Seriously, whose idea was it to free him after 10 years? The initial deal was "life sentence instead of death penalty" in exchange for information. So he flipped and got life. Why change the deal again after 10 years? Maybe he simply paid the parole board, i really can't think of another explanation, considering the fact he didn't tell anything new after those 10 years.
It was never going to be life, Dwalin. The Judge and the DA have to say that you can receive "up to life imprisonment." That's just the wording they us. Behind closed doors, I'm sure it was always ten years.
He was never getting the death penalty, and neither was Vinny, for that matter. An American mobster hasn't gotten the death penalty in over fifty years. It's a big waste of money. Especially Vinny's last trial. They were never getting a New York jury to vote for the death penalty. No way no how.
