Real-Life Mafia Rivals 'Sopranos' Drama
March 8, 2006 — -- After nearly two years off the air, "The Sopranos" is set to return on HBO this Sunday. But why watch a fantasy mob family when you can see real-life alleged mafia intrigue in the news headlines?
John Gotti Jr., the son of the late mafia boss John Gotti, is being retried for racketeering and conspiring to kidnap radio host and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa. In 1992, Sliwa was attacked in a taxi and shot in the legs and back. He says Gotti Jr. orchestrated the attack in retribution for Sliwa's negative comments about Gotti's father on his radio show. Gotti's first trial in 2005 ended when jurors announced they were deadlocked and the judge declared a mistrial.
Infidelity allegations added further intrigue to the retrial when a witness claimed the senior Gotti fathered a child with a mistress. Meanwhile, it appears the Gottis may be contradicting themselves on whether their family was still heavily involved in the mob life. Peter Gotti, the youngest son of "The Dapper Don," testified that his father was "boss" of the Gambino crime family. However, Gotti Jr.'s defense attorney said that his client was trying to escape mafia life to protect his family. Jury deliberations in Gotti Jr.'s case could begin today.
The Gotti retrial alone would be enough to pique the interest of New York mob watchers. But Gotti Jr.'s legal troubles have not been the only mafia-related headlines in the last month.
In February, a federal grand jury indicted former acting boss of the Genovese crime family, Liborio "Barney" Bellomo and 31 other reputed mobsters on charges ranging from drug dealing to murder.
Vinny "Gorgeous" Basciano, a former acting boss of the Bonanno crime family, is on trial for murder, attempted murder, racketeering and gambling charges. And jury selection in the trial of alleged mafia cops, Stephen Caracappa and Louis Eppolito, began last week. The former officers are accused of being hired hit men for the Lucchese crime family.
However, bringing alleged mob bosses and their officers to trial may no longer be a priority for law enforcement officials, despite the ongoing trials.
"The trials in the last month are the culmination of all the groundwork done in the 1990s," Sliwa told ABCNEWS.com. "But you will find because of all the focus on terrorism, you will see less and less of that."
