Some Interesting Info about John Pennisi

[mafiastudent]

See attached articles..

John Pennisi was an alleged “soldier” in the Lucchese Family who had a criminal past that included a 1990 manslaughter conviction. He was only 20-years-old at the time. In 1989, he and another man were dating the same girl. When the other boyfriend found out Pennisi was at her house, he went there to confront her, but her father sent him away. He left and went to a bar.

Pennisi was upset that the other man had the nerve to show up the girl’s house, so Pennisi called up a friend and hunted the other boyfriend down, shooting him in the chest and killing him. It was never determined which one of the two friends killed the other man, but Pennisi took off and went into hiding for months. He was finally arrested, brought to trial and sentenced to 17 years behind bars.

However, he had lied during his testimony at that 1990 trial to protect him and his co-defendant. This “false narrative” was brought to light at the May 2019 trial of alleged Lucchese “soldier” Eugene Castelle when the government admitted this fact to the Court, saying in part: “CW-2 has admitted to the Government that during his testimony in the 1990 trial, he deliberately made false statements in an effort to shield himself and his co-defendant from liability.”

While in prison, Pennisi had many problems. He tried committing suicide because he couldn’t deal with prison life. He was a very paranoid and jealous man, too. He required his former girlfriend to “answer him on FaceTime (even if she was traveling on a highway or otherwise unable to use her phone at that moment) to ensure that another man was not present with her” and had burned her hair and knocked her teeth out with his fist.

However, the defense wasn’t allowed to ask about any of this because it wasn’t relevant to his "credibility." So, what was relevant to his credibility?

It seemed that the main purpose of having Pennisi testify was so the government could complete its special hierarchy board for the jury to see. His testimony mostly consisted of identifying people in pictures and providing background information on the "Mafia" and Lucchese Family activities because he, apparently, knew everything and everybody even though he was a self-described "nobody."

But despite being a “made” member from approximately 2013 to 2017 and knowing all the players allegedly involved, the prosecution didn’t even ask about the main plot of the trial – the murder of Michael Meldish.

Even Gang Land commented on it in their October 24, 2019 column, stating, “You’d think that a wiseguy who’d been made before the hit, and was active for more than four years after it took place, would have heard some scuttlebutt tying Crea or former acting boss Matthew (Matty) Madonna to the slaying.”

[mafiastudent]

One more

[chin_gigante]

Curious as to why you describe him as an alleged soldier when he has admitted his membership

[mafiastudent]

Curious as to why you describe him as an alleged soldier when he has admitted his membership

I use "alleged" or "reputed" about all of them in anything I write so it's nothing specific to him.

[West Coast1]

why make a guy that would kill over a high school girl?
thanks for the post

[thekiduknow]

Curious as to why you describe him as an alleged soldier when he has admitted his membership

I use "alleged" or "reputed" about all of them in anything I write so it's nothing specific to him.

It can come off as skeptical, especially when you then put soldier in quotation marks.

[mafiastudent]

Curious as to why you describe him as an alleged soldier when he has admitted his membership

I use "alleged" or "reputed" about all of them in anything I write so it's nothing specific to him.

It can come off as skeptical, especially when you then put soldier in quotation marks.

well, i do believe other writers do the same thing...capeci being one. I wasn't questioning his status...it was just the way it was written. In fact, I think I put titles in quotes in many of my articles as well so perhaps you're reading too much into it as that's not really the focus of the article.

[chin_gigante]

why make a guy that would kill over a high school girl?
thanks for the post

Cause he showed he could do the time

[Jasonsp]

Curious as to why you describe him as an alleged soldier when he has admitted his membership

I use "alleged" or "reputed" about all of them in anything I write so it's nothing specific to him.

It can come off as skeptical, especially when you then put soldier in quotation marks.

well, i do believe other writers do the same thing...capeci being one. I wasn't questioning his status...it was just the way it was written. In fact, I think I put titles in quotes in many of my articles as well so perhaps you're reading too much into it as that's not really the focus of the article.

I like your writing very through and informative! Just curious I haven’t heard of you prior to this whole pandemic why do you cover more specifically Steven crea and John pennies I?

[mafiastudent]

Curious as to why you describe him as an alleged soldier when he has admitted his membership

I use "alleged" or "reputed" about all of them in anything I write so it's nothing specific to him.

It can come off as skeptical, especially when you then put soldier in quotation marks.

well, i do believe other writers do the same thing...capeci being one. I wasn't questioning his status...it was just the way it was written. In fact, I think I put titles in quotes in many of my articles as well so perhaps you're reading too much into it as that's not really the focus of the article.

I like your writing very through and informative! Just curious I haven’t heard of you prior to this whole pandemic why do you cover more specifically Steven crea and John pennies I?

Thank you. I have over 30 years of experience as a journalist and had been writing some other stuff just prior to traveling down this road. The entire writing about mob related things just kind of happened....fell into my lap so to speak. I started a website with someone, had a particular interest in one mob faction with no intentions of writing "newsy" type stuff until I came across an Andrew Campos picture on Reddit and wrote about that which led me to Crea and I started looking into his case which really then led me to look at the other side of the coin as far as the justice system and the lopsidedness of what takes place. I have no particular interest in Pennisi...he was just part of my overall story on Crea's case. But since he decided to go public, then in all fairness, I felt all aspects of his story should be revealed.

[West Coast1]

why make a guy that would kill over a high school girl?
thanks for the post

Cause he showed he could do the time

good point, wasn't thinking that way.

[B.]

Pennisis is an awesome addition to the ex-mobster circuit. Generous with his time and information, hasn't said anything outrageous, sharp mind.

I wouldn't be surprised nor would I blame him if he tries to find a deal, but so far he's like DiLeonardo where he seems to enjoy talking about the mafia and his life in it, no real agenda.

Maybe it's just me, but the made members who do these interviews come across much sharper and more perceptive than the associates. This isn't a criticism of the associates who do these shows and interviews, it's just noticeable from how they talk and carry themselves. You can almost understand from these podcasts alone why some people were seen as candidates for membership while others weren't.

[NothingNew44]

Pennisis is an awesome addition to the ex-mobster circuit. Generous with his time and information, hasn't said anything outrageous, sharp mind.

I wouldn't be surprised nor would I blame him if he tries to find a deal, but so far he's like DiLeonardo where he seems to enjoy talking about the mafia and his life in it, no real agenda.

Maybe it's just me, but the made members who do these interviews come across much sharper and more perceptive than the associates. This isn't a criticism of the associates who do these shows and interviews, it's just noticeable from how they talk and carry themselves. You can almost understand from these podcasts alone why some people were seen as candidates for membership while others weren't.

Totally agree. His account of that life paints a good picture for the listener. He comes across as honest and insightful. The self awareness he has when speaking about who he was on the street is refreshing. Which definitely isn’t the norm. Ive enjoyed his stories. His perception of the Gambino Sicilian Faction was fascinating. As was the reverence in his tone when discussing anything Genovese related.

[NothingNew44]

B,

Your assessment of members versus associates is spot on. It’s almost like educated versus non educated, which we know isn’t the case. Just an analogy. But as you said the way the members speak in comparison to these associates. I find the associates have more of the exaggerated experiences.

[Pmac2]

So I get the feeling him and john alite don't like each other. Wish he would go in on alite. It's like he's holding back.