As the latest Philadelphia Mafia trial continues to move forward we get an inside look directly into the chatter and rambling of gangland. As the prosecution offers up conversations between members of the Philly mafia and former Gambino family soldier turned rat Nicholas “Nicky Skins” Stefanelli who wore a wire for the government for almost two years we have a front-row seat into a gathering of mobsters. One of many conversations recorded by Stefanelli that are to be used included a trip down mafia memory lane as mobsters Joseph “Scoops” Licata and Stefanelli sit down for a meal at American Bistro in New Jersey along with Louis Fazzini and Nicholas Mitarotunda which even included a Frank Sinatra story.
Seems former Philadelphia mafia consigliere Antonio “Tony Bananas” Caponigro had a dislike for Sinatra over an incident at a performance the mobster attended. Licata can be heard on the tapes saying that Sinatra shushed Caponigro as he was talking at the same time Sinatra was trying to sing a song. Licata said “Tony wanted to … Kill him” for disrespecting him in that fashion. The mobsters even chatted about the changes in the justice system as Stefanelli says “No one got you a dime” a slang for a 10-year prison term he says “every cop was on the take, nobody to pinch you” and if you did get pinched a racketeering charge might get you a six-year sentence.
It is unclear as to when the prosecution will play these tapes for the jury but defense attorneys in case plan to argue that these tapes are nothing more than some old guys talking about the good ole days. Prosecutors say these conversations are a look into the operations and violent history of the Philadelphia crime family. Conversation with other Philadelphia mobsters including alleged acting boss Joseph Ligambi will also be played for the jury at some point.
