MUGSHOTS: JOHN GOTTI: GANGLAND BOSS (TV)
Summary
One in this series of biographies that chronicle a subject's criminal record and/or legal woes. This installment profiles John Gotti, the "Teflon Don" of New York's Gambino crime family.
Born as one of 13 children in the Bronx in 1940, Gotti became the protégé of mobster Albert Anastasia, who was then succeeded by Carlo Gambino after his death in 1957. Gotti served time in prison for a series of airport heists, and upon his release, became a "made man" upon murdering James McBratney as revenge for the death of Gambino's nephew. Thanks to the defense of infamous lawyer Roy Cohn, Gotti served only two years in prison for McBratney's death. Gambino died of cancer in 1976 and was succeeded by Paul Castellano; Gotti was promoted and answered directly to Aniello Dellacroce. Gotti then began openly criticizing the "greedy and reclusive" Castellano, and Castellano soon considered killing Gotti's brother and Antonio Ruggiero because of rumors of incriminating tapes of the two describing their criminal narcotics business.
U.S. attorney Rudolph Giuliani then made use of RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) to charge Castellano and his many associates as one crime unit, and Castellano, aware that he would likely serve prison time, decided to break up Gotti's "crew" and promote another underling in his place. Gotti, mourning the death of his surrogate father Dellacroce, recruited Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano and several others and assassinated Castellano in a dramatic scene outside of Sparks Steak House in December 1985, thus becoming the leader of the extremely lucrative crime operation. His January 1986 trial on RICO charges attracted press attention, particularly because of Gotti being a sharp dresser and his quick wit with reporters; witnesses refused to speak out against the well-known criminal. Gotti's underboss Frank DeCicco was then killed by a car bomb intended for Gotti himself, planted by the Genovese crime family as retaliation for Gotti's decision to kill Castellano without "permission." Gotti was acquitted of all charges in March 1987, though stories of bribes and jury tampering later came to light. Then-Assistant District Attorney Pat Cotter, aware that Gotti would not leave written evience of his crimes, resolved to wiretap his preferred meeting place, the Ravenite club, and Gotti's popularity as a "folk hero" grew, thanks to his swaggering "come get me" attitude.
An informant soon tipped off the FBI about a private apartment about the Ravenite, and the agents acquired tapes of Gotti openly discussing his criminal actions, including his orders of violence against a local union boss, John O'Connor. Gotti's flamboyant lawyer, Bruce Cutler, argued that tapes were not proof of Gotti's state of mind, and Gotti was once again found not guilty, further supporting his "Teflon Don" reputation. Undeterred, Cotter aimed to secure tapes, documentation and eyewitnesses of Gotti's actions; federal agents eventually raided the Ravenite in February 1990 and arrested Gotti and Gravano. Their attorneys Cutler and Gerald Shargel, respectively, were disqualified from the new trial when they were heard on the latest tapes. Gravano eventually "flipped" in 1991, offering up a "gold mine" of information about his and Gotti's parts in 19 murders, including Castellano's, and assorted other crimes. Gotti quickly hired attorney Albert Krieger. Cotter recalls the jurors' terror at being asked to decide the fate of the widely feared crime boss.
Various Hollywood "tough guys" like Mickey Rourke attended the trial in support of Gotti. Krieger attempted to downplay "rat" Gravano's lengthy and damning testimony as mere posturing to save himself from prison. The judge permitted Krieger to call only one witness in Gotti's defense, tax attorney Murray Appleman; after 14 hours of deliberation, the sequestered jury came back with guilty verdicts on all charges. Gotti's life sentence sparked a riot from supporters and denouncers, and he eventually underwent treatment for throat cancer while in prison. Cotter notes that the once-feared Gambino crime family is now "out of business," though Cutler insists that Gotti remains "a legend." Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: Court TV
- DATE: November 30, 1999 6:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:45:18
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:65887
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Public affairs/Documentaries; Biography; Organized crime; Murder; Trials
- SERIES RUN: Court TV - TV series, 2000-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jim Zarchin … Executive Producer
- Robyn Hutt … Executive Producer
- Scott Galloway … Supervising Producer
- Bruce Halford … Producer, Writer
- Aimee Kramer … Associate Producer
- James Naughton … Narrator
- Rob Pottorf … Music by
- Pat Cotter … Interviewee
- Albert Anastasia
- Murray Appleman
- Paul Castellano
- Roy Cohn
- Bruce Cutler
- Frank DeCicco
- Aniello Dellacroce
- Carlo Gambino
- Rudolph Giuliani (see also: Rudy Giuliani)
- John Gotti
- Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano
- Albert Krieger
- James McBratney
- John O'Connor
- Mickey Rourke
- Angelo Ruggiero
- Gerald Shargel