John Gotti Essay, Research Paper
John Gotti: The American Mobster
This is a story about a New York mobster, who was the
Godfather of the Gambino Family. Today he is serving a life
sentence in Marion Federal Penitentiary on 43 counts of
racketeering, multiple murders, loan sharking, gambling, and
even jury tampering. John Gotti was born October 27, 1940
in the Bronx. John Gotti had 12 other brothers and sisters.
He had 2 parents, Fannie and John Joseph Gotti Sr. John
Gotti started school in 1945. In 1950 The Gotti family
moved to Sheepshead Bay, where John attended P.S. 209.
In 1952, the family moved to East New York; John
attended P.S. 178. While he was in school Gotti had his first
brush with the law when he was caught with friends stealing
and vandalizing with portable cement mixer that tipped over
and crushed the toes of his feet. He had to be hospitalized
for awhile as a result, and is reportedly missing a toe or two.
>From then on John Gotti joined a youth gang called
FULTON-ROCKAWAY BOYS. While he was in the gang
he dropped out of school. In the gang he got in a lot of
trouble. He got arrested for the first time in 1957 after a
gang fight. From then on he got arrested a lot in 1958 he
was Convicted of burglary and given probation. In 1959
arrested for the first time as an adult for unlawful assembly in
a raid at a gambling location. He received a 60 day
suspended sentence. Also in the late 50?s, he assaulted a
smalltime hood who owed him money, met and worked for
Carmine Fatico, killed two black gamblers with Willie "Boy"
Johnson, and was caught stealing copper from a construction
site. In 1960 he met Victoria DiGiorgio and falls in love with
her. In 1961, his daughter Angela was born. In 1962 John
married Victoria DiGiorgio. Things were going good for a
year when in 1963 John got arrested in a car reported stolen
from AVIS. He went to jail for the first time and served 20
days. In 1965, he was arrested for unlawful entry and
possession of bookmaking records, in March, Caught
breaking into a tavern on Long Island, in October, Accused
of attempted petit larceny in Brooklyn. In 1966, John
allegedly associated with a gang reporting to Carlo
Gambino. He was jailed for unlawful entry and grand
larceny. Then in 1967, he was arrested on federal hijacking
charges in an FBI sting operation at Kennedy Airport. Then
in 1968, he was arrested in state hijacking case; he pleaded
guilty but receives no prison time. In 1969, he pleaded guilty
in a federal hijacking case; gets three years at USP
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. While in prison, he was indicted
on a second federal hijacking charge; however his indictment
was dismissed because police used illegal wiretap. In the
beginning of the 70?s Gotti spent time in Green Haven
Prison. After being released from jail Gotti was indicted for
murder after James McBratney was shot and killed by Ralph
"Ralphie Wigs" Galione (May 22nd) in a barroom fight.
While John was at a bar in Queens, New York he was
arrested for the murder of McBratney. In 1975, John
pleaded guilty to attempted manslaughter in McBratney
case; he was incarcerated in Green Haven state prison. In
1976 Carlo Gambino dies. Paul Castellano allegedly became
boss of the Gambino Fami. In July 28 1977 John is released
from Green Haven early after proving himself to be a model
prisoner. Later that summer, he was allegedly inducted into
the Gambino Family. March 18, 1980 John’s 12 year old
son, Frank Gotti, is tragically killed in an accident when a
neighbor hit the mini-bike Frank was riding with his car. In
1981 Diane Giacolone began her investigation of Gotti. Then
in 1984 Romual Piecyk accuses John Gotti and another of
assaulting him after a scuffle over double parking. Gotti is
arrested on assault and robbery charges. Aniello Dellacroce,
Gotti’s friend and mentor, dies of brain cancer. On
December 16th, Paul Castellano and Thomas Bilotti are
murdered outside of Spark’s Steak House in Manhattan.
Then Gotti is arrested on federal racketeering charges. On
January 16, 1986 John allegedly becomes boss of the
Gambino family. In March of 1986, the assault case is
dismissed after Piecyk can’t remember who assaulted him. In
April, Federal racketeering trial begins, Frankie DeCicco
(alleged underboss) is murdered in a car bombing apparently
meant for both him and John. The trial is postponed. In May
of 86 a lot of things happened. Carpenter union official John
O’Conner is shot in the rear, allegedly for ordering the
trashing of a Gambino run joint which was being built with
non-union labor. Gotti’s bail was revoked, and Gotti
surrendered six days later to the MCC. In August Federal
trial began again. March 6, 1987 Diane Giacalone presents
her summation of the case, which lasts five hours and
contains several mistaken names and some errors of fact. On
March 13, 1987 the jury reaches the verdict of not guilty on
all counts. In 1989 Gotti was arrested on charges of
conspiracy to commit assault in the shooting of John
O’Conner. In 1989 John is acquitted of the assault charges,
also 13 count RICO Fed indictment brought against Gotti
for conspiring to murder Paul Castellano. John Gotti, alleged
underboss Salvatore Gravano, and consigliere Frank
Locascio are all arrested at the Ravenite social club in Little
Italy. They are held without bail at the MCC in Manhattan.
In 1991 Bruce Cutler, the lawyer who helped Gotti beat his
previous three trials, is barred from representing him on the
grounds that he (Cutler) is allegedly acting as "house
counsel" for the Gambino crime family. Also, in November
Sammy Gravano, facing a life sentence behind bars, is
coerced into switching sides and testifying against Gotti and
Locascio in exchange for a greatly reduced sentence (ends
up serving only 3 years for admitting to 19 murders). Sammy
"The Bull" became Sammy "The Rat" and Sammy "The
Liar". In 1992 The trial began, Gravano first testifies. Gotti is
found guilty all 13 counts, and he is delivered to Marion
Penitentiary in Illinois. In 1993 Gotti’s appeal (that his
lawyer, Bruce Cutler, was unfairly disqualified from
representing him in the case) is rejected. In 1994 Bruce
Cutler was sentencted to 90 days house arrest, fined
$5,000, barred from NY’s Eastern District courts for six
months, ordered to perform 600 hours of community
service, and placed on probation for three years for
speaking out in defense of John to reporters during the last
trial. John Gotti has now been in jail since 1992 serving a life
sentence without parole. He has appealed since the trial has
been over, and every time he has it has been rejected. The
Gambino Family is still in New York and John Gotti?s
son(John jr.) is now the god father of the Gambino Family,
and is still strong. The Gambino Family I think in the future is
going to be very strong even without John Gotti. The FBI is
still watching the family so it looks as if the family might even
be as strong as when John Gotti ran the family.
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