Review of THE GOTTI WARS
The trials of John Gotti
Some of 20th century America’s most iconic culture reflects an era of organized crime, mob bosses, and “The Family”. Although Al Capone was perhaps one of the most memorable crime bosses in our history during the first half of the century, John Gotti took the thrown as America’s most powerful and popular criminal while heading the Gambino crime family in the second half of the century.
I’ve never had a particular fascination with the mob per se, but the parallel reality in which organized crime operates is intriguing. I came across a new book documenting the take down of the gangster, John Gotti. In The Gotti Wars: Taking Down America's Most Notorious Mobster, John Gleeson recounts his time as the prosecutor who finally took down Gotti in the early 1990s.
Although the book is about the notorious Gotti, it’s really about the trials of the 80s and 90s in which prosecutor John Gleeson worked to finally convict him of murder, racketeering, and a dozen or so other mobster-type crimes. While obviously giving an overview of the Gambino crime family, the major players, and details of their extensive operations, the book focuses on giving a deep dive into the legal labyrinth and politics of our justice system that make convicting an obvious criminal so challenging.
A nice example of these challenges is the difference between information (not useful in court) and evidence (obviously useful in court) Gleeson discussed. Whereas all evidence is information, not all information is evidence. If the information is not obtained, processed, and presented properly, even the obvious can be worth nothing in the court room.
The “Teflon Don”, as Gotti came to be known by dodging numerous attempts at conviction, including the first trial of Gotti Gleeson participated in, was popular in American culture – people loved him, and feared him. And the power that comes with the wealth of mob bosses allows for the best lawyers, tampering, and bribing money can buy you.
What ultimately sealed Gotti’s conviction in 1992 was his underboss Sammy flipping and providing a brutal testimony of not only Gotti, but dozens of other mobsters in the Gambino family and throughout New York’s crime families. For his immense cooperation and role in bringing down the New York mafia, Sunny – an admitted murderer of 19(ish) people – spent only a couple of years in prison.
The Gotti Wars read like a true crime documentary that you would watch on Netflix, especially in the audio format which features the exact voice that you would expect if you had watched a Netflix documentary. It’s a great book, especially for true crime lovers.
Published: May 2022
Format: Audio
If you think this sounds interesting, bookmark these other great reads:
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou (2018)
Capote's Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era by Laurence Leamer (2021)
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