By Philip Newman
In ordering Gotti held, Judge Shira Scheindlin Monday upheld an Oct. 5 ruling by a magistrate judge against bail for Gotti, son of the late Gambino crime family boss John Gotti.The 40-year-old Gotti is scheduled to go on trial in August on charges of attempted murder and murder conspiracy in a racketeering conspiracy.Federal prosecutors included among the attempted murder charges an incident on June 19, 1992 when Sliwa entered a stolen taxi and was shot five times by a gunman. Despite his wounds, Sliwa dived out the taxi window.Federal prosecutors said in the stolen taxi were Gambino crime family torpedoes Joseph “Little Joey” D'Angelo and Michael “Mikey Y” Yannotti, both of whom pleaded not guilty to attempted murder charges.Gotti is alleged to have ordered the killing of Sliwa because the civilian anti-crime group founder reviled Gotti's father on his radio program.Conviction could bring up to 30 years in prison for Gotti, who had served five years on a previous racketeering conviction and was due to be released from Rye Brook Federal Prison in September.In denying bail, the judge acknowledged in her written ruling that federal prosecutors had information that Gotti “has expressed a real distaste for his past life and associations and a desire to move away from that past and toward a new future outside of organized crime.”Nevertheless, the judge wrote the attempt on Sliwa's life was sufficient evidence that bail should be denied, also mentioning that the prosecution had 10 witnesses, some former members of the Gambino organization, ready to testify against Gotti.The John Gotti, known as “The Teflon Don,” died in prison in 2002 while serving a life term.Peter Gotti, brother of the late John Gotti, was convicted Dec. 22 of racketeering and conspiracy as well as ordering a failed attempt to kill Sammy “the Bull” Gravano, whose turncoat testimony sent John Gotti to prison for life. Peter Gotti could get as much as 50 years in prison upon sentencing.Reach contributing writer Philip Newman by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 136.
