What Happened to Pittsburgh boss John Bazzano?

[Antiliar]

Angelo Lonardo was given a pass because he wasn't made.

This explanation never made sense to me. He gets a pass for not being made? Usually that would be the first guy to go. I’m inclined to believe there was more to it than that.

My guess on the "more to it than that" part is that the then-current administration led by Frank Milano had been loyal to Lonardo's father. After all, the Porrellos, who were reportedly part of the plot to kill Joseph Lonardo, were nearly completely wiped out allegedly by Milano.

[johnny_scootch]

Angelo Lonardo was given a pass because he wasn't made.

This explanation never made sense to me. He gets a pass for not being made? Usually that would be the first guy to go. I’m inclined to believe there was more to it than that.

My guess on the "more to it than that" part is that the then-current administration led by Frank Milano had been loyal to Lonardo's father. After all, the Porrellos, who were reportedly part of the plot to kill Joseph Lonardo, were nearly completely wiped out allegedly by Milano.

I had completely forgetten the politics surrounding all that, it's been years since I read the Sugar Wars. Todaro gets killed but the Porrellos take over for a while before Milano does right? It should have been them who killed Angelo Lonardo. Maybe he hid out for a while and eventually Milano gave him a pass?

[PolackTony]

Good discussion. As with many of these rulings, there is a “first order” justification and then one or more “second order” reasons or causes. As Rick pointed out, the background context or “second order” reasons very likely had to do with the ties between Ciccio Milano and the Lonardos, and the politics surrounding the resolution of the Lonardo-Porello conflict. The “first order” reason was what Lonardo reported as the justification the Commission allegedly cited for sparing his life. From his 1988 Congressional testimony:

As a result of the Romano murder, Demarco was condemned to death by the Commission for killing a boss without okaying it with the Commission. I was excused for my part in the murder, since I was not an LCN member and did not know the rules.

There was a background context to why Lonardo got spared, but as is often the case a more immediate, “legalistic” justification was cited (as is the case for inverse rulings, where guys get clipped for some specific immediate offense, but the murder often has roots in deeper issues). As a “first order” justification, Lonardo wasn’t yet a member so it could be ruled that it wasn’t fair to hold him to the same standards as a member. Like a child, he wasn’t yet a “man” and thus had neither the full rights nor obligations conferred upon a “man”. Mafia leaders are, of course, masters at leveraging the legalistic reasoning of their system in their own interest and to advance their own objectives.

[B.]

There was a Midwest source who said Bazzano expected to be killed at the meeting and at one point was giving a speech and said something to the effect of "What are you waiting for, aren't you going to kill me?" and that the 32 men in attendance then took turns stabbing him with icepicks. The informant had some things mixed up, though, like he thought Joe Masseria was involved in the meeting.

I also question whether all of these high-ranking members directly participated in the murder itself. More likely to me is it was carried out by some of the rank-and-file members who were arrested like Ciro Gallo, John Oddo, and Tony Bonasera. Curious though whether all of the attendees witnessed the murder or if he was taken somewhere else where the murder took place. If all of the leaders in attendance did participate or personally witness the murder it's pretty crazy.