Why Junior Gotti Wrote "Shadow of My Father"

John A. Gotti
In a YouTube video posted on his website, John A. "Junior" Gotti blasted the notion that his book, Shadow of My Father, was an immediate response to Gotti's Rules: The Story of John Alite, Junior Gotti, and the Demise of the American Mafia, written by 30-year veteran journalist George Anastasia.

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."



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.

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.

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. 

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.

Comments

  1. My thing is this, theirs some truths in both guys, how much is the question, when I see gotti I see him sitting next to a mob lawyer who would never get another mob client if he represented a rat, I don't care what his last name is! For him to sit by gotti and still represent Gambino big wigs like Marino tells me what he said in the 302s had to be ok with them, even if they put him on the shelf he wouldn't b allowed to work with that lawyer, as for Alite? To rat on 22 guys and the Feds don't want him to testify for them after two trials tells me they couldn't trust him, that speaks volumes! This is how u judge these things, you go by facts and common sense.

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  2. I think the reason he sits with Carnesi is after four trials you kind of get the hint that anything you say or think can bring another trial! As far as Alite he is a liar, twelve jurors all agreed to that and the fact that when he did testify at the Carneglia trial for a murder and Carneglia was acquitted of that tells a lot. The govt never used him tells even more.

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  3. They underplay and overplay their "value", that's what they do....it's in their blood.

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  4. Frank, my point with him sitting with Carnesi is, if Gotti is a rat like people are saying cause of the 302 then Carnesi wouldnt be still representing him, his main clients are mob guys, no one would go near him if they knew he represented a rat, lawyers here in philly that rep guys that rat are called rat lawyers n no one goes near them.

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  5. LMFAO.....JR. your really reaching ! you pulled your comment before i could reply so i'll do it here ! it just go's to show how truly sad you are..... but I'm wondering .....if you are so innocent of everything, and as you clam, you weren't the bad guy we all know and saw , then how come there are all those pict.'s in YOUR book of you in prison , holding your innocent baby's ...is that so you can tell them what a good father you were to them growing up....so you can say Look I spent time with you , I made your mother drag you all the way to the prison so you could spend 8 hours in a filthy roach infested hell hole eating garbage out of a vending machine, with all the low life inmates , the repast, drug dealers, murders.. you love them that much ....did you teach them the finer points of being a good Inmate ? when do they get to scratch their name on the cell wall next to your's and your father's I mean it's so obvious ....Just A model dad... !! your a fool ! RAT!!!

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  6. It's interesting that Junior notes the "fear factor", referring to the federal government. Is he unafraid suddenly? Junior doesn't really answer why he released his manuscript. He claims it is not a rebuttal to Alite. However, he goes on to explain how this "totally discredited witness" led him to declare enough was "enough". Clearly, at least to this writer, it's a response to Alite, and Alite's book probably bothers Junior more than he lets on.
    To be fair, I haven't read the books (either of them); I wonder if there is evidence (anecdotal) that may incriminate Junior. Speculating, my best thought is that Junior is offended by Alite's references to Junior's softness. Spilling family secrets is never not painful, and Alite's revelations about his relationship with Junior's sister are another strong motivation. Junior seems like his pride has been wounded. He seems defensive. These are just thoughts...

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  7. Exactly, Carnesi wouldn't go near him. Look everyone can talk all they want but the fact that Gotti went to trial four times tells me he was no rat. The rat thing is Alite trying to justify his excuse for becoming one. Gotti's videos say's they are investigating Alite and his agent friend so maybe it will ALL come out?

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  8. Wow! You should see all his nephews and niece's and sister's Facebook page, Instagram and twitter. Are they faking them too? That's ridiculous Pattywacks.

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  9. faking what too? i have no idea what your talking about...Because you don't have any idea what i'm commenting about , so why would you comment on something you have no idea about ??

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  10. No need to get excited and rude. You commented that he wasn't a model Dad. To me he looks like a model Dad, Uncle and Brother. In his book he admits to his wrong doings also, he also tells the reader he is not looking for sympathy he is taking responsibility for what he did and went to jail. He is no rat, as he never testified against anyone and no man is in prison because of him. You need to chill a little, your going to give yourself a stroke.

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  11. don't read into my comments, not getting excited at all, or mad ...none of his shit matters to me either way, i just responded to a comment made. he is a clown, always was. you and I can agree to disagree, I think he is a rat ! in today's daily news he says it himself, that he cooperated ...dont matter if anyone went to jail , because of his statements, or not, it don't matter if the people were dead or not, and it dont matter if they are his enemy's or not !!! its a RAT no matter how you look at it !!!

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