Friday, February 26, 2016

Surprising Similarities Between Sammy The Bull Gravano And The Ex-Perps In Meredith’s Case

Posted by Chimera

Overview

This piece is about Salvatore (Sammy the Bull) Gravano, an admitted serial killer.

He had a career in the mafia, and was the underboss and hitman for the notorious mob boss John Gotti. Although his is a case about organized crime, there are many similarities between Gotti v Gravano, and Knox v Sollecito v Guede.

Some Gotti/Gravano history

John Gotti was a captain in the Gambino crime family (named after Carlo Gambino), based in New York, NY. A serious problem emerged for him when several members of his ‘‘crew’’ were indicted for drug dealing.

These indictments included his younger brother, Gene Gotti, and Angelo Ruggiero, a childhood friend. The policy within the crime family for many years had been ‘‘deal-and-die’‘.

The upper leadership of the mob had figured that drug dealing was too high profile a crime, and that the extra police attention was not worth it. True, this was extremely hypocritical, as the bosses collected their cut of all income, knowing that a large portion of those proceeds came directly from drugs.

The drug indictments suddenly meant that John Gotti was in danger.

Though not personally implicated, he thought he might also be killed on the assumption that he approved of the alleged dealing. He decided to strike first, to save his own neck by having then boss Paul Castellano ‘‘rubbed out’‘. Gotti solicited the help of Salvatore (Sammy the Bull) Gravano, who was known as a prolific killer.

Paul Castellano had inducted Gravano into the mob in 1978. However, Gravano had no qualms about killing his ‘‘friend’’ since Gotti offered him even more: a promotion to ‘‘capo’’ or to ‘‘captain’‘.

Gravano helped Gotti set up the hit for December 16, 1985. With Castellano (and driver Tommy Billoti who was at the time underboss) dead, the family was temporarily leaderless. Gotti got himself voted in, and took over the Gambino family.

Castellano wasn’t the only ‘‘friend’’ that Gravano murdered, or would later murder. Gravano murdered Robert di Bernardo—a business partner, Louie Molito—a childhood friend, and others. He then took over any assets that they had. Some ‘‘friend’‘.

For the next several years, Gotti deliberately put himself into the spotlight. He managed to win 3 criminal trials, and seemed untouchable. However, in 1990, his mouth got him into trouble, and the FBI recorded Gotti implicating himself and other Gambino associates on murder and other crimes.

Gotti also made many nasty insults towards Gravano, now his underboss.

Gotti, Gravano, and Frank LeCasio (then the 3rd in command) were arrested December 11, 1990. All were held without bail. When Gravano finally heard the tapes of what Gotti had been saying about him, he turned and became a ‘‘mob rat’‘. Gotti and LeCasio were convicted of murder, racketeering and other crimes, and received life without parole.

Gravano, however got a deal that would put Karla Homolka to shame: 5 years for 19 murders. True, he could have served 20 for racketeering, but the judge cut it far below that.

For the complete interview, please see the YouTube video at the top here. This was shot in the 1990’s and converted to digital, so the quality is not that great. Here are a few more for background. The third one, the movie ‘‘Gotti’’ is fairly accurate, though off on some points.

Gambino family highlights

(1) Albert Anastasia (underboss to Vincent Magino) made his ‘‘friend’’ disappear. Anastasia then took over.

(2) Carlo Gambino (underboss to Albert Anastasia) had his ‘‘friend’’ shot in a barbershop. Gambino then took over.

(3) Carlo Gambino made sure the ‘‘best qualified person’’ took over when he had a heart attack. He hand picked his brother-in-law Paul Castellano to succeed him.

(4) Paul Castellano’s underboss, Neil Delacroce, died of cancer. Castellano hand picked his buddy, Tommy Bilotti, to become new underboss.

(5) John Gotti and Salvatore (Sammy) Gravano, had their ‘‘friend’’ Paul Castellano shot dead in public. Gotti took over.

(6) While in prison, John Gotti made sure the best qualified person succeeded him as boss. He hand picked his son, John Jr.

So…. murder and nepotism seem to be how the top spots get filled in the mafia.

Excerpts From the Video

2:55 (Gravano) You can relate me to a soldier in Vietnam who killed hundreds of people. I was a soldier of Cosa Nostra. I am a hitman.

No. You are just a slimeball who kills for money.

3:25 (Gravano) Here I am

3:30 (Sawyer) They have said that you are the single most important witness ever to testify against the mob.

3:36 (Gravano) I think I am.

3:39 (Sawyer) So there’s a word you use, for people who turn ...

3:42 (Gravano) Who cooperate. You trying to goat me into the word? Rat? Is that the word?

3:51 (Sawyer) That’s the word. So are you a rat?

3:53 Gravano) I look at it as ‘‘I was betrayed. I betrayed him.’‘

3:59 (Sawyer) Double crosser?

4:01 (Gravano) Loud sigh ... master double-crosser. John’s a double-crosser. I’m a master double-crosser. We played chess, and he lost.

Gravano had in the past sneered at the idea of people testifying. However, when it is his turn, he dismisses it as a game.

4:30 (Gravano) Power has a way, where you can believe for a while that you can walk on water. And I think this is what happened to him.

And people who can walk away from 19 murders? What are they thinking?

5:25 (Sawyer) Were you Gotti’s friend?

5:30 (Gravano) His pit bull. And his friend.

5:42 (Sawyer) What was the reason, the real reason you cooperated? Or was it just to save your skin?

5:48 (Gravano) I was just tired of the mob, and tired of fighting. It was a door out of the mob. You know I watched the David Karresch incident, and I would say to myself: ‘‘how could these people get so brainwashed? Are they crazy? Are they nuts?’’ And then I look at myself in the mirror and I say ‘‘brainwashed?’’ Here I am on orders, killing people left and right. And I’m calling them brainwashed.

6:18 (Sawyer) There was a book written about you that you said you had a characteristic of committing murder with the non-chalence of someone pulling open the tab on a can of beer. That was about all that it phased you, or about all it took.

6:30 (Gravano) As far as being a hitman goes, I was actually good at it.

6:36 (Sawyer) Because you were fast, and lethal?

6:39 (Gravano) And loyal. If I was on your case, I dropped everything.

6:45 (Sawyer) Look at this list. There are ... how many?

6:49 (Gravano) 19

6:51 (Sawyer) Serial killers don’t have 19.

6:53 (Gravano) We’re worse than they are.

Okay, which is it? You turned on Gotti because it was a chess game? Or you did it because you were tired of the mob and the games? It can’t be both.

7:00 (Gravano) We only kill ourselves. What are you worried about? The public seems to like what we do. Look at John Gotti. If I have 19, forget about what he has. When he wanted a hit, he wanted it done yesterday. He would sent me to supervise it, or to control it, make sure the job got done. And I obviously did. When you’re the boss, and you’re giving orders, you’re credited with all of it, even if you’re not on the street.

Gravano is pulling the ‘‘John was even worse’’ card here. And he seems somewhat proud of what he has done. Sicko.

17:55 (Gravano) I remember something that surprised me is that I had no remorse at all. None. I didn’t feel sorry for him in the least. I felt power. I felt like my adrenaline in my body was completely out of control.

18:09 (Sawyer) You were excited?

18:13 (Gravano) I guess it’s like an animal going after its prey.

18:35 (Gravano) Everything changed. .... At a club, oh, no Sammy, you don’t have to wait in line. You can come right in.

18:40 (Sawyer) You were a player?

18:45 (Gravano) I was out of the minor leagues. I was in the major leagues.

No comment needed.

Other parallels with our pair

Gravano is of Italian-American descent.
Knox is American.
Sollecito is Italian.

Gravano was paid $1.5 million for ‘‘his’’ book called Underboss.
Knox was paid $3.8 million for ‘‘her’’ book called Waiting to be Heard.
Sollecito was paid $950,000 for ‘‘his’’ book, called Honor Bound

Gravano tried to ‘‘cash in’’ on his murders by admitting what he had done.
Knox/Sollecito tried to ‘‘cash in’’ on Meredith’s murder

’‘Gravano’s’’ book was really written by Peter Maas.
’‘Knox’s’’ book was really written by Linda Kuhlman.
’‘Sollecito’s’’ book was really written by Andrew Gumbel.

The families of Gravano’s victims are outraged he is cashing in on the notoriety of his crimes.
The Kercher family is outraged AK/RS are cashing in on the notoriety of their crimes.

Gravano got an interview from Diane Sawyer.
Knox’s first (of many) interviews was with Diane Sawyer.
Sollecito’s first (of several) interviews was with Katie Couric.

Gambino boss John Gotti was referred to as ‘‘John Gotti’‘.
Sammy Gravano was referred to as ‘‘John Gotti’s Hitman’‘.
Amanda Knox is referred to as ‘‘Amanda Knox’‘
Raffaele Sollecito is referred to as ‘‘Amanda Knox’s Italian Ex-Boyfriend’‘

Gravano has no problems airing personal details about his ‘‘friend’’ John.
Knox has no problems airing personal details about her ‘‘friend’’ Meredith.

Gravano criticizes Gotti’s public lifestyle, then after his deal becomes a media whore.
Knox claims she wants to live in peace, but becomes a media whore to sway public opinion, and sell ‘‘her’’ book.
Sollecito claims he was just dragged into Knox’s case, but becomes a media whore for the same reasons as Knox.

Gravano blames Gotti for destroying the Gambino family, even though he was the one who testified at trial.
Knox seems to blame Meredith for her own death, even though she stuck the knife in (well, she had it coming).

Gravano (at least he claims) to have rigged Gotti’s racketeering trial to ensure an acquittal (or at worst a hung jury)
Knox’s and Sollecito’s case was rigged by Hellmann/Zanetti and Marsca/Bruno to ensure an acquittal.

Gravano was psychologically evaluated before leaving prison, and the results were disturbing.
Knox and Sollecito were psychologically evaluated in prison, and the results were disturbing.

Gravano smeared other mob associates for getting involved with drug trafficking.
Knox smeared others (especially in her book) for drug use.

Gravano’s drug smears were hypocritical as he was later brought to justice for drug trafficking.
Knox’s drug smears were hypocritical, as she was into drugs, and slept with a dealer (Federico Martini) for drugs.

Gravano’s most depraved act (outside of murder), was marrying a woman whose brother he had killed (Nick Scibetta).
Knox’s most depraved act (outside of murder), was continuing her sex-for-drugs deal even after Meredith’s death.
Sollecito’s most depraved act (outside of murder), was his various bride shopping efforts to avoid extradition.

Warning signs? Gravano murdered his business ‘‘friends’‘, so betraying Gotti was no real surprise.
Warning signs? Knox staged a break in, wrote rape stories, and threw rocks at cars, so violence in her home was no real surprise.
Warning signs? Sollecito had supposedly attacked a classmate with scissors, so stabbing someone was no real surprise.

Collateral damage? Gravano was prepared to kill innocent bystanders during the December 16, 1985 hit on boss Paul Castellano.
Collateral damage? Knox framed an innocent person (Lumumba), and tried to pin it all on accomplice Rudy Guede.
Collateral damage? Sollecito helped to pin it all on Guede, and cost his sister Vanessa her career with the Carabinieri.

A Final Thought:

Knox liked the Beatles. Here is ‘‘Working Class Hero’’ by John Lennon.

.... There’s room at the top
They’re telling you still
.... But first you must learn how to
Smile as you kill
.... If you want to be like all
The folks on the ‘Hill

Posted by Chimera on 02/26/16 at 07:17 PM in Various hypotheses, The psychology, Defendants in court, Amanda Knox, Raff Sollecito, The legal followups, US etc related

Comments

Chimera is our go-to person for black humor. Its natural to Canadians, they laugh more than Americans (except New Yorkers) who have politeness drummed into them from kindergarten (really).

I had an encounter with Paul Castellano, though he was dead already. He was gunned down by Gotti’s people just 2 blocks from the UN and I was headed home across that street (46th) maybe 5 minutes later.

There were just 2 cops there then, a black limo, and a body on either side, outside Sparks Steakhouse. Half a dozen of us just stood there staring. There were christmas lights on the trees and it was quite pretty.

Then sirens went off all over the city and dozens of detective cars arrived and we forced out of that street in a hurry. Actuually I did not know who it was till I got home, the cops didnt know or weren’t saying.

Gotti’s mafia taunted the FBI and police a lot - firing off illegal fireworks for example - but they did not know the FBI had the top floor of their social club in Little Italy bugged, and between the tapes and Gravano they were toast in court.

Gotti died in the US’s toughest prison, keeping up a front to the end.

Posted by Peter Quennell on 02/26/16 at 11:24 PM | #

And regarding the Beatles song, Castellano actually did live on a hill, one of the highpoints of Staten Island.

I was glad when movies like The Godfather and TV series like The Sopranos were gone. Real mafias are not glamorous and it was tough on Italian Americans who actually despised them (not least because they were all uncouth folks from the hard deep south of Italy).

Posted by Peter Quennell on 02/26/16 at 11:33 PM | #

Nice post Chimera. The parallels are clear to see. Knox too must be feeling like she has a Teflon coating at this point. We can but hope for a similar outcome for her to that of the Teflon Don.

There are parts of another splendid John Lennon song, “Mother”, that I think would resonate with Knox too. It’s one of my favourite Lennon tracks and is as visceral and truthful a vocal performance as you’re ever likely to hear on a recording. His pain seeps out of my speakers whenever I listen to that track.

Posted by davidmulhern on 02/27/16 at 02:52 AM | #

I wonder what the American people would think if they knew how duped they had been about Knox who in real life was having sex for drugs even after committing murder. A certain word comes to mind indeed.

Posted by JohnQ on 02/27/16 at 11:01 AM | #

@Chimera@PeterQuennell,

Seeing the body of Paul Castellano at your feet is mind-boggling. This Sammy the Bull Gravano who turned against John Gotti did the good guys a favor.

The brave individuals who struggled against the Mafia in Italy and paid with their blood for standing against evil bullies, they’re much like Meredith. Just think if you opened a shop and had worked so hard to get the capital and stock the shelves and put in the long hours on your feet by the cash register, to have a thug walk in the door with his thugs beside him and say, “Give me a tenth of your income and we won’t torch the place.”

Thugs and thieves come in all cultures. If good people don’t organize and defend principles, they’re toast. Otherwise it’s Mafia mayhem with might makes right.

@GrahameRhodes, white American males are struggling with the new diversity of the U.S. where they once ruled supreme. Many of them are at heart frontiersmen who need lots of space and more personal freedom than can be attained in congested communities. Loss of large expanses of acreage and private land which was once so cheap and available, it affects certain types of races more.

Watch “Lonesome Dove” movie to see the types of men whose modern descendants “do not work well with others”. However, a truly wise man can sometimes turn a positive into a negative. He can turn to frontiers of science and the intellect, the world of teaching or research.

Many fields are open other than dry grass and fence rows and cattle pasture to those with good minds. A shift to meet modern needs is better than crime, alcoholism and suicide. In Texas they can now carry concealed on campus, so they would never feel disarmed.

Posted by Hopeful on 02/27/16 at 09:34 PM | #

Well, one difference is that this man wants people to know what he did whereas RS and AK (and RG) want to deny what they did, and lie about it with a passion.

Of course, RS and AK play a mean game of “catch me if you can,” so in a way it’s clear they have some kind of need to confess.

I think that in their twisted minds their need to confess in mixed up with a kind of serial killer-like bragging, which is exactly what the fake rental note represents to me.

I think of RS and AK as serial killers who got caught the first time, although ‘thrill killers’ might be more accurate.

Posted by JohnQ on 02/28/16 at 03:15 AM | #

Hi Hopeful

Yes above all those “frontier Americans” want to call their own shots. I ran some processes in some cities (a strip from Reno through Oakland to San Jose) which went okay as a beginning.

But the processes in remote areas with few present jobs were way the most interesting and high-prospect, because folks there above all wanted empowerment, a real driver.

Not control of the Federal Government, which is made to take a back seat in these processes, just control of their own neighborhood without dozens of top-down rules and handouts.

Posted by Peter Quennell on 02/29/16 at 02:45 AM | #

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