by felice » Fri May 20, 2016 1:43 pm
I was doing some researches on the web and I got this old article
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/new ... e-1.771590
Imprisoned Gambino capo Pasquale Conte, a former Key Food supermarket magnate, was set to betray his mobster oath of allegiance and testify against a fellow capo, the Daily News has learned. Conte, 72, was on the list of federal witnesses at the racketeering trial of Nicholas (Little Nick) Corozzo, according to court records. His testimony wasn't needed because Corozzo pleaded guilty two weeks ago. But Conte in prison for taking part in a murder ordered by John Gotti was placed in solitary for his protection. Through his lawyers, Conte denied cooperating with prosecutors, but feds say otherwise. On Oct. 15, federal prosecutors Sung-Hee Suh and David Hennessy told lawyers for Corozzo and seven others that Conte would be a witness. "Conte's testimony will help establish" several crimes the reputed capos and others committed as members of "the Canarsie crew of the Gambino organized crime family," they wrote. That same day, Conte was placed in the special housing unit of the federal prison in Loretto, Pa., because his "safety may be at risk," according to a letter from prison warden Robert Franco to Conte lawyers Larry Bronson and Scott Leemon. "Mr. Conte never was and never will be a witness for the government in connection with this case," Bronson protested, accusing prosecutors of an "evil purpose" in declaring that Conte would testify. "There was no evil purpose. This was not a stunt," said one official. "There was an obligation to disclose. That's why the defense was notified before the pleas went down.
" Countered Leemon: "I spoke to Mr. Conte last night, and he reiterated: He is not a witness for the government, he never was and never will be.
I was doing some researches on the web and I got this old article
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/mob-pigeon-fitted-stool-feds-article-1.771590
Imprisoned Gambino capo Pasquale Conte, a former Key Food supermarket magnate, was set to betray his mobster oath of allegiance and testify against a fellow capo, the Daily News has learned. Conte, 72, was on the list of federal witnesses at the racketeering trial of Nicholas (Little Nick) Corozzo, according to court records. His testimony wasn't needed because Corozzo pleaded guilty two weeks ago. But Conte in prison for taking part in a murder ordered by John Gotti was placed in solitary for his protection. Through his lawyers, Conte denied cooperating with prosecutors, but feds say otherwise. On Oct. 15, federal prosecutors Sung-Hee Suh and David Hennessy told lawyers for Corozzo and seven others that Conte would be a witness. "Conte's testimony will help establish" several crimes the reputed capos and others committed as members of "the Canarsie crew of the Gambino organized crime family," they wrote. That same day, Conte was placed in the special housing unit of the federal prison in Loretto, Pa., because his "safety may be at risk," according to a letter from prison warden Robert Franco to Conte lawyers Larry Bronson and Scott Leemon. "Mr. Conte never was and never will be a witness for the government in connection with this case," Bronson protested, accusing prosecutors of an "evil purpose" in declaring that Conte would testify. "There was no evil purpose. This was not a stunt," said one official. "There was an obligation to disclose. That's why the defense was notified before the pleas went down.
" Countered Leemon: "I spoke to Mr. Conte last night, and he reiterated: He is not a witness for the government, he never was and never will be.