Baldy Mike had the opportunity to plead out on that shooting with his plea bargain that covered all his past crimes when he was given 13 years. Vic and Casso would not let him as it was against mob rules to go after family,Gangland column. Patricia Capozzalo was shot in the neck and back. Mike was the wheel man. Dino Basiano was the triggerman. Mikes brother Robert drove the switch car. Calabrese and Cappello drove the crash car.
Didn't Cappello wind up dying in prison, and he was relatively young, in his 30's I think. Another Luchese who died at a young age in prison was Richard “The Toupee” Pagliarulo, who was a big hitter under Chiodo, then became a Capo of Chiodo's crew when Chiodo flipped.
Who's The Dumb Son
Robert Spinelli, 36, (right) may not be so dumb after all. Certainly not as dumb as his IQ of 63 may indicate.
Robert drove the "switch car" during the attempted murder of Patricia Capozzalo, a sister of a turncoat mob capo in March 1992 -- a same month that was probably the lowpoint for the Mafia in this century because that's when Sammy Gravano became the first mob underboss to take the witness stand against his boss. Robert was certainly much smarter at his sentencing than older brother Michael (Baldy Mike) was at his.
Michael showed not even a trace of remorse at his sentencing and took the proceeding into the Twilight Zone when he said he hoped it would bring closure to both his family and the Capozzalo family, who had both suffered enough.
Robert told Brooklyn Federal Judge Raymond Dearie he was sorry he listened to his brother and drove Michael and trigger man Dino Basciano to safety after they ditched the stolen van used in the rubout attempt.
With tears streaming down his cheeks, Robert said he felt terrible at his trial last fall, when Capozzalo testified about being shot after dropping two of her children at school. "She reminded me of my mother," he said. "I wanted to cry. Please forgive me."
Dearie, who sentenced Michael to 19 years and seven months, gave Robert 10 years, four years less than the minimum called for by the sentencing guidelines because of his minimal role in the shooting and his diminished mental capacity.
Gravano was involved in 19 murders and got five years. Spinelli chauffeured his brother to safety after a botched hit and got 10 years. And Hollywood still glamorizes the mob. Go figure.
