What if Big Paul Castellano was never killed and John Gotti never ascended to become boss? Is anything different? Does the LCN face the same pit falls? Does it fall on the same hard times?

Especially, how do you think this would affect the Gambino family? And who would have succeeded Castellano had he died much later in life of natural causes? Does John Gotti still rise to the top? He was never sanctioned by the commission (IIRC)as the Gambino boss, it seems unlikely to me that given more time Gotti would not have been passed over for said title.

Further, if Castellano stays in power, does Gotti eventually get whacked? who takes over his crew? How does this change the face of the gambino family?

Castellano would be put away for life within months if he stayed alive due to the Commission case. But then who knows what would've happened.

I think we had almost this exact thread last month.

If Castellano had gone to prison he would have killed himself because the guards would not let him bring his air pump in for conjugal visits.

Hah true StLguy! If he wasn't killed, he would have been put away for 101 yrs just like the rest if The Commision. I bet he could have defended himself better than Persico did. Ok so what if? Say he was not part of the Commision case, he would have put gotti down once he heard the Ruggiero tapes.. So what if again? If he didn't kill gotti, if he didn't get put away by Giuliani, I think he would have been overthrown by someone before he could last any longer. He was greedy and I think someone other than gotti would have decided to go after him. IF none of that happened, I think he would have tapped Tommy Gambino as his successor.. Good earner, low key and most importantly a blood relation.. They were like cousins, inlaws, and uncle/nephew all at the same time

Castellanno goes to jail, Ruggerio, Gene and Gotti are all killed and their crew broken up. Somebody like DeCicco takes over the family, Gravno never flips and the Mafia is in better shape than it is today.

Many think DeCicco was a rat

Wow really I never heard that one. Frankie was supposed to be a mans man but who knows.

Big Paul gets convicted in the Commission trial, Billotti becomes acting boss and is killed by Gotti. War starts between Castellano in jail and Gotti.

Gravano would have flipped for something else during his career regardless if big paul wouldn't have died. But Gravano's turncoating wouldn't have been as devastating to LCN is all.

We also wouldn't have Travolta playing Gotti too.

I don't think so. Gravano seemed tough as nails and a standup guy before he flipped. He flipped because he felt betrayed by Gotti. Had Castellano never died, then Gotti would of got clipped and Gravno never would of risen past Captain. Being a lower rank and a low key guy, he probably never would of faced life in prison.

Gravano ratted because he couldn't do the time. His sense of betrayal by Gotti was a crock of bullsh#it.If he was facing a five year sentence,chances are he would have done his time,came back a standup guy,and continued to earn with Gotti. In my opinion,he is no different than any of the other rats who go on and on about the Code,and the Oath,and Omerta,until they actually have to live up to them. Then all of a sudden they've been "betrayed" by the Family,or they found their conscience,or some other excuse.
When facing potential life sentences,anybody would do whatever they could to avoid jail. Just don't spew out the crap that you did it for any reason besides saving your own as*.

If Paul goes away, Gotti doesn't get clipped. He would muscled his way into power either way.

Yeah I don't think Gravano ever did any hard time (other than a couple of short stints) during his criminal career so you never really knew if he was the type who could stick it out.

He says he flipped because of felt betrayed by Gotti, if thats the truth then only testify him not 36 other people (including the juror he bribed for Gotti's trial).

It's not like the FBI said "cooperate and you only have to rat on Gotti." Once he crossed the line, he had to go all the way. The only thing he was able to do was avoid ratting on his own crew.

Yeah I guess your right. But I think 99% of the time people flip its just to save themselves. The only guy I somewhat believe (although he didn't rat) is probably Lou Ferrante, or maybe he just figured out that he would never get very high in the mob and thought he could be more successful as an author or on tv.