I highly doubt that he would've gotten the death penalty, they bluffed him. It was another mobster first of all. Second of all, even if it was an innocent person, this is NY we're talking about, not Texas. If he was truly facing the death penalty, it would've been reduced to life in prison without parole for his cooperation. But they let him free. They didn't even need his cooperation, it was all about humiliating the mob.
Probably also had a lot to do with the fact that the deal he got not only got him out of jail where he would have absolutely died, but he got to keep millions of dollars and 5 houses he owned. He turned over 7 million dollars in cash and 4-500 gold bars he had hidden in his house as part of the deal too. So I'm sure he had more $$$ stashed that he and the FEDS "accidentally" forgot about. Like "we're taking what's in this house, but none of our business what's in the other 4 if you make this deal. Wink, wink."
Didn't he get arrested for trying to steal asprin or something stupid from a drug store when he was in Witness Protection? The hustle never ends for these guys. Probably sittin' on a package that would choke an elephant and he's boosting asprin at a CVS in Elvis country.
