At Galati Trial for Attempted Hit, Judge Decrees: No Mafia

Galati's daughter, who is testifying
against him at trial.

As in the aborted trial of Anthony Nicodemo, organized crime will not play a role in this trial (which may be why Galati outsourced the job in the first place, to distance the Philadelphia crime family ... or he didn't have enough juice?)

PressofAtlanticCity.com: An alleged mob associate went on trial in Camden federal court earlier this week on charges that he tried to have his daughter’s boyfriend murdered in Atlantic City.

Ronald Galati Sr., 63, faces four counts, including murder for hire and conspiracy to commit murder for hire in the Nov. 30, shooting in Atlantic City.

He allegedly agreed to pay Ronald Walker and Alvin Matthews $20,000 each to carry out the killing.

Co-defendant Jerome Johnson is also on trial, facing the same charges as Galati. He is additionally charged with transporting a firearm for use during the commission of a felony, transferring a firearm for use in a violent crime and possession of a firearm by a previously convicted person.

The victim — identified only as Victim 1 in court papers — was shot three times in the abdomen, but survived. The Associated Press has identified him as Andrew Tuono.

Galati is an alleged associate of convicted mobster Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino. But, the judge previously ruled that there can be no mention of the defendant’s links to organized crime.

Walker, 48, of Philadelphia, and Matthews, 46, of Brookhaven, Pa., previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy and weapons charges. Walker was the shooter, according to the charges.