Paul thought Gotti was a heroin dealing punk, the tapes would have proved that. Once Neil passed, Gotti would have been killed or shelved.
He had to act first, not much to lose at that point.
Also, didn't they ask James "Jimmy Brown" Failla and Joe Gallo before the hit and they was like "eeh" don't really care ?
It was Gotti's friend Ruggerio who was caught in a drug deal, and Gotti did not want to give him up. I can't see Castellano calling Gotti. punk or even thinking of him as one. Gotti was not smart enough to be a boss, after he killed Castelallno he should have let someone else take the boss spot while he remained in the background.
