The former boss of the Bonanno crime family Vincent “Vinny Gorgeous” Basciano wants taxpayers to pay for legal defense needed for his appeal.
Basciano is currently serving two life sentences for racketeering and murder convictions. He is housed in one of the toughest Supermax prisons in the country located in Colorado. He filed an “affidavit of poverty” and is trying to convince a federal judge to have taxpayers pay for payment of his legal fees and other associated fees for his upcoming appeal. He claims that the last seven years he has spent behind bars have taken a negative toll on his finances.
“Vincent Basciano prison photo”
The bill for Basciano’s second trial was picked up by the government to the tune of more then one million dollars where he faced the death penalty for ordering a mob hit as Bonanno family boss. Now he wants them to pick up the tab yet again as he fights for his release. Basciano said he currently has no money in any saving or on hand except for the $180 plus dollars located in his prison trust fund account. After spending so much to put him in prison why would the government waste taxpayers money trying to help him fight to appeal his current sentence.
