Blog Poll: Will Mobsters Start Being Executed?

Vinny Gorgeous (top) and

Joel Cacace could get  the

needle.

Another mob blog ran poll results on its related bulletin board regarding which crime figures currently awaiting trial or on trial will be put to death. Voters were asked who do they believe will get the needle if convicted.

The results, from Five Families NYC's Gangster BB site:

Vincent Basciano - (former boss of Bonannos): 120 (34%)

Thomas Gioeli - Colombos: 20 (5%)

Joel Cacace - Colombos: 36 (10%)

The Feds are bluffing: 174 (49%)

"350 total loyal readers voted and 174 of them believe that the Federal Government will not give the death penalty to any of the mobsters it is currently trying to. They believe they are using this for leverage to possibly get these guys to cooperate, as a deterrent against other members of organized crime, or as an example of not to pursue crimes against police officers/judges. 120 people believe that Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano, the former Acting Boss of the Bonanno Crime Family will get the death penalty for his crimes. We shall find out the answer to these questions as the year plays out," according to the Gangster BB.

The only problem is Gioeli is not up for the death penalty! I myself believe 100% Basciano and Cacace will get the needle if found guilty; the AG has put too much on the line to back off now.

As for Joe Waverly Cacace, Attorney General Eric Holder has ordered prosecutors to seek the death penalty against him for ordering the murder of an NYPD cop. Cacace, 69, a former acting boss for the Colombo crime family, is charged with putting a contract on Officer Ralph Dols after the cop married his ex-wife.

Holder declined to seek the death penalty against former Colombo boss Thomas (Tommy Shots) Gioeli and soldier Dino (Little Dino) Saracino, who are also charged in the ambush slay.

Holder also has it in for the latest mobster in the constant limelight: Vincent (Vinny Gorgeous) Basciano, who was Bonanno acting boss until Massino flipped; why would the Bonannos keep Basciano on top when he was put there based on the wishes of a rat?

This comes despite Federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis's move to ask the Justice Department's top official to "review and reconsider" whether to seek the death penalty against the gangster, who ordered the murder of mob associate Randolph Pizzolo. This has got to be a first: A judge seeks to save the life of a mobster who allegedly put said judge on a hit list to be killed!

But Holder ordered federal prosecutors to proceed -- death by lethal injection.

"The defense filed notice yesterday that they will request Garaufis' recusal from the trial so they can make his request to Holder part of their argument against the death penalty to the jury," according to a Daily News article.

"They have already failed to knock Garaufis off the case on the grounds that prosecutors claim Basciano included the judge's name on a hit list passed to another inmate.

Basicano already has been convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Mobsters rarely are put to death, at least since the days of Lepke Buchalter, the only crime boss to have that unwanted distinction, though the AGs and prosecutors, even detectives, are not at all afraid to play the death card if they see a possible benefit. Case in point, it was the death penalty that likely swayed Massino's decision to turn, though he probably would've anyway. They occasionally put that most powerful of cards on the table--like they did with Joe Watts, for example--then take it off when they get the plea agreement they want. Remember: It is not illegal for law enforcement to lie -- especially during interrogations. Don't believe me? Watch Cops, which is on almost 24 hours a day on about four different channels.

But Cacace, after all, did order the murder of an NYPD cop; I find Holder's decision against Basciano a little more difficult to figure out. Why him? Anyone have any ideas?