Mikey Scars Heats Up Gotti Trial
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Yesterday, the Accidental Godfather finally started paying attention.
For the last few weeks, Peter Gotti has shadow-boxed his way through his federal murder conspiracy trial, joking with lawyers, reporters, and relatives and barely listening to the law enforcement officials and minor mobsters who have taken their turns in the heavy mahogany witness box.
But at 4:45 p.m. yesterday, as the gray, rainy skies turned black, a mob informer called Mikey Scars took the stand, and Gotti slid down in his chair at the defense table, put his right hand to his jaw, and began listening as if his future depended on it.
It does.
Mikey Scars – he prefers Michael DiLeonardo – is the mob’s version of a wonder boy. His role as a top player in the Gambino crime family will allow him to detail the inner workings of a criminal gang the Gottis have controlled for nearly 20 years.
In his 30 minutes of testimony yesterday – the fireworks start today – DiLeonardo, looking trim in a grayish suit and yellow tie, painted an unflattering picture of Peter Gotti, a 65-year-old former garbage man who took over when his younger brother, mob boss John Gotti, died in prison in 2002.
A criminal since he was 12, the 49-year-old DiLeonardo started with vandalism, petty thievery, and gang fighting and graduated to assault, extortion, loan-sharking, stock fraud, and murder.
Mikey Scars, who got the nickname he hates after a dog mauled him at the age of 10, became a made man in the Gambino family at 33. Within three years, he was promoted to capo, or captain, and was later offered the post of consigliere, the no. 3 spot in the gang.
Mikey Scars said that when John Gotti went to prison in 1991, he created a panel to run the family, consisting of his son, John A. “Junior” Gotti, Peter Gotti, Jack D’Amico, James “Jimmy Brown” Failla, and Louis “Big Lou” Valerio.
By 1999, the elder Gotti was dying of cancer in federal prison, Junior Gotti was also in jail, and Peter Gotti was the de facto boss.
“Who was the most powerful member of the Gambino crime family at that time?” Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McGovern asked.
“Peter Gotti,” said DiLeonardo, who hopes to get out of jail (he’s in on a murder conspiracy rap) in exchange for his testimony, just as mobster Salvatore “Fat Sal” Mangiavillano did last week after his turn on the witness stand.
DiLeonardo said Peter Gotti offered him the consigliere post in late 1999, but he turned it down.
“Why did you decline?” Mr. McGovern said.
“I didn’t think Pete had the skills to be boss.”
Were there other reasons? Mr. Mc-Govern asked.
Yes, DiLeonardo said: He didn’t like the idea of a convicted drug dealer named Arnold Squitieri being underboss, and he also felt he would be a “lame duck” once Junior Gotti got out of jail.
But the big reason, DiLeonardo said, was mobster Nick “Little Nick” Corrozo, a high-ranking member of the family who, some say, is now acting boss.
“Nicky had boss mentality,” DiLeonardo said, testifying in a strong, clear voice but avoiding looking at Peter Gotti and co-defendant Thomas “Huck” Carbonaro. “He would have jockeyed for position and that would have caused a confrontation.”
“What would have happened then?” Mr. McGovern asked.
“We would have had to kill him.”
Starting today, Mikey Scars will detail the roles Peter Gotti and Carbonaro allegedly played in a plot to murder former Gambino underboss Salvatore “Sammy Bull” Gravano, whose testimony put away the elder John Gotti on murder charges.
He will be able to talk about three murders he took part in plotting – those of Fred Weiss, Frank Hydell, and a man he knew only as “Jack” – and how Peter Gotti ran the family.
When DiLeonardo was done for the day, he was led out across the courtroom, coming within about 12 feet of Peter Gotti but never looking at him.
Gotti, who had been looking relaxed in his double-breasted suit – often standing hands-in-pockets during breaks and making jokes – also looked away.
The big smile was gone for the moment, replaced, no doubt, by the thought of ending up like his little brother John – dying sick and alone in a jail cell thousands of miles from home.