by chin_gigante » Wed Aug 12, 2020 7:42 am
Scarpa advised that Jerome Johnson was a wannabe who hung around social clubs in Brooklyn. While Johnson didn't have the reputation of a "kook" he was said to be willing to do anything for a price. Scarpa had a friend who knew Johnson.
Scarpa also advised that some talk on the street surrounded theories that Gallo had worked with the FBI and CIA to set Johnson up to kill Colombo.
Scarpa initially suspected that Persico was responsible, knowing that Gallo would get the blame, as part of their own bid to take over. However, after seeing Persico's attempts to locate Johnson's female accomplice and the Commission's certainty that the Gallos were behind it, Scarpa advised the FBI of his belief that Persico may not have been involved in the shooting. Carmine Tramunti had offered assistance to kill the Gallos but Scarpa believed that Persico's crew would handle it themselves.
Persico and Yacovelli later provided Scarpa with a photograph of Johnson's accomplice to give to his friend who knew Johnson. They wanted to find her so they could interrogate her and find out what she knew.
At the end of July 1971, Scarpa advised that, though there was uncertainty in the family, everyone suspected (though they might not admit it) that Gallo was behind it.
Personally, I tend to put more weight in the lone gunman theory or that Gallo was behind it. Before he was shot, Colombo had put a contract on Gallo's life and had received Carlo Gambino's blessing to do so. Colombo had also noticed a group of African American males circling his block in the early hours of the morning and believed it was an intimidation attempt orchestrated by Gallo.
Scarpa advised that Jerome Johnson was a wannabe who hung around social clubs in Brooklyn. While Johnson didn't have the reputation of a "kook" he was said to be willing to do anything for a price. Scarpa had a friend who knew Johnson.
Scarpa also advised that some talk on the street surrounded theories that Gallo had worked with the FBI and CIA to set Johnson up to kill Colombo.
Scarpa initially suspected that Persico was responsible, knowing that Gallo would get the blame, as part of their own bid to take over. However, after seeing Persico's attempts to locate Johnson's female accomplice and the Commission's certainty that the Gallos were behind it, Scarpa advised the FBI of his belief that Persico may not have been involved in the shooting. Carmine Tramunti had offered assistance to kill the Gallos but Scarpa believed that Persico's crew would handle it themselves.
Persico and Yacovelli later provided Scarpa with a photograph of Johnson's accomplice to give to his friend who knew Johnson. They wanted to find her so they could interrogate her and find out what she knew.
At the end of July 1971, Scarpa advised that, though there was uncertainty in the family, everyone suspected (though they might not admit it) that Gallo was behind it.
Personally, I tend to put more weight in the lone gunman theory or that Gallo was behind it. Before he was shot, Colombo had put a contract on Gallo's life and had received Carlo Gambino's blessing to do so. Colombo had also noticed a group of African American males circling his block in the early hours of the morning and believed it was an intimidation attempt orchestrated by Gallo.