NYTimes today says that federal prosecutors are considering asking the death penalty for Joey Massino, the Bonanno Don currently awaiting trial for ordering the murder of one of his capos, Sicilian-born Gerlando Sciascia, who tried to advise him that another of his capos had a drug problem. The article refers to Massino as the "Last Don...an old-style Mafia boss who issued orders from a table at a Queens restaurant...the last of the Mafia chiefs still at large." [Hard to fathom what they mean by "at large," since Massino is being held without bail for trial.] The irony here is that Massino is becoming a symbol of race prejudice in prosecution of gangsters: Prosecutors routinely ask for the death penalty for black and hispanic gang leaders, but never for a Mafia boss. Apparently the Massino case puts the anti-death-penalty people in a quandary: do they oppose death for him? Or do they break ranks and advocate death for him in order to balance the record of bigotry? BTW: the US Supreme Court invalidated the death penalty in America for several years because the NAACP proved that the death penalty was invoked far more often for black defendants than for white defendants. No executions were permitted until the states revised their sentencing guidelines. Massino's crimes occurred after those revisions.

He whacked him for that?! Are we sure the reporters have the whole story? That seems like a small offence to me.

He whacked him for that?! Are we sure the reporters have the whole story? That seems like a small offence to me. [/b][/quote]I can't vouch for what the reporters have, but the story says the Feds have Massino on tape saying, "that's what he [Sciascia] gets for tellin' me how to run my family."

And some of the things that is said also proves that the Justice system is racists

He whacked him for that?! Are we sure the reporters have the whole story? That seems like a small offence to me. [/b][/quote]I would think in Massinos eyes that if he didn't take a stand his underlings may undermine his authority. I'm not saying it's the right thing but this is probably the views of a wiseguy.

They,the feds,want him to cop a plea,
turn snitch,it may happen but I doubt it,
they will let him sit for awhile hoping
he rats,he is more help to them alive
any-how,no death penalty,wont happen.