Thomas Carrube testimony notes (Cammarano trial)

[TallGuy19]

That goes back to my original point that Pennisi and Carrube basically got made because they're Italian and knew the right people. It's part of an overall decline in Cosa Nostra's talent pool and rackets.

Pennisi did not get made because he was Italian and knew some people.

Pennisi got made because he killed someone and did 17years.

Pennisi would've likely got made if this was the 70's too.
There are hundreds of examples of guys doing less and getting their button than Pennisi.

Pennisi had committed murder and stood up. There is
nothing more qualifying for entry into the mafia. That's it. End of story.

He had no choice but to stand up. Who was he going to rat on? He killed his girls lover or whatever and I’m pretty sure he had no knowledge to drop on the feds that would have got him out of that jam. He had no choice but to sit for 17 years and he could barely do that (suicide attempt)

This is true. And the proof is in the pudding. He did virtually nothing as a made guy (couldn't even bring himself to smack a guy around), then ran to the FBI because his dead grandma shook his house around.

[SonnyBlackstein]

He had no choice but to stand up. Who was he going to rat on? He killed his girls lover or whatever and I’m pretty sure he had no knowledge to drop on the feds that would have got him out of that jam. He had no choice but to sit for 17 years and he could barely do that (suicide attempt)

I see what you're saying, but he did his time like a man. In GP, no seg. Etc.
The mafia has no higher qualification than to commit murder and do your time. This is what Pennisi did. So my point, which is Pennisi was 100% qualified, is indisputable.

[SonnyBlackstein]

This is true. And the proof is in the pudding. He did virtually nothing as a made guy (couldn't even bring himself to smack a guy around), then ran to the FBI because his dead grandma shook his house around.

If you don't think Pennisi was qualified to be inducted then nobody should be inducted.

You'd rather induct a 20yr old who ran a decent book than JP? Sure bud.

[TallGuy19]

This is true. And the proof is in the pudding. He did virtually nothing as a made guy (couldn't even bring himself to smack a guy around), then ran to the FBI because his dead grandma shook his house around.

If you don't think Pennisi was qualified to be inducted then nobody should be inducted.

You'd rather induct a 20yr old who ran a decent book than JP? Sure bud.

There are plenty of made guys out there running rackets and making money. Say what you will about him, but even Gene Borello probably deserved it more than Pennisi. The guy was a mob associate in every sense of the word. He was violent and routinely engaged in significant criminal activity, plus he had a crew under him.

[NothingNew44]

He had no choice but to stand up. Who was he going to rat on? He killed his girls lover or whatever and I’m pretty sure he had no knowledge to drop on the feds that would have got him out of that jam. He had no choice but to sit for 17 years and he could barely do that (suicide attempt)

I see what you're saying, but he did his time like a man. In GP, no seg. Etc.
The mafia has no higher qualification than to commit murder and do your time. This is what Pennisi did. So my point, which is Pennisi was 100% qualified, is indisputable.

Historical familiarity and relationships help in most situations in any sector of life. So the DiBenedetto point is one aspect of the equation. If you separate the two circumstances of Pennisi’s past, each gives incredible credence to him being a desired commodity to individuals in that life. Doing significant time in prison goes a very long way in how you are perceived. Then add the fact that you did an actual murder to get sentenced to the time, you can see why he’d be seen as an asset.

[Dave65827]

In Borrellos book he does make it seem like the majority of his crimes where him doing shit Ronnie G explicitly told him not to do and his crew consisted of the Gotti kid and a ragtag group of queens teenagers

The way I see it Pennisi had childhood friends who where mobsters + italian + done time + somewhat trustworthy + the Genovese situation + the tension between the Bronx and Brooklyn = made man don’t see how some of you guys are surprised he got made with all this shit that was going on at the time

[SonnyBlackstein]

Gene Borello probably deserved it more than Pennisi.

We disagree.

[Southshore88]

That goes back to my original point that Pennisi and Carrube basically got made because they're Italian and knew the right people. It's part of an overall decline in Cosa Nostra's talent pool and rackets.

Pennisi did not get made because he was Italian and knew some people.

Pennisi got made because he killed someone and did 17years.

Pennisi would've likely got made if this was the 70's too.
There are hundreds of examples of guys doing less and getting their button than Pennisi.

Pennisi had committed murder and stood up. There is
nothing more qualifying for entry into the mafia. That's it. End of story.

Being Italian and knowing people absolutely helped. If he killed someone and did 17 years but wasn’t Italian or didn’t know anyone - then he wouldn’t have been made.

It’s been discussed before that often times a member’s murder is often not just one offense, but a combination of multiple factors. The same can be said with getting made.