Why Junior Gotti Wrote "Shadow of My Father"
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| John A. Gotti |
Speaking with his lawyer, Charles Carnesi, by his side, ostensibly being interviewed by someone off camera, Gotti relayed the fact that he "actually" had written 375 pages "some four years ago," but "decided to put it on the shelf for peace of mind. To keep my family happy."
"There is always that fear factor that the government would come after me again and harass me," he added. "Don't preen like a peacock, don't be like your father, just pull it back."
"There is always that fear factor that the government would come after me again and harass me," he added. "Don't preen like a peacock, don't be like your father, just pull it back."
He acknowledged that, initially, he had been seeking to produce a film (which had resulted in widely covered media events that included John Travolta, as well as mention of such Hollywood luminaries as Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, among others, all of whom were associated with the film at one time or another).
Ultimately, Gotti said he decided to shelve the book, noting that with the medium of film, it is easier to blend fact and fiction, while a book is a "little bit more closer to the vest and that can become problematic."
So he "dashed" the book, "killed it." (As for the film, it appears to be on the shelf, at least for now.)
The former acting boss of the Gambino crime family said that he changed his mind about publishing a book when he heard, upon returning from vacation last August, that a "totally discredited witness" who testified at his fourth RICO trial was writing a book. (Alite is not the author of Gotti's Rules; George Anastasia is. And while Anastasia didn't attempt to interview anyone from the Gotti camp in order to avoid turning the book into a he-said, she-said nightmare scenario, emphasis on nightmare, he did consult his own sources, as well as FBI reports and court documents.)
"Gotti's Rules is Alite's side of the story. Take it or leave it, believe it or not," as Philly.com noted in a recent story called 'Gotti's Rules' tells a Mafia enforcer's story.
"Gotti's Rules is Alite's side of the story. Take it or leave it, believe it or not," as Philly.com noted in a recent story called 'Gotti's Rules' tells a Mafia enforcer's story.
This witness had zero credibility based on what Gotti said he'd heard from nine jurors who "stood around to answer questions" after the trial was over. Two voted guilty, seven voted not guilty on one of the charges, six voted not guilty on all of the charges. "But two definitely voted guilty."
He added: "All had said he was the most uncredible witness. None of them liked him. They said he was a liar, he lied through his teeth. Now for me to hear that this guy was writing a book."
Alite is "a guy claiming to know it all; to know my family so well."
Gotti then noted the voluminous number of books and television shows about the Gotti name that have already been consumed by the public. Most were primarily focused on John Gotti Senior, jolting Junior to quip: "Me? I'm nothing."
Junior said he finally decided "enough," and told his family members of his decision.
Junior said he finally decided "enough," and told his family members of his decision.
The bottom line, for Junior, was that the thought of Alite writing a book was simply beyond his comprehension. "You want me to pull my pants down? What's next?" he noted.
The interviewer then asked about his relationship to Alite, whom the government described as being Gotti's "right-hand man," which caused Junior to quip: "Didn't they say that about Mikey Scars?"
"How many right hands do I have? I am running out of right hands!"
Michael "Mikey Scars" DiLeonardo was a capo in the Gambino crime family.
Michael "Mikey Scars" DiLeonardo was a capo in the Gambino crime family.
DiLeonardo was inducted into the crime family on December 24, 1988, along with Junior Gotti. Held in Manhattan on Christmas Eve, the ceremony was conducted by Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano, then consiglieri.
Gotti Senior wasn't there because he "did not want to show he's forcing his family into the life," recalled DiLeonardo.
DiLeonardo plead guilty in 2003 and agreed to testify against the younger Gotti.