According to former FBI undercover agent Jack Garcia, the Gambino family members who are prosecuted usually insist on going to trial while the Genovese family has a general policy of taking plea deals.

The Genovese's strategy is that you can't win the case so take the loss, get a lighter sentence and come back on the street.

Exactly, and it's why they're the strongest. They don't have foolish pride.

This was a thing for the Gambinos under Gotti but not so much today. The vast majority of all cases end with deals and never reach trial mob related or not.

You're right. I really thought those guys convicted of the Meldish murder would get a retrial, that case seemed so flimsy.

Agreed what’s the latest with their appeal? That case was weak. I remember someone on here broke it down fully and it seemed weak as hell.

To be fair though crea jr done well taking the plea otherwise he would’ve been railroaded like the others. Better to appeal from a realistic sentence as oppposed to life without parole

Just for the record, I don't believe that Joseph Lanni told that restaurant owner "I'm a Gambino." I think different people are saying different shit to fit their narrative. Unless it was caught on tape and I hear it myself, I take claims like that with a grain of salt.

I agree. I also have a very hard time believing he said that as well.

Gotti making everyone go to trial instead of taking plea deals hurt his family so bad. He put so much weight on that that the strength of his family suffered and was weakened on the streets for decades to follow due to those trials and turning down pleas.

This is a very interesting distinction, and certainly provided a lessons learned for those borgatas interested in not repeating others’ mistakes.