Trucchio, 38, was allegedly knocked down for several reasons, including "disrespect" he showed former consigliere Joseph (JoJo) Corozzo when they were codefendants awaiting trial, sources say. The disrespect stemmed from a disagreement over defense strategy in the case, which had been divided into three separate trials at the time.

Not surprisingly, none of the defendants were eager to have their group go to trial first, since much of the prosecution evidence and witness testimony would be fresh and more difficult to rebut. The dispute came to a head during a pre-trial session and exploded into angry words between Trucchio and Corozzo's lawyer son Joseph as they moved out of the courtroom and into a hall way in Manhattan Federal Court.

"Hey Al, so it's every man for himself, now," said Corozzo.
"Why don't you come here and say that to my face," replied Trucchio, as he kept moving toward the elevator.
"So, I'm not a man now," snapped the lawyer, with a look of disgust on his face.

Trucchio eventually copped a plea deal and is serving a 10-year sentence in an upstate federal prison near Buffalo. But numerous accounts of the Gambino family's anger with him have surfaced over the last two years: Among the unconfirmed reports that reached Gang Land's desk are that Trucchio was beaten up in prison; that he was knocked down to soldier, and that he saw all of his Mafia rights and privileges revoked as he was "put on the shelf."