Peter Gotti the former boss of the Gambino crime family had his bid for a compassionate release rejected on Wednesday.
The elderly and ailing 80-year-old former New York Mafia leader filed the request back in February of last year. According to Gotti, he is suffering from various medical conditions including cancer, heart problems, dementia, and blindness. But the government countered Gotti’s argument saying that he was receiving adequate treatment for his medical problems while behind bars in North Carolina. They also claim that he has somewhat exaggerated the terminal diagnosis he claims in an effort to aid him being released. Peter took control of the Gambino family from his brother John Gotti back in 1999. During his time as the boss, he tried to have mafia rat Sammy Gravano killed while he was hiding out in Arizona. He also had a hand in major extortion schemes and was sentenced to 25 years behind bars back in 2003.
“Peter (One-Eyed Pete) Gotti”
As part of his compassionate release request, Peter Gotti wrote a letter to the court explaining why he should be released. He said “I only want to the (sic) home with my family and tell anyone who will listen that I am a changed man and that there is no benefit to unlawful activities. I truly regret my choices that hurt so many, and in the little time I have left on this earth would hope to be able to share some of my new-fund (sic) wisdom to help others not make the same kind of mistakes that I have made.”
But when making her ruling on Wednesday Judge Colleen McMahon wrote “I reject the notion that Gotti is no longer a threat to the community. The danger posed by a Gambino family leader like Gotti is not that he will personally engage in acts of violence, but that he can command others to do so. Gotti headed one of the most vicious and violent organized crime organizations in New York for a number of years. During that time, the Gambino family earned millions of dollars from extorting the construction industry, and Gotti personally ordered the death of a government cooperator, Gravano. I do not believe that Peter Gotti’s sentence should be reduced, notwithstanding his compromised medical condition.”
While she didn’t dispute the fact that Gotti was ill she believed the crimes he committed were so serious that he had to remain locked up. So it looks like Peter Gotti may have lost his last chance to walk out of prison alive. The former Cosa Nostra boss’s current release date is set for 2032.
