Ryan98366 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 24, 2022 9:06 pm
I believe Massino more than I believe Pistone. Even Capeci has said there isn’t a $500,000 murder contract on him. Pistone won’t let it go that he is in hiding and the mob is looking to kill him. And Sonny Black had his hands cut off as a message that Pistone shook hands with made men.
Pistone needed to stop this 30 years ago, I be he will never stop.
This idea that Pistone made up the rationale for the Sonny Black hit to make himself seem more important is beyond silly. Sonny Black being killed for Pistone was the logical conclusion for 25 years until Massino testified. It’s not like Pistone knew “the real story” all along and was changing it to make himself look more important. If you could go back in time to the early 80s and poll everyone associated with the 5 Families and ask why Sonny Black was killed, I’m guessing over 90% of them say it was because of Pistone. And not because Pistone was telling everyone that, but because that was the most rational explanation for the death at the time.
And as far as getting names mixed up or forgetting certain storylines….every single one of these guys does the same thing. Richard Canterella had a tremendous interview with Scott but he said several times throughout the interview that a lot of the details are hazy to him. And that Scott would likely know the details better. And not because he’s some big liar….but it’s because this stuff happened 20-30-40 years ago. Same with Phil Leonetti. His interview with Bet-David had several parts where he couldn’t remember someone’s nickname or other detail, and Bet-David had to provide it for him. And it’s not because Leonetti told so many lies he can’t keep his story straight. It’s because a lot of these guys are likely ashamed of their past and subconsciously try and forget much of it.
I agree with you and what you say makes perfect sense. It is logical that Sonny Black was killed for bringing Pistone into the Bonanno crew.
However, you must admit Pistone needs to stop with the sunglasses and there is a mob murder contract on his head. You have to admit Pistone has been lying for 30+ years about the mafia having a murder contract on him to inflate himself and get attention. Right?????
Ryan98366 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 24, 2022 9:06 pm
I believe Massino more than I believe Pistone. Even Capeci has said there isn’t a $500,000 murder contract on him. Pistone won’t let it go that he is in hiding and the mob is looking to kill him. And Sonny Black had his hands cut off as a message that Pistone shook hands with made men.
Pistone needed to stop this 30 years ago, I be he will never stop.
This idea that Pistone made up the rationale for the Sonny Black hit to make himself seem more important is beyond silly. Sonny Black being killed for Pistone was the logical conclusion for 25 years until Massino testified. It’s not like Pistone knew “the real story” all along and was changing it to make himself look more important. If you could go back in time to the early 80s and poll everyone associated with the 5 Families and ask why Sonny Black was killed, I’m guessing over 90% of them say it was because of Pistone. And not because Pistone was telling everyone that, but because that was the most rational explanation for the death at the time.
And as far as getting names mixed up or forgetting certain storylines….every single one of these guys does the same thing. Richard Canterella had a tremendous interview with Scott but he said several times throughout the interview that a lot of the details are hazy to him. And that Scott would likely know the details better. And not because he’s some big liar….but it’s because this stuff happened 20-30-40 years ago. Same with Phil Leonetti. His interview with Bet-David had several parts where he couldn’t remember someone’s nickname or other detail, and Bet-David had to provide it for him. And it’s not because Leonetti told so many lies he can’t keep his story straight. It’s because a lot of these guys are likely ashamed of their past and subconsciously try and forget much of it.
I think this is a really good point. You have to remember that most of us here research this stuff as a form of interesting history. Like some people obsess about the Civil War or World War II. And we read things constantly and have a firm timeline in our head of when things happen because we've read researched books. But for informants and government witnesses, they're recounting things from their lives, and you don't research your own life. Try to think of it in terms of someone asking you when you first met one of your friends. And you're like "Oh I think we first met in the summer of 2003." And the person asking the question has read your biography and the biographies of people who knew you and he's like "No. Wrong, it was the summer of 2004." He'd be an asshole. I think of this example for me. At my old job the company did a trip at the beginning of January each year to the Caribbean as a company retreat. And if someone asked where did you guys go in 2010 and real quick I might say I think we were in the Domincan Republic. And the person goes "Wrong. You went to the Dominican Republic in 2009 and 2011, but in 2010 it was Jamaica." Now if I'm testifying I make sure to get everything right in my mind, but for a random online interview, I might mess some stuff up 20 years later.
Good points. You also have to figure that as researchers we tend to place more importance on dates, events and interactions than a lot of these guys do. What we may think is important was just another day in a lifestyle that spanned decades for them. I'm sure many of these things tend to bleed into each other in their memories.
Pogo
POGO,
Was there every really a $500,000 murder contract on Pistone's head???? What say you as a subject matter expert.
Here is an article from 2021 that UPI ran. Pistone claims the $500,000 contract is still active. No shit.
"After his removal in 1981, the Mafia was informed of the double cross and they promptly put out a $500,000 contract on Pistone's head -- which he believes is still active."
I can't speak for Pogo, but I can tell you that the Cosa Nostra doesn't operate that way - with rare exceptions. The men who get sent out are typically soldiers, made members of the lowest rank. Like soldiers in the military, they carry out orders and they don't get extra pay for it. Often they'll take trusted associates with them, or two or three soldiers will carry out the hit. Less frequently a caporegime will get personally involved. What their Cosa Nostra Families will pay for is travel and temporary living expenses, if required. Rarely an outsider or a mercenary will be used, and that person will be paid a higher price, but nothing close to half a million dollars.
