Amershire_Ed wrote: ↑Wed Apr 07, 2021 12:28 pm
Yeah I thought it was interesting in the most recent interview with Arilotta, Arilotta said Bruno chased him in like ‘96 because the cops raided his house and found 40 pounds of weed. Arilotta said that by the mid 90s, the attitude towards weed had been slowly changing amongst a lot of the old timers. He said there were definitely captains in other families at the time that wouldn’t have necessarily chased a guy over weed. But he said Bruno was old school and the Westside is particularly strict when it comes to drugs. He said Bruno viewed it no different than junk.
One thing I enjoy about Pennisi is even though he is a modern member who was only in the mafia a short time (even shorter as an on record associate), he understands and explains the protocol very well.
Arilotta specifically used the term "shelved" when he talked about the weed issue, and Pennisi responded with something like, "So you were already straightened out?" Pennisi assumed Arilotta was already a member because "shelved" technically only refers to a made member, but Arilotta clarified he was proposed and was obviously just using "shelved" and "chased" interchangeably. Pennisi knows what the term specifically refers to, though.
That's what I find most interesting about Pennisi... he makes it clear the mafia isn't what it used to be, but he avoids some of the obvious cliches and he also has great understanding of the protocol and rules. He doesn't waver when discussing them either, it's clearly drilled in his head and that's something casual listeners might not pick up on.
Agreed.
One thing that really caught my attention in one of their more recent episodes was Pennisi saying that if he got with the Gambino’s when he got out of prison instead of the Luke’s, he’d probably still be on the street. I can’t remember who it was, but Pennisi was friends with a captain in the Gambino’s and when they saw each other after Pennisi got straightened out, the guy said to him “you know you shoulda been over here with us”. And Pennisi talked about how he probably *did* belong with the Gambino’s. And that he never truly felt like he fit in with the Lucchese’s.
NJShore4Life wrote: ↑Wed Apr 07, 2021 6:52 am
There’s no gray area - you either cooperated or you didn’t cooperate.
That’s like saying your girl didn’t really cheat on you because she only blew the guy.
There’s a clear line in the sand between cooperating and not cooperating. I can’t stand these rats who try to make it out like their cooperations were in this “gray area” - they’re fucking rats , there’s absolutely no gray area!
-Dante
I disagree because hootie jumped off a global plea so they called him a rat. Thats a pretty gray area especially since he didnt give anyone up...
How do you know that when everything is sealed? There's no way of knowing what he agreed to. Plus, does this mean Franzese is in that grey area because he didn't testify or "give anyone up"?
I don't believe that anyone is going to get a time served sentence - 5k1 letter or not- if they didn't offer something of significance whether or not it was something they'd have to testify to.
B. wrote: ↑Wed Apr 07, 2021 12:53 pm
That's what gets me about Russo. He says he was never officially put on record because he was a drug dealer. Since when do the Gambino family's Ozone Park crews exclude drug dealers? I understand the Trucchio and Corozzo crews aren't the Bergin crew, who straighten out and promote their drug dealers, but something doesn't sit right about his explanation.
I do like hearing Russo talk about his Sicilian background. His parents came from Partinico, though he says he doesn't have mafia connections. He has done his homework, though, as he made a great point about the Sicilian mafia historically being made up of guys who worked in trades and held day jobs/professions.
On top of that, he always drives home the point that how certain made guys, all the way up to some Bosses, have low key 'pocket' guys who really only answer to them and are given carte blanch. It kind of sounds like he was one of these very guys, to a small degree, with Ronnie Trucchio - because there were a lot of drug dealers on record with the older Trucchio crew and the younger Truccio crew
B. wrote: ↑Wed Apr 07, 2021 12:53 pm
That's what gets me about Russo. He says he was never officially put on record because he was a drug dealer. Since when do the Gambino family's Ozone Park crews exclude drug dealers? I understand the Trucchio and Corozzo crews aren't the Bergin crew, who straighten out and promote their drug dealers, but something doesn't sit right about his explanation.
I do like hearing Russo talk about his Sicilian background. His parents came from Partinico, though he says he doesn't have mafia connections. He has done his homework, though, as he made a great point about the Sicilian mafia historically being made up of guys who worked in trades and held day jobs/professions.
Whether it was on the sneak or not, both Al’s crew and Corrozos had dealers... I find it hard for al not to know that Mike roc (basically his #2 was dealing hundreds of pounds of weed) and who gave labarca the “ok” to clip bosshart over trying to cut mike roc out of the weed business???
Corrozo had Joey vallaro around him which his getting busted with a few kilos of coke resulting in him ratting on corrozo.. but from all the things I have heard is that Nicky corrozo really was anti drugs and didn’t want anyone fucking around with the stuff in his crew..
One thing that really caught my attention in one of their more recent episodes was Pennisi saying that if he got with the Gambino’s when he got out of prison instead of the Luke’s, he’d probably still be on the street. I can’t remember who it was, but Pennisi was friends with a captain in the Gambino’s and when they saw each other after Pennisi got straightened out, the guy said to him “you know you shoulda been over here with us”. And Pennisi talked about how he probably *did* belong with the Gambino’s. And that he never truly felt like he fit in with the Lucchese’s.
He said it was Blaise Corozzo who said that. Corozzo had known Pennisi many years and was surprised because Pennisi had many relationships to Gambino figures and few to the Luccheses. Doesn't sound like Pennisi was ever on record with the Gambino family, though.
I like Penissi a lot too but he never should of brought up the story of John Perna and drugs . That’s just not cool to me
That Brooklyn crew hat always seems to fuck up that family and then going down will probably be better for the family. What they did to JP was pure incompetency / treachery . I don’t blame him at all for ratting , the family ratted on him first.
TommyNoto wrote: ↑Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:19 pm
I like Penissi a lot too but he never should of brought up the story of John Perna and drugs . That’s just not cool to me
That Brooklyn crew hat always seems to fuck up that family and then going down will probably be better for the family. What they did to JP was pure incompetency / treachery . I don’t blame him at all for ratting , the family ratted on him first.
I think Pennisi regretted telling that story because he told it once, and when LaVecchia brought it up a second time a few episodes later, you could tell he wasn’t as eager to tell it again. You could see he kinda felt bad.
I think it’s clear though the reason he told the story was to highlight Big John’s incompetence as a captain. Because when he told the story, the punchline was basically that instead of Castelucci grabbing Perna and getting him out of there—which is what a captain should’ve done—Castelucci pulled out his phone and started taking pics. Pennisi was trying to further establish his point that Castelucci had no business being a skipper, and Perna just kinda happened to be collateral damage. And I know Pennisi felt bad because like the very next episode he made a point to say that he heard Perna had cleaned himself up.
B. wrote: ↑Wed Apr 07, 2021 12:05 pm
I continue to enjoy Pennisi's show. He said they asked him for his mother's maiden name before he was made -- curious if they did any research to verify it or if they were simply going through the motions. Also interesting he gives pushback on the idea that the Colombo family is a mess. He stresses that there are powerful crews in each family and you can't necessarily paint them with a broad brush.
Not the biggest fan of Russo. When he was on the MBA show, you could tell LaVecchia and Pennisi were confused and wanted clarification when Russo said he was never officially on record with Trucchio despite their supposedly close relationship, but they let it go. Since then I've noticed Russo talking more and more outside of his scope of knowledge and he's even made a comment along the lines of being "with" all of the families. He's a sharp thinker, but we see a pattern with these low-level associates talking about the organization.
He’s pretty accurate most of the time but he comes from a different angle in the life you know he was a drug dealer and “friendly” street kid. He did say that John Pennisi was a “very high ranking member” of the lucchese which is pretty strange considering John never really made any real money, whacked anyone for a hit and was only a solider for like 4-5 years. I mean i dont think pennisi should have cooperated since clearly misunderstandings happen in the life but he took it so hard and I saw maybe that is deserved to an extent but were they really plotting to whack him in this day and age when he said it himself...most ppl just get shelved. They could have just shelved him, done an investigation then reinstated him......
If the Bronx crew was still in power I doubt this chain of events happens as they seemed to know how to run a family. The BK admin in charge were Casso’s hit men and basically serial killers. After hearing JP story, I think they were after him.
I know JP wasn’t an earner but he was close to some top guys in the family.
TommyNoto wrote: ↑Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:19 pm
I like Penissi a lot too but he never should of brought up the story of John Perna and drugs . That’s just not cool to me
That Brooklyn crew hat always seems to fuck up that family and then going down will probably be better for the family. What they did to JP was pure incompetency / treachery . I don’t blame him at all for ratting , the family ratted on him first.
I think Pennisi regretted telling that story because he told it once, and when LaVecchia brought it up a second time a few episodes later, you could tell he wasn’t as eager to tell it again. You could see he kinda felt bad.
I think it’s clear though the reason he told the story was to highlight Big John’s incompetence as a captain. Because when he told the story, the punchline was basically that instead of Castelucci grabbing Perna and getting him out of there—which is what a captain should’ve done—Castelucci pulled out his phone and started taking pics. Pennisi was trying to further establish his point that Castelucci had no business being a skipper, and Perna just kinda happened to be collateral damage. And I know Pennisi felt bad because like the very next episode he made a point to say that he heard Perna had cleaned himself up.
I agree and good post . JP seems likeable with a brain so I can see why top guys like Patty Red , Sideburns, Joey D, Joe Cafe, Pernas liked him.
Man did he get fucked over tho , I don’t blame him at all for what he did . Like he said they should of just shelved him . The Westside probably would of killed Eugene for breaking 2 death rules ( going w his girl and falsely spreading he a rat to cover his first violation ). If your gonna send a message as the new Admin , that was the one to send IMO
Niagarafalls wrote: ↑Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:59 pm
What episode does he explain exactly why he flipped? I’ve heard a few things, but where has he told the exact story?
When you find the episode where he explains what he did to the girl that is the catalyst of this flipping story, let me know, because he always seems to skip the part where he brutally beat her up. But maybe he doesn't talk about it out of respect for the "victim" like he does for the "victim's family" of the kid he killed back in 1990. Which by the way he seems to always forget to mention that after he and his friend murdered this kid, they went on the lam until he was caught - in addition to the fact that he perjured himself on the stand in that trial - which he also doesn't mention.
Kind of odd too that he ran away soon after brutally beating up the girl - probably had nothing to do with it. No one would've been upset about that. And definitely no pattern of behavior between those two incidents at all.
And before someone says that he expresses remorse about the murder and that it's an honorable thing him not discussing it - why is then in the Vlad interview moments after saying he doesn't want to talk about it out of respect for the family - he turns around after a Vald question - and says "I think the hardest thing for me was at the time i had a two-year-old son and it just destroyed me to have to leave him."
Not very sensitive to the family. Nor is his lessening the murder by saying it was a "tragic misunderstanding."
TommyNoto wrote: ↑Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:19 pm
I like Penissi a lot too but he never should of brought up the story of John Perna and drugs . That’s just not cool to me
That Brooklyn crew hat always seems to fuck up that family and then going down will probably be better for the family. What they did to JP was pure incompetency / treachery . I don’t blame him at all for ratting , the family ratted on him first.
I think Pennisi regretted telling that story because he told it once, and when LaVecchia brought it up a second time a few episodes later, you could tell he wasn’t as eager to tell it again. You could see he kinda felt bad.
I think it’s clear though the reason he told the story was to highlight Big John’s incompetence as a captain. Because when he told the story, the punchline was basically that instead of Castelucci grabbing Perna and getting him out of there—which is what a captain should’ve done—Castelucci pulled out his phone and started taking pics. Pennisi was trying to further establish his point that Castelucci had no business being a skipper, and Perna just kinda happened to be collateral damage. And I know Pennisi felt bad because like the very next episode he made a point to say that he heard Perna had cleaned himself up.
I agree and good post . JP seems likeable with a brain so I can see why top guys like Patty Red , Sideburns, Joey D, Joe Cafe, Pernas liked him.
Man did he get fucked over tho , I don’t blame him at all for what he did . Like he said they should of just shelved him . The Westside probably would of killed Eugene for breaking 2 death rules ( going w his girl and falsely spreading he a rat to cover his first violation ). If your gonna send a message as the new Admin , that was the one to send IMO
On what podcast does he tell the story of him getting fucked over? I’ve listened to a bunch of his stuff and haven’t heard the story yet.
