Have been thinking lately: while I understand the so-called street "code of honor" about not giving up your friends/accomplices and not testifying to get you sentence reduced, I was wondering, what about the situations when a gangster has been mortally wounded and is dying, why do they refuse to identify the killers if they recognized them? I mean, killing you is one of the worst things they can do to you and, if you are in no position anymore to take revenge by the street code, using weapons, what's the point of protecting the people who KILLED YOU? I understand loyalty to friends, but loyalty to enemies is absurd imo. Like that gangster from the Chicago St.Valentine Day massacre who said "nobody shot me". How does make even little sense? Even if he hates cops more than gang rivals, he is dying, so naming the murderer wouldn't be "ratting", it would be "revenge", the only one a dying person is in a position to use.

What do you think? What's the point of refusing to identify somebody who killed you? I can even understand Frank Costello not identifying Gigante because at least he survived and, if necessary, was in a position to take care of things by himself. But a DYING person protecting THEIR OWN MURDERERS is simply laughable and stupid in my opinion. How does this even fit into the street code?

Willie Marfeo to Henry Tameleo:

1) "You people want a loaf of bread and you throw the crumbs back. Well, fuck you. I ain't closing down."

2) "Get out of here, old man. Go tell Raymond to go shit in his hat. We're not giving you anything."