Question: Sonny is still a Colombo member in good standing I believe. His son Michael obviously is not, considered a rat by many in OC....I've seen some great photos of Sonny and Michael together after Sonny's release....Is Sonny under any obligation to "do something" about his son?....Does he get a pass because they're family?....Do the Colombo's care about Michael anymore?

Just curious....Hopefully somebody knows the protocol if there is one in this case.

Cosa Nostra dont hit informants anymore. They are safe to walk the streets.....may be stay out of their old neighbourhood as not to provoke an attack.
.

Maybe because "Sonny" is a legend and out of respect for him, Michael is relatively safe until the Sonny passes away. Just my thought, but then again, Gotti Jr. is left alone so maybe Neo is right. The mob they were a part of and the guys who were real gangsters, the ones they betrayed or left behind are long gone, dead or in jail if not then they probably just want to spend their last days free so they just don't care to take revenge. Good question tho.

Michael Franzese never testify against other members.

So that's a different situation

I didn't say he testified I said he "betrayed or left behind".

I wonder what would happen if the other brother came back and wanted to mend fences with his father. Thats a weird situation

Risk reward there is way way to much heat if someone was to hit Michael... If the families are hitting it’s preemptive no more retaliation .

Now if they ever get back to owning judges and very high ranking politicians it’s a different story .....and that’s not going to happen....not that they don’t have several now but that is far and in between.

Sonny is over 100, and no matter how genetically strong someone's mind is, it's inevitably going to slip when you reach such an age. I doubt he really understands much of what his life was anymore, just recognizes faces and voices. It's also possible he's waiting for the right time to send Michael to open his hospital window so he can come up from behind and shove him out.

Michael never testified on anybody. More than likely, paid his way out and for whatever it was worth, his father's reputation. (Though he claims his own father wanted him clipped too.)

I SERIOUSLY believe that a lot of the old school gangsters look at their lives in hindsight and wonder, what was it all for?

Look at Big Joey! One of the last big names had a choice, lose all honor in the world you believed in for so long and accept that it you possibly wasted a lot of your time on earth OR, acknowledge the wrongness of your ways and live your final days in peace?

I am pretty sure that accepting so much wasted time is the absolute HARDEST hurdle for the old schoolers.

What is seriously baffling about LCN and the gangster life is, yes there are a handful of people that now who they are and fear them because of it but, if a survey was to be handed out, I think they would be shocked at how many despise them.... Like a bully in high school, yeah you prey on the weak and defenseless but, most people don’t think you are cool.

I really don’t see Sonny getting back into the life. He is surrounded by people that truly care for him and I hope and pray that he is able to see it.

i believe the internet rumor more an more. michael had tons of money stashed. carmine persico gave out a order to kill michael in 87 88 when he testifyed in front oif a grand jury i think chicago. music or boxing industry guys. carmine strip sonny. put him on shelf and took that big long island crew away. or atleast tried. greg scarpa telling the feds all this in 88 89. then the hit goes away. im sure allie boy wou;d have never allowed michael to come back to new york to even visit. but there all locked up so 1 million could probaly buy him a pass

phone screen is cracked sorrey but the spelling dinks

I concur that he possibly bought his way out.....When he left, they were still willing to kill quickly.

Right on Pmac also Michael was in the joint and then laid very low out west at first and Allie was in no place himself to be pulling of a hit like that ...look what Wild Bill hit did ....Carmine had to put a hit on him and the families never got along Carmine was very concerned about Sonny because of his tenure and the boy Lil Allie and Michael were never ever close it was one of those things .

Obviously If Sonny not in the joint so long he could of been boss and Carmine knew this trust me Carmine instilled in Allie many things and the dislike of Sonny and his sons was one same with the Colombo boys they tolerated each other but were all very envious of each other....... Persico ‘s are very snobby for people in that life ......they do not mingle well .

And all the boys but Larry carries themselves well not just the clothes they are snobby........now Teddy jr. he is the gangster street thug type many of these guys are. But he not the sharpest tool in the shed ......if he has not got his shit together he will go right back when he gets out.

That makes sense to me he prob paid more than $1mm
Was prob told never come back to BK or all bets are off

I don't think Sonny was put on the shelf

He fought with Orena side and after the war he dealt with Wild Bill after Bill got hit, I think Sonny and Long Island were operating like the Colombo bros, a separate crew
And to bring Sonny back into the fold they offer3d him underboss


That's my theory

1. Sonny never fought with the Orena side. The reason they made him underboss in the first place is because he was loyal to Junior. He hated Vic. Not only was Vic disloyal, he wasn't a hoodlum. They even got Sonny on tape professing his love for the Persicos. The relationship between Sonny and Junior wasn't always rosy, but that had more to do with Michael than anything else.

2. Sonny and his crew were never operating independently.

i doubt this. guys do it for the money and to provide for their families. joe massino got to keep a ton of money and property to pass down to his kids and their kids, i don't think he regrets much.

i'm sure guys spending their last days in prison with nothing think exactly in the way you described though. but if a guy spent his life getting over, and got away with it, i don't think he's gonna have any regrets. these guys aren't that sentimental.

IMO Sonny is lucky to be free and and if I was Sonny I should make peace with son Michael and for give the other son John jr that unlucky is dead of aids but its just my opinion.

Sonny is just cordial to Michael you can tell Sonny’s mannerisms when he is around him he can not forget he is a gangster he can’t look up to Michael.

Exactly people wonder how he walked away like its a huge mystery, for a mil or two The Snake would've let anyone leave the family outside of his own blood

In the guide to the american mob Michael Franzese said that when the Snake in 1992 he put his hands on a copy of his book Quitting the Mob, began to tear the pages and scream.

What is a blood oath for? It's blood in, blood out. You can't just leave whenever you want to after you've used your father's name and thrown the word "Colombo" around enough to make a sufficient amount of money to prematurely retire on. What kind of message does that send? That guys aren't loyal to their oath and to their family (both blood and metaphorical). It would make me think at least that they would rat and give people up if they were facing a prison sentence. Does anyone honestly believe that Michael Franzese wouldn't rat if it came down to it? Come on. I'm pretty sure he did rat anyways for all intents and purposes. Like Junior Gotti, if you talk to the Feds and give them information about administration level business, you pretty much give up you're right to say you're not a rat. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Junior Soprano on retirement: "What's this, the navy we're in?"

And he was at a fed prison to see this?

I wish Patrick Bet-David had brought up several things in his interview. #1 inductions before 76. Mike franzese claims Halloween of 75. Gaspipe claims 74 as does Genovese guys Fish Cafaro and George barone. Also would like his insight into big Allie Boy getting made in 72 after his release from prison