luigi ronisvalle- murder is my business

[CornerBoy]

Thanks polacktony- he was the writer that luigi recanted to with ivan fisher?

This luigi was nuts and i didn't know most of that. i only read 20 percent of octopus by claire sterling

Is the book you recommended above very trial intensive or focused more on street action / mafia shit?

Any other reading recommendations? im not too bright but i can read very fast and listen to audible on 1.5 speed

[PolackTony]

Thanks polacktony- he was the writer that luigi recanted to with ivan fisher?

This luigi was nuts and i didn't know most of that. i only read 20 percent of octopus by claire sterling

Is the book you recommended above very trial intensive or focused more on street action / mafia shit?

Any other reading recommendations? im not too bright but i can read very fast and listen to audible on 1.5 speed

Yeah, Blumenthal was a staff reporter for the Times who covered the Knickerbocker Ave and Pizza Connection stuff and accompanied Fisher for Ronsivalle’s recantation.

“Last Days…” is definitely not particularly trial focused. Blumenthal mainly frames the events of the era around Carmine Russo and Charles Rooney, two FBI assigned to investigate the Galante murder and its aftermath. I haven’t read “The Pizza Connection” by Shana Alexander, but my understanding is that it is much more focused on the trial itself.

I personally think that if one really wants to grasp what was happening with the Knickerbocker/Giannini, Cherry Hill, Pizza Connection (I.e., “zip”) stuff in this period it really helps to also have a good grasp also on what was happening in Sicily during this time. Don’t know if you’ve read much of that, but some good starting points (IMO) would be “Excellent Cadavers” by Alexander Stille and “Cosa Nostra” and/or “Mafia Republic” by John Dickie.

[CornerBoy]

the shana alexander one sucked only made it halfway if thqt- thaats why i asked---thanks!!!!!!!!

[CabriniGreen]

Thanks polacktony- he was the writer that luigi recanted to with ivan fisher?

This luigi was nuts and i didn't know most of that. i only read 20 percent of octopus by claire sterling

Is the book you recommended above very trial intensive or focused more on street action / mafia shit?

Any other reading recommendations? im not too bright but i can read very fast and listen to audible on 1.5 speed

Yeah, Blumenthal was a staff reporter for the Times who covered the Knickerbocker Ave and Pizza Connection stuff and accompanied Fisher for Ronsivalle’s recantation.

“Last Days…” is definitely not particularly trial focused. Blumenthal mainly frames the events of the era around Carmine Russo and Charles Rooney, two FBI assigned to investigate the Galante murder and its aftermath. I haven’t read “The Pizza Connection” by Shana Alexander, but my understanding is that it is much more focused on the trial itself.

I personally think that if one really wants to grasp what was happening with the Knickerbocker/Giannini, Cherry Hill, Pizza Connection (I.e., “zip”) stuff in this period it really helps to also have a good grasp also on what was happening in Sicily during this time. Don’t know if you’ve read much of that, but some good starting points (IMO) would be “Excellent Cadavers” by Alexander Stille and “Cosa Nostra” and/or “Mafia Republic” by John Dickie.

I kinda remember it being a boring lawyer book...

[CabriniGreen]

Had to check.... The Pizza Connection is the lawyer book

[Boatdrinks]

I like the Shana Alexander book. Some parts of the book are very entertaining and funny.
For those unfamiliar with it, Alexander wanted to do a big trial book. In choosing the trial, she did not want one that she would get too emotionally involved in. The other big thing, was to be able to have the lawyers share their thoughts with her. this was originally agreed, but then the prosecution pulled out, so it ended more one sided.
The book basically starts with the very sudden death of Carmine Galante. This is told in a very dramatic, minute by minute way, as it happened, and the background to it is covered too. This was meant to be the grand opening of the prosecution case, however, the judge thought it not proved for the case and threw it out.
The big problems with the book, are that the case is so big, and dragged on for so long, with a huge number of defendents all with similar names, and the same applied to the lawyers too. the background stories of the lawyers, and how they got recruited, are interesting. So too, the skills of the lawyers and their different styles. Some of these guys were top notch, for example, Louis Freech went on to run the FBI. Other lawyers were eccentrics, or novices, or mob-lawyers.
Different lawyers had different strategies. These sometimes clashed. Some lawyers were brilliant.
I was recently thinking about this book, and wondered if it actually clearly explained who the players were, and who their associates were. I am not sure it does. Most of the major mob players feature, so too, the FBI undercovers.
Some of the defence cases are a real scream, so too some of the side humour that took place. There are also the darker and sadder parts too.
I do wonder how factual the account is, some of the names of bit-part actors seem to be made up.
However, it seems pretty factual, and I love court trial books, especially this one.
For those who like big trial books, that go into the detail, then 'Connection' is great, certainly as far as I am concerned.
Another, similar book, is the big New Jersey trial of Anthony Accetturo and his associates. By the way, his lawyer was David Critchley. At first I wondered if this was the writer, but it was not. Lawyer Critchley was a blue-collar New Jersey roofer who went off to study and became a lawyer. Writer Critchley is a British guy.
I love the 'Pizza' book. If I had to pick out a favourite part, it was the witness describing the coalitions at the construction site etc.
The book is heavy going. Alexander herself says as much. She puts in lists of characters etc, and says check who they are to follow things. She said she had to make lists and check notes all the time, to follow what was happening.
Those NYC and NJ trials were of a huge size and length. If you like trials, try the books!

[CornerBoy]

i tend to get bored by books that focus solely on the trials, courtroom type stuff but I must concede I only read a portion of the Alexander book. is it all legal stuff? Thanks so much

[antimafia]

Luigi Ronsisvalle was the Forrest Gump of the mafia—in the middle of everything https://nypost.com/2022/11/26/luigi-ron ... the-mafia/

[Pmac2]

Any body read. Winters here I might read a book it's been along time. This any good. The guy was a nut but maybe since it's written with that former DA it will balance

[NYNighthawk]

what Luigi said to Guiliani was when he asked him about the shootings/murders he did replied - I don't kill no one! You - who paid me - you killed him! I just shot the bullet in the gun.