My Philadelphia Inquirer Review Of 'Gotti's Rules'

My review of George Anastasia's Gotti's Rules appeared in today's Philadelphia Inquirer.

Appearing on ABC some years ago, former Mafia capo Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano told an interviewer about the time he was eating in a New York restaurant with Gambino crime family boss John Gotti.

A nearby couple was staring and whispering and Gotti grumbled. Gravano asked Gotti if he wanted him to handle it.

"No," Gotti told his underboss sternly. "This is my public."

Gravano said he was taken aback. They were both members of La Cosa Nostra, a secret criminal society. And here was a boss who believed he had a "public." Gravano said Gotti's ego and need for public attention led to his downfall.

In George Anastasia's Gotti's Rules, John Alite, an associate member of the Gotti crime family, outlines other Gotti shortcomings, such as rapacity, disloyalty, hypocrisy, and treachery.

As for Alite, Anastasia introduces him to the reader this way: "John Alite was a murderer, drug dealer and thug." For 25 years, Anastasia writes, Alite brutalized people. He stabbed them, shot them, and beat them with pipes, blackjacks, and baseball bats.

"He's not proud of that, but he doesn't try to hide from it, either," Anastasia writes. "It's who he was. But not who he is." Alite's years with the Gotti family ended when he testified in court against John Gotti's son, "Junior."

You can read the rest of the review below:

Note: You can click on the above to enlarge. 

Six Members of Philadelphia Police Narcotics Unit Charged in Racketeering Conspiracy

The U.S. Justice Department released the below information:

PHILADELPHIA—An indictment was unsealed today charging six members of the Philadelphia Police Department’s Narcotics Field Unit (NFU) in a conspiracy to abuse their official positions to rob suspected drug dealers. Thomas Liciardello, Brian Reynolds, Michael Spicer, Perry Betts, Linwood Norman, and John Speiser are charged in a racketeering conspiracy that the indictment alleges included robbery, extortion, kidnapping, and drug dealing.

In one alleged incident, a person was removed from his own home and held captive for several days in a hotel room while members of the enterprise threatened him and made threats against his family. Charges include RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to deprive of civil rights, deprivation of civil rights, Hobbs Act robbery, extortion, carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, falsifying records, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The alleged conduct occurred between February 2006 and November 2012, while the defendants were working as members of NFU.

The charges were announced today by United States Attorney Zane David Memeger, FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Edward Hanko, and Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey.

According to the indictment, during searches of suspected drug dealers and their homes, the defendants stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and personal items, including Rolex watches and electronics and, in some incidents, used excessive force such as: leaning one victim over an 18th floor balcony railing in an attempt to obtain information; kicking a victim in the mouth; punching a victim causing damage to his teeth; and hitting a victim in the back of the head with a steel bar.

The indictment alleges that the defendants not only stole suspected drug proceeds but also stole cash from safes in the victims’ homes and, in one incident, stole the safe and then made false entries on official Philadelphia Police reports about what was seized.

“The reprehensible conduct alleged to have been committed by the six charged officers tarnishes the badge held by the thousands of officers who currently serve—and have previously served—this city with distinction,” said Memeger. “Today’s indictment makes clear that my office will continue to thoroughly investigate credible allegations of police misconduct to bring to justice those officers who disrespect the badge.”

“The crimes alleged here are indefensible,” said Hanko. “That many of the victims were drug dealers, not Boy Scouts, is irrelevant. Police officers are sworn to uphold the law—and to do it ‘by the book.’ This corrupt group chose to make their own rules. Now they will have to answer for it.”

“It’s never a good feeling when you have to deliver this type of news about members of your department; however, it shows the ongoing efforts of our FBI/Internal Affairs task force to rid the department of individuals who don’t belong in our ranks,” said Ramsey. “These officers don’t represent the majority of this department. The majority of our department was represented in the dedicated police work displayed during the past few days, working endlessly with the community and getting wanted criminals off the street. We will continue to be transparent; we will continue to pursue those involved in corruption, and remove those who don’t belong in this department. We will continue to make strong efforts in developing trusting relationships with every community as we build a safer Philadelphia for our citizens.”

According to the indictment, members of the conspiracy engaged in the following acts: -Stole suspected drug proceeds and a safe containing $80,000 from the home of a suspected drug dealer. -Interrogated a suspect by lifting him off his feet and leaning him over a balcony railing on the 18th floor of his apartment house. -Broke into a residence and threatened to shoot the occupant. -Stole approximately $13,000 from a safe in a home that belonged to the parents of a person they suspected of drug dealing.

After each incident, the indictment alleges that one of the defendants, most often Liciardello, subsequently authored Philadelphia Police Department reports which falsely stated the amount of the seizure or did not mention the seizure at all.

If convicted, each of the defendants faces a maximum possible statutory sentence of life in prison, with the exception of defendant Speiser who is facing up to 40 years.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony J. Wzorek.
An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

He Quit Whitey Bulger's Gang And Almost Didn't Live To Tell

Howie Carr, author and columnist for the Boston Herald, is covering the Whitey Bulger trial.

Billy Shea is the hood who got away — from prison, from the cops and, most of all, from Whitey Bulger.

Or maybe Whitey Bulger is the guy who got away from Billy Shea.The two gangsters met yesterday for the first time in almost 30 years, the 74-year-old Shea on the witness stand just a few feet away from his old boss, to whom he often addressed his answers, starting with, “Jim ...”  

Shea was a self-described paranoid ex-con when he met Bulger in 1977. Less than a decade later, he was running Whitey’s multimillion-dollar drug operation.

But then Shea wanted out, and relations deteriorated to the point where he found Whitey, Stevie Flemmi and Kevin Weeks knocking on his front door at 262 E Street.

“This is the first time I’ve ever talked to Jim with someone else around, and now he’s got Stevie Fleming — that was his street name — who’s just as dangerous as Jim. I ran upstairs and got a gun.”

You can read the rest of the column via the below link:

http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/columnists/howie_carr/2013/07/carr_he_quit_whitey_s_gang_and_almost_didn_t_live_to_tell

Note: The above photos of James "Whitey" Bulger were released by the FBI.