The Gotti Wars - John Gleeson

[The Greek]

I'll preface this post by saying I'm not the biggest fan of the Gotti era, but this book definitely has some really great insight and hearing about this time from such a different perspective is really great. Thought I'd leave a few interesting excerpts as I go..

One day during the Giacalone trial, when Dellacroce was supposedly too ill to come to court, the judge decided to continue at Dellacroce's house in Staten Island. With Judge Eugene Nickerson, a deputy marshall. a court reporter in one car, Giacalone and Gleeson in another and Gotti and the other defendants in other cars, they made their way over the bridge to Dellacroce's house .. they started the hearing in Neils bedroom. At one point when Neil said he needed a break, everyone went out into his living room to eat Italian pastries and wait to start again. There were only a two chairs so the judge and the court reporter sat while everyone else stood around awkwardly. Judge Nickerson took a bite of a pastry then broke the awkward silence by saying "has anyone seen Prizzi's honor?" Supposedly no one reacted but Gleeson said to this day it's the funniest ice breaker he's ever heard.

Judge Cosentino was notoriously slow, the first judge in Gene and Ruggierro's heroin case, was known to get bogged down in pre trial hearings. The case started 4 years after the indictment. His slow pace saved Gotti's and his crew's lives. If the case had preceded on a normal track, all the taped Ruggiero conversations would've been played in open court long before Dellacroce died. Had he moved at normal speed the trial would've take place before the Giacalone trial and Castellano would've gotten the tapes 2 years earlier.

Between John Carneglia's conviction and his sentencing he made the mistake of telling a tabloid reporter that he didn't think he was going to get a lot of time and when he got out he was going to "piss on the judges grave".. on the day of the sentencing the judge's law clerk walked over to the defense table and told Carneglia's lawyer he had a message for his client.. "The judge wants Mr. Carneglia to know that his probation officer hasn't been born yet."

I'l try to post more as I go but the book is a great read.

[jimmi_beans8]

thanks

[NYNighthawk]

any updates on John Carnegelia and Gene Gotti? Do they meet up at 2-3 am to avoid prying eyes?

[Pmac2]

Cool thanks

[The Greek]

any updates on John Carnegelia and Gene Gotti? Do they meet up at 2-3 am to avoid prying eyes?

On one of the tapes played in court, Angelo was talking to Gene on the phone and he referred to John Gotti as "That turd your mother shit out." I think this was during the Giacalone trial and he thanked Gleeson for the trial saying the best thing about this trial was that now he knows the kind of people he has around him. duh...

[TSNYC]

Couple interesting tidbits:

They had a recording from the Ravenite where John Gotti congratulated Dom Borghese on his induction earlier that evening. The fbi wanted to use it as evidence at trial to show that Gotti as boss had inducted Donk. Gleeson asked how he knew that happened? FBI agent Gabriel sAid he had an active informant who was at the induction and reported the info back to Gabriel. Gleeson explained he’d have to call the CI then to which Gabriel refused. Eventually the tape came in based on cross exam by Gotti lawyer.


Book also mentioned a CI providing intel about them using the Cirelli apt.

[JohnnyS]

Thanks Greek and TSNYC.

[Pmac2]

hmmm. joe watts maybe. were theres smoke theres fire. maybe he played fast and loose like scarpa. or maybe we wrong and watts never said shit. he did about 20yrs in the last 30yrs in prison. maybe give him the benefit. i know why gravano hates his guts. watts and a few guys were wire taping sammys wife afrer he flipped to findout what he was aying and even was gonna kill his son and crew members

[Pogo The Clown]

Watts wouldn't have been at the induction ceremony. So the informant would have to have been a made member.


Pogo

[bronx]

or someone getting made ?

[JohnnyS]

or someone getting made ?

Cacciopoli, Rizzo, Martino and Proto were made in that ceremony.

[Eld]

Good find, TSNYC.

John Gleeson sort of implies Patsy Conte was a CI but not a cooperator. His associate brother flipped. Or maybe the CI at the ceremony was Borghese himself. These guys have a pattern of being CI's before becomming cooperators.

[outfit guy]

Thanks, please post more as the initial Amazon reviews were too much legal strategy; my fear was a good guys (I'm the real tough guy) narrative.

[TSNYC]

The book was solid. Not a lot of new stuff. I liked the parts about attorneys being controlled or used by Gotti (ultimately hurting co Ds).

His descriptions of encounters with gambino guys at courthouse are funny. Or Gotti referring to Gleeson, Maloney, Cotter, and Orenstiwn as “Irish faggot, Irish faggot, Irish faggot, Christ killer..”

[mpl0215]

Solid read... when Gleason got the tapes from the rave nite and the fbi guy handed him one and said you’re not gonna like this one lol they were discussing who they thought was coming after Gotti this time and Sammy said I don’t think it’s gonna be Gleason I think they will use someone smarter this time lol