBono

(7)Louie Milito

(8)Joseph Calucci

(9)Jackie Calabro

(10)John Simone

(11)Frank Stillitano

(12)Nick Scibetta

(13)Frank Fiala

(14)Michael DeBatt

(15)Nick Mormando

(16)Wilfred Johnson

(17)John Santiago

(18)Thomas Spinelli

(19)Thomas Bilotti

     It doesn't matter if these men were wiseguys or mob rivals whose transgressions may have been an act of violating street rule or done shady business deals, they were denied the 'right' to justice.

     Why? Because the feds wanted to bring John Gotti down---once and for all. So they made a deal with Sammy Gravano, the devil, who acted as judge, jury and executioner of 19 lives.

     And the prosecutors gave him a "get out of jail card" for snitching on Gotti whose crime history never added up to Gravano's trail of slaughter.

     Think about this: Gravano is a murderous thug, a career criminal, who deserved life in prison years ago.

     But he's back on a murder rap, a murder he may not be guility of or he chosed not to reveal the murder to the feds to get the deal to help nail Gotti . Or if he revealed the information and the feds ignored the crime well its ironic that, Iceman, if truthful, has exposed a conspiratorial murder among the players who would have had a sinister reason to hide the fact Gravano was involved in the murder of a police officer.

     Sammy Gravano was coddled by a justice system that placed a greater value on nailing Gotti for racketeering and conspiracy than someone like Gravano who stole many lives thats been documented on record but insiders say there are more victims never revealed in court.

     Yes its true, the unbalanced scales of justice we live under, the feds chosed to send Gotti away for the rest of his life behind bars where he died a brave, honorable, La Cosa Nostra soldier.

     But Gravano was eventually released from prison, wrote a best-selling book about life in the Mafia and the lives he stole.

Wiseguys and Mafia Associates Convicted on the Word of Sammy "Bull" Gravano

Abbreviations:

FB--Stands for Family Boss

FAC--Family Acting Boss

GFC--Gambino Family Captain

GFS--Gambino Family Soldier

TUO-Teamsters Union Official

CFC--Colombo Family Consigliere

GFB--Genovese Family Boss

CFAB--Colombo Acting Boss

DFB--DeCavalcante Family Boss

GFAC--Gambino Family Acting Consigliere

GFB--Gambino Family Boss

CFAB--Colombo Family Acting Boss

John Gotti(Gambino Family Boss)

Vincent "Chin" Gigante(Genovese Family Boss)

Victor Orena(Colombo Family Acting Boss)

John Riggi(DFB)

Venero Mangano(GFB)

Benedetto Aloi(CFC)

Robert Bisacci(GFC)

.Thomas Gambino(GFC)

.Pasquale Conte(GFC)

.Joseph Corrao(GFC)

.James Failla(GFC)

.Daniel Marino(GFC

John Gambino(GFC)

.Ralph Mosca(GFC)

.Paul Graziano(GFS)

.Anthony Vinciullo(GFS)

.Dominick Cefalu(GFS)

.Francesco Versaglio(GFS)

.Orazio Stantini(GFS)

.Phillip Mazzara(GFS)

.Louis Astuto(GFS)

.Dominic Borghese(GFS)

.Joseph Gambino(GFS)

.Peter Mosca(GFS)

.Virgil Alessi(GFS)

.Lorenzo Mannino(GFA)

.George Papa(Juror in 1986-87 Gotti trial)

.Joseph Passanante(GFA)

.George Helbig(GFA)

.Peter Mavis(GFA)

.William Peist(NYPD Detective)

.Barry Nichilo(GFA)

.Robert Sasso(TUO)

.Michael Carbone(TUO)

.Michael Bourgal(TUO)

.John Probeyhan(TUO)

.Joseph Matarazzo(TUO)

P.S. Isn't it hypocrisy when Sammy Gravano castigated the informants who betrayed him in the Arizona drug-trafficking case, saying, "They all flipped on me to use me as a meal ticket to get out prison early".

Apparently Sammy Gravano forgot how he betrayed and testified against Gotti and many other wiseguys to win himself an early meal ticket to get out of prison.

As history shows, when monetary gain or valuable incentives are offered to a criminal snitch by the justice system---or if the authorities who control the system accepts an offer from an informant to rat on others the entire system produces a cycle of betrayal ---where one snitch can find himself confronted by another.

Example: Charles Cane ratted on two men who went to their death in 1755. Within a year, an informant did unto Cane as he had done unto others. Death was Cane's penalty!

When Cane was hung in the gallows, the clergyman who prayed over him explained later the condemned man expected----"Nothing less than a hanging, but not of the evil days to come so soon".

Gravano, himself, earned the reputation as the most famous 'snitch' in Mafia history who testimony convicted many wiseguys. And if the "Bull" is convicted of murder on the snitch work of Felipe Garcia and "Iceman" Kuklinski and sentenced to life in prison the final drama will close the curtain on poetic justice.

End

Everyone who knew the bearded assassin, Richard Kuklinski, he was a gentle giant who was "Americanized as Apple pie". His newfound wealth brought him and family an expensive dream home in a suburban neighborhood in Dumont, New Jersey, where he lived a low-key, lavish lifestyle with a lovely wife and three children who attended private Catholic school.

To camouflage a brutal occupation Kuklinski told wife Barbara and children, neighbors and close freinds that he was a successful self-employed businessman.

In 1992, he told Journalist Anthony Bruno, "I'm not the Iceman. I'm the nice man".

* * *



Any comments? Give us your thoughts. Contact Clarence Walker, at mafia101@myway.com or CWalker261@excite.com

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