it does sound pretty plausible but why would he think to go straight after colombo why not russo.

Heres some stuff from the fbi files.
On June 29 – the day after the Colombo shooting – Scarpa told G-men the following:

Informant continued that he has learned that JOHNSON was "a would be Black wise guy" and hung out in Greenwich Village. Informant said JOHNSON never had the reputation of being a militant or a "kook" and that JOHNSON had often visited social clubs and after hours joints in Brooklyn, NY. Informant said he heard that JOHNSON once befriended never forgets this and was the type of person who if approached correctly would "do anything" for a price.

Just weeks before Colombo was gunned down the mob boss told Scarpa that his home had been cased by an apparent crew of black gangsters, and on June 10 Scarpa recounted that conversation to the FBI:

On 6/10/71, informant advised that he had recently met with Joe Colombo at which time COLOMBO confided that during the previous week he had been told that a car containing a number of Negro individuals was observed circling his block many times in the early AM hours. COLOMBO stated it is well known that GALLO had become friendly with Negro hoodlums while incarcerated and also believes it is possible that GALLO has enlisted their aid at the present time. COLOMBO concluded however that it is his personal feeling at present that GALLO is merely trying to "intimidate and shake me up" by having such an obvious play utilized. COLOMBO stated he is continuing to press for massive turnout on 6/28/71.

Carlo Gambino was not alone in his growing frustration with Joe Colombo's personal battle against the FBI. Indeed, Colombo's own associates were distancing themselves from the mob boss according to Scarpa. For example, on 6/15/71, Scarpa recounted for the FBI a conversation he had with pornographer Nicholas Bianco who was severing his ties with Colombo to ally with the Patriarcas:

On 6/15/71, informant advised that on the previous day he had had a long conversation with NICHOLAS BIANCO at which time BIANCO expressed great disgust with COLOMBO who BIANCO characterized as "crazy." BIANCO made clear to informant that he intended to "pull away" from COLOMBO and in this regard had purchased a home in Providence and will make a gradual "withdrawal." Informant said BIANCO stated that "we are all going to be arrested, it is inevitable, there is no way out," obviously referring to the fact that COLOMBO was "putting heat" on everyone who is close to him.

Colombo had told Gambino that the Civil Rights League rally would be his "swan song" according to Scarpa but little did Colombo know at the time how prophetic his words would become. The day after the Colombo hit Scarpa told the FBI:

Informant continued that approximately thirty minutes prior to the time COLOMBO was shot he had a discussion with him during which time COLOMBO advised that although GAMBINO was not furnishing him any support for this rally that he had assured GAMBINO that this would be his "swan song" and that in the future he would take a back seat to all the IACRL activities devoting himself to humanitarian causes such as boys camps, hospitals and the like and would refrain from fighting the FBI. COLOMBO stated that they should therefore not be too disappointed if the rally was not a huge success that they had hoped for.

The damage of the Mafia was done when Valachi opened his big mouth.

Appalachin sucked also.

Russo was indicted twice, but acquitted both times. Maybe his acquittals spurred Johnson to believe that Russo´s boss, Colombo, had "fixed" the case, behind the scene, using Colombo Family´s influence within the judicial system. Perhaps this was part of the motive behind the shooting?

Note that Scarpa doesn´t explain the shooting, but only gives some background to what he thinks can be the reason for it. A car with black gangsters circulating the Colombo home, doesn´t mean the blacks were sent by Gallo. If Johnson was part of some kind of a Black Panther movement and if the Colombo shooting was part of some kind of (what they considered) a racial war, the blacks in the car may possibly have been Johnson´s friends.

The Colombo/Gallo tension was there. But somehow I have a gut feeling that the Gallos were not behind the Colombo shooting. According to Cantalupo, Joey Gallo renounced any responsibility in the shooting. Considering his boldness and his fondness for bragging, his renouncement doesn´t sound very "Joey Galloish".

If Colombo had assured Gambino that this would be his "swan song" and that in the future he would take a back seat to all the IACRL activities, I wonder why Carlo Gambino would have had any motives of killing him? The damage of exposing the Mafia was already done.

Common guys,i cant understand why yall have to fall down in such a deep conversations and conspirasy theories?!?Just look at the hit!Who did the hit?!A black guy right?So yall wanna say that Persico or Gambino had the contact with the black population?!The story is obvious,Gambino or Persico(wich i dont belive it was him),they had a problem with Joe Colombo wich we all know what it was...so Gambino used Gallo for the hit and yall know Joey Gallo's history in prison right?!So after that Persico saw his chance to whack Gallo and take the top position.....and thats that!!!.....no wait maybe the Illuminati did it?!?!?

I totally agree. I don't think (and didn't think before) that Gambino or Persico had direct contact with blacks, or the shooters. But it wasn't all left to chance at all. Gambino, in tandem with The Snake, pulled all the strings on this one, getting rid of Colombo and Gallo. Both of them would continue bringing more heat on Cosa Nostra as long as they were still around.

What was russos status within the family? Was he killed?

On June 29, 1971, Joseph Columbo, the boss of the Columbo Cosa Nostra Family, made his way to the platform to deliver his speech at the Italian-American Civil Rights League Rally in Columbus Circle. About three feet away was a black man holding a camera. Just as Colombo began to read his speech the black man threw down the camera, took out a pistol and shot Columbo three times in the back of the head and neck. The black man was apprehended immediately but while the police wrestled him on the floor, a man emerged from the crowd and shot the black man dead. This man managed to escape through the crowd. The black man was identified as Jerome Johnson.

Was it on the orders of Crazy Joe Gallo? Orders from Carlo Gambino? Did Gambino give the go ahead to Joe Gallo? Or Did Gambino..or someone else for that matter...hire a black man to shoot Columbo to make it look as though Crazy Joe was behind the hit?

Your thoughts?

In 1974 didn't Gambino order the Colombo's to kill one of their own, Carmine "Mimi" Scialo? Supposedly for insulting Gambino in public? A few weeks after he insulted Carlo they found Mimi encased in cement. I'm pretty sure the Colombo's did the job but it was on Carlo's order. Could be the Gambino's did it themselves but i read somewhere he had the Colombo's do it. Anyone know anymore on that?

Yep. Joey Cantalupo tells this story in Crime, Inc. episode - All In The Family.

Thanks, i'll have to check that out on YouTube. Jerry Capeci did a pretty decent piece on Cantalupo for New York Magazine back in 1980. Not a bad read, check it out if you've never read it. It starts on page 32 in the magazine.

http://books.google.com/books?id=t-UCAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32

It's a real good possibility Gambino had him shot but i'm not so sure that was Gambino's style to use a black guy as the shooter. Gambino could of set Colombo up many different ways where he could of been killed without doing it in public like that with all the press. Gambino was pissed with him though and arranged for a low turnout that day at Colombo's rally.

Yep. Joey Cantalupo tells this story in Crime, Inc. episode - All In The Family.

Who would have the most to gain by Colombo going? Carmine Persico by far, mind you he was not on the street but had a very strong crew. Michael Franzese believed that Carmine Persico played a role in his father's(Sonny Franzese)bank robbing conviction. With Franzese gone who else would stand in the way of Persico grabbing the top spot? With his strong crew on the street Carmine could easily know how unhappy people were w/Colombo. So Snake hires a black man to do the job knowing that Gallo will catch the heat for it and not the Persico crew. Gambino is fine as long as Colombo goes away and the civil rights B/S dies with Colombo & the hired hand(Johnson).

Well said. & I agree.

clearly Carmine Persico set emmisaries out to the other families or the acting bosses he put into place would have been dealt with.

Mafia Dynasty says that the only white mobsters Johnson knew were the Gambinos.

If anyone has an NYT archives subscription, there's also an article in the Joe Colombo references discussing this.

I believe Johnson was just some nut acting alone. Shooting political leaders/activists was the thing to do for whack jobs in that era. Whoever in the mob that may have wanted Colombo gone just got lucky.