Feature Articles

By Clarence Walker, Organized Crime Journalist - Houston, Texas

John "Dapper Don" Gotti.

     John Gotti, the Gambino crime boss was once known as the most powerful famous gangster in America since Al Capone. Gotti took full control of the Gambinos when (himself) along with mob associate Sammy 嬬粡vano murdered the reigning Gambino boss Paul Castellano in front of SparkӴeak House on December 16th 1985 in Manhattan, New York. Following Castellano୵rder the Gambino Family voted Gotti to become head boss while Gravano became underboss. Frank Locascio was chosen as Gotti࣯nsigliere. Federal Authorities estimated the Gambino operation raked in over $500 million annually under Gotti࣯ntrol through racketeering, gambling, drugs and other illegal enterprises. Nicknamed ᰰer Donother mobster captivated the American public like the handsome, extravagant John Gotti. He was later 墢ed䥦lon Don by law enforcement after the feds failed repeatedly to convict him during the late 1980যr major crimes. He became a folks hero. While many hated and feared him䨥rs loved him. Law enforcement considers Gotti nothing more than a ruthless killer who thrived upon power and control to get whatever he wanted.

     Now serving life without parole in Federal Prison John Gotti has been diagnosed with terminal throat cancer. Doctors reported the former mobster is near death while other associates admits he is very ill but still surviving well despite battling cancer. Throughout Gottiࠣareer he never spoke publicly or gave interviews about the Mafia nor revealed details about life behind bars. Yet sometimes silence is broken. In 1998 the FBI obtained surveillance tapes from the prisonඩsiting area 䡰es made during Gottiඩsit with family members and later provided to news media organizations.

Victoria Gotti.

     Among several audio and videotaped interviews between Gotti and relatives - excerpts from an interview made (1-30-98) is as close anyone can say that John Gotti violated the Mafia࣯de of silence. On tape he spoke about secretive things he never shared with anyone outside the inner circle of the Gambino Family 魰ortant things mentioned which mafia members would consider an act of betrayal. He criticized his fellow mafiosos, speaking about their failures and stupidity to operate an organized crime enterprise. In fact, Gotti speaks openly about prison life, family members, life in the Mafia, and how much people from across the world still loves and respect him. Authorities said nine years of prison confinement hasnࣨanged Gottiࠡttitude. He remains the same y, arrogant unremorseful criminal. During family visits Gotti realized every word spoken was recorded yet he unabashfully provides a rare insight into his mind, heart and soul; explaining the reason for the downfall of the Gambino family because he wasnࡲound to keep everyone in line. Gotti insists the reason the family is torn apart because the majority became their own boss, defining their own moral code. On prison tapes while daughter Victoria Gotti箥llo and brother Peter looking on, Gotti appears obsessed with his notorious image. He boasted: "You"ll never see another guy like me if you live 5000 years!"

     John Joseph Gotti Jr, the fifth of 13 children, was born into poverty in Bronx, New York --on October 27 1940 䨥 third of seven brothers and sisters. A tough street fighter Gotti experienced the first glimpse of the Mafioso lifestyle in a section of New York called the Italian Harlem. Mafia Kingpin, Albert Anastasia, a gangster admired by Gotti, dominated this era. Joining a street gang in 1956 called the Fulton-Rockaway boys. Gotti soon became a leader running gambling bets for bookies, using bare fists to collect money for loan sharks. Arrested for burglaries, grand larceny, robbery including auto thefts during the late 1950࡮d 1960֠Gotti঩rst taste of prison came in 1969 after pleading guilty to a federal hijacking charge stemming from an FBI sting at Kennedy Airport in New York. He served three Years in federal prison in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Paroled in 1972 more trouble followed . In 1973 authorities indicted Gotti after Irish mobster James McBratney was murdered by Gottiࡳsociate named Ralph Wiggs in a bar room fight. Pleading guilty to attempted manslaughter in McBratney࣡se Gotti served two years at Green Haven state prison. Released in July, 1977 Gotti was initiated into the Gambino Mafia. He lived by a primitive code: an eye for an eye ᮤ the Mafia credo of "honor, respect and obedience."

     During the late 1980നe American Public watched a handsome John Gotti, the silver-hair meticulously swept back, stylishly decked in $2000.00 Armani suits, surrounded by bodyguards and T.V. cameras, signing autographs like a movie star津r winning three sensational acquittals in federal court on charges of extortion and racketeering. Flashing a devious (can-you-catch) me smile, Gotti and his entourage would drive off in a shiny limousine to celebrate victory at Ravenite club in Little Italy詬e the Feds who worked so hard to convict him was soundly defeated. Winning an unheard of three Federal jury trials-Teflon Don seemed untouchable. At least this is what many people believed including Gotti but Federal agents wouldn೴op until they could drive a nail into his coffin. Determined to put the cocky, arrogant Gotti away the FBI bugged the apartment he owned with sophisticated recording devices located above the Ravenite club in Brooklyn, New York. On tape Gotti was heard confessing to several murders. On December 12, 1990 a 13㯵nt Rico indictment alleging a series of racketeering and conspiracy charges including a conspiracy to murder former crime boss Paul Castellano was filed against Gotti, under boss Gravano and consigliere Frank Locascio. Facing life without parole Gravano betrayed the Mafia code of silence. He became a government informant against Gotti and Locascio. When trial began on January 21 1992 Gravano testified Gotti ordered Castellano and other mob associates murdered. Although Gravano confessed to 19 murders he received only five years in prison and three years of probation. On June 23 1992 Gotti and Locascio were sentenced to life in Federal prison without parole. Confined (23 hours daily) in Marion Illinois Federal penitentiary 㯮sidered one of the nationയughest prisons, Gottiࡰpeal to win a new trial has failed.

     During inmate visitation hours on (1-30-98) Gotti visited with daughter Victoria, brother Peter and Victoria࠳on. A (five-foot-ten) 200 pounder Gotti sits calmly behind a glass-partitioned cubicle. Speaking into a phone he greeted them pleasantly. Expressing how grateful to receive a letter from a 14-year-old Idaho girl. He read the letter: "Listen," to this, he said. "I don૮ow if you know it 襲e are millions of people who loves you, adore you and respect you. I guess you [and] America was whatever it meant to be." "This is a 14-year-old kid!" My relatives never write like that." Obviously flattered over tons of mail Gotti stated: "I appreciate people that try. You understand. Itࡠbeautiful thing. "Got mail from Australia, South Africa, New Zealandᩬ from everywhere." "You know what Iೡying 鯵 wonࢥlieve all this mail." He continued. "A million people would come here, crying, just to see me." As the Mafioso rambled on about the happenings with family and the Gambinos he minced no words ridiculing the arrest of his son John Jr. who became the new Gambino head boss after the elder Gotti was sent to prison. Gotti said " that junior and codefendants should not be in jail, instead be put into an insane asylum for stupidity." Junior Gotti and 40 associates were indicted on federal racketeering and extortion charges. Gotti complained that Junior's amateurish mistakes made things easy for police to nail him. Referring to himself, Gotti proudly said, "It took them $80 million in three lying cases and seven rats that killed 100 people in the witness protection program to finally frame me." Gotti also reflected upon the frustration of prison life, solitary confinement, limited contact with people and prison food. He further mentions trading places with others. He explains, "I will say, let me tell you something. I젴ake all your troubles. Everything. How that sounds?" For Gotti the prison food is a joke. "Last night we had, I guess you call it, a taco or a burrito. It looked like mud, you know." "Give me some prosciutto with mozarrellaave one of them sandwiches⤠be like a baby. During a verbal exchange with Peter, Gotti recalled one day a guard complained about having to deal with a prison job. "I told him頷ill accept death if I could spend whatever time left as a free man." On tape its clear the famous mobster accepts reality behind bars. "You know where I am? I௮ the G-Unit, the most secure unit on this planet. No contact, nothing that ain୯nitored," he said.

     When Gotti Sr. commented about the 1998 arrest of his son John Gotti Jr. on federal racketeering charges and the arrest of his daughterਵsband, Carmine Agnello, on similar charges in 1999, he referred to Gotti Jr. as one 䵰id�ioso. He characterized Agnello as a criminal who should堢een charged with--ﳳession of a brain intending to use it.㰥aking in a harsh tone, Gotti Sr. called Gotti Jr. an imbecile, asshole, as well as other degrading names. He question how stupid can someone be (like his son) to leave behind evidence for police to connect him to criminal activity such as $358,000.00 in wedding gifts-䷯ guns hid behind a sealed wall including a list of names for introductions into the Mafia. "This is stupidity down the line," Gotti said. Referring to names indicted along with his son, the elder boss barked, "I can੤entify two people in the indictment. Where do these creatures come from? "All I know is --- I donനink--- I젥ver find myself in a position where I젰ut my wedding money衴ever it ishe basement with a bunch of old jewelry." As Gotti criticized errors which befelled his son 詳 daughter Victoria agreed. She also agreed that "Whoever put guns behind a sealed wall had to be an idiot." Wagging a pointed finger Gotti told Victoria, A best selling author, that her husband Carmine Agnello, a rich scrap yard dealer would soon be indicted because he was married to a Gotti family member. "Look, he said to brother Peter. You want a prediction? Her husband will be indicted by June, said Gotti as he pointed to Victoria. And every dime he৯t will be tied up." He was right. Although nothing happen in June but in April 1999 authorities nabbed Agnello on state racketeering, extortion, and several other related charges for threatening to terrorize police officers who೥t up a salvage yard near Agnelloࢵsinesses to nab car thieves and insurance scams. The salvage yard operated by the Queens New York auto crime division was called Stadium Scrap. To nab thieves they purchased stolen vehicles, crushed them up, and resold the vehicles to a metal processor for higher prices than what they originally paid. Many customers bypassed Agenelloೣrap yards, a $30 million dollars per-year businesses, for higher prices paid by the cops. This is where trouble began. When undercover officers twice refused Agnelloथmand to sell him auto parts for half-price he retaliated. But the mobster didnಥalize when he and his associates firebombed the officers scrap yard they were caught red-handed on video camera! Held on $25 million dollars bond Agnello pled not guilty. Like Gotti Sr. predicted: the prosecutors frozed millions of dollars in assets owned by Agnello. Heaping scorn upon his son-in-law for having a petty rap sheet which prevented Agnello from visiting him Gotti remarked. "He࡮ imbecile, and you gotta see the charges. "Malicious mopery. stolen bumper, hubcaps". At one point, he asked Victoria: "Whatനe story with Carmine?" "What do you mean?" She asked. Gotti responded. "Is he not feeling good? Has his medication increased or decreased? Does he get into the backseat of the car and think someone stole the steering wheel?" He also berated Victoria. "Vicki, how many times I場old you that I donಥad murder mysteries?" " A lot," she replied. Do you think Iࡠliar?" As the interview continued Victoria೯n experienced Grandpaෲath. Asking the young kid about future plans Gotti suggested he become a lawyer. In response the kid said he wanted to become a basketball or baseball player. Gotti snapped. "You ain৯ing to be one. To be a good ball player, first, you got to be a good liar, a lowlife and take steroids." When the kid said, "I젢e a crook." Gotti blew apart. "I don࣡re if you be nothing!" You donೡss me. I will put my foot up your butt!" In a somber mood Gotti reflects upon the gangster life he once lived଩fe of crimes which has led him to never see the free world again. "I know where I made mistakes. Its to late to rationalize everything away. My life dictated the course I took. What can I say?" As if he࡬ready know his legacy will forever be remembered, Gotti lamented, "I젡lways be me until the day I die."

     Diagnosed with throat cancer in September 1998, Gotti was transferred to a U.S. medical prisoner facility where doctors removed a cancerous neck tumor. Following surgery and radiation treatments, the veteran mobster was sent back to solitary lock up in Marion, Illinois. Subsequent test later revealed Gottࠣancer had resurfaced, spreading rapidly. On September 13, 2000, he was transferred to a hospital in Springfield, Missouri for more treatments. Newspapers reported Gotti was near death. Attorney Joseph Corozzo told reporters that John was a brave man. "Heযrced to be in a wheelchair," the attorney stated, but Gotti "insists on having no assistance. He is defiant to the end." A replay of Gotti଩fe shows him as America౵intessential gangster. From Al Capone, Baby Face Nelson, John Dillinger to Pretty ﹒ Floydﴴiయpularity surpassed them all. His guiding philosophy of power was epitomized by the words of the 16^th century philosopher Niccolo Machiavell: --襠ends justify the means.lthough he admits making mistakes in life Gotti has never spoken or showed remorse for the trail of dead bodies he left behind. Yet while facing the harshest penalty for his crimes he fought bravely to win freedom but when he lost he accepted punishment like a man. Lying near death in a prison hospital undoubtedly John Gotti will accept fate as it comes. Gottiଥgacy as a Mafia icon will forever hold memories in the annals of American history.

Sources:
(1) ABC News
(2) Crime Library
(3) Free Gotti website
Readers can email Journalist Clarence Walker at: cwalker261@excite.com

Footnote: John Gotti Jr. received six years in Federal prison on April 6 1999 for extortion, loansharking, mortgage fraud and tax evasion. Former Mafia hitman Sammy 嬬" Gravano who helped federal authorities to convict John Gotti Sr. was sentenced on June 30 2001 to 20 years in prison without parole as the master mind of Arizonaଡrgest ecstasy drug ring. Gotti೯n-in-law Carmine Agnello received 9 years in prison on October 27 2001 on racketeering and tax evasion charges stemming from the police scrap yard sting. He was barred for life from the metal industry during sentencing in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, New York.

Any comments? Online readers can email Journalist Clarence Walker at: cwalker261@excite.com

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