Original subtitles

(dice rattling)

Police, Mcbratney, let's go, you're under arrest.

Police my butt, you're John Gotti from Ozone Park.

Guess you are...

(grunting)

(gunshots)

Let's go, let's go, let's go, come on, come on!

Welcome, Johnny, congratulations.

Thank you, Neil.

(coughing)

You all right, Neil?

(coughing)

I'm okay, I'm okay.

You look better, Neil.

I'm gonna beat this thing, Johnny.

Chemo, they got me on chemo now.

I'm gonna beat it.

You got to, Neil, the family needs you.

(crowd murmuring agreement)

(laughing) Well, we better get this thing over

before all these goombas fall over from the BO in here.

(laughing)

(speaking Italian)

Johnny Joseph Gotti Junior, will you rise.

Woman: State your name.

Diane Giacalone.

(speaking Italian)

I do.

(speaking Italian)

I solemnly swear that I will support and defend

the Constitution of the United States of America.

(speaking Italian)

To the family, always to the family.

(speaking Italian)

In this time, Paul Castellano is our leader.

May he live forever.

All: May he live forever.

And his right arm is Neil Dellacroce.

May he live forever.

All: May he live forever.

Woman: Against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

This is the gun I live by.

That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same.

This is the knife I die by.

Woman: So help me God.

So help me God.

On my life, and on the lives of those dear to me.

Congratulations, you're officially an assistant

to United States Attorney

for the eastern district of New York.

(cheering)

I'm so proud of you.

Hello, Diane Giacalone to see Wayne Brooks.

He's in court.

Diane: Oh, well, I'm supposed

to start work here today, and--

Beatrice Cantor, Administrative Assistant.

Your office is out into the corridor,

fourth door on the right.

Everything you need is in this.

With the exception of the key to the facilities,

which hangs right here.

Failure to return the key after use of the facilities

will result in loss of privileges.

Welcome to the U.S. Attorney's Office

of the eastern district of New York.

(phone ringing)

(knocking)

Hi, I'm Cassie Fielder, your friendly next door neighbor.

Hi, Diane Giacalone.

I think somebody forgot to clean my office out?

Cassie: Afraid not.

You're kidding, all these cases are--

All yours, and, I've got two more for you.

Compliments of Miss Warmth.

(laughing)

What's all this stuff?

Cassie: The usual, you've got your frauds,

bank robberies, narcotics, gun running,

a little of this, a little of that.

But I'd say at least 40 percent is hijacking.

Man: Here you go.

-Shut it down. -(brakes squealing)

Shut it down!

All right, get out, let's go, come on, come on!

All right, we could do this two ways:

you could take a hike back to the terminal,

have a cup of coffee, and then in an hour you call the cops

and tell them it was four black guys.

Or, I hit you, then you walk back to the terminal.

Your choice.

You better hit me.

Willie Boy: Hey, Gotti, you know who we got?

This guy first.

All right, Willie boy.

Man in hat: Diane!

Hey, hey! Long time!

Well, maybe I should say (speaking Italian).

No, Diane is just fine.

Ah! (smooching)

Oh, so you're a big time lawyer now?

No, not so big time, I'm working for the government.

-Oh, my. -(Diane laughing)

You gonna put those burger bums in jail?

If they break the law, you bet.

If they break the law, they're scum.

Hey, for your Mike, this John Gotti,

he's the big cheese they got over there now, he's scum.

Remember he comes to me 20 years ago,

with his gang, The Rockaway, do you remember?

Yeah, I remember.

-Here. -Here.

Get outta here.

Thanks.

This John Gotti, this punk, he tells me I gotta pay him

or my food might get accidentally crushed

and my windows broken.

I tell him, "No".

My windows, so then I gotta say yeah, and I pay.

Hmm.

Put him away.

I'll see you soon, Eddie.

You be careful.

Bye, Eddie!

These bums, these men of respect?

They don't respect nothing!

Gang: Shut up, shut up.

I'll crush your head, I swear to God.

Hey, baby, come on, me and you.

(whistling)

Paul: Johnny.

Remember what I told you, huh?

Paulie, I still think you--

Remember what I said.

Just calm down, huh?

Neil, I can't operate with him on my back all the time.

Johnny Boy, he is the head of the family.

It was better when Carlo Gambino ran the family.

May he rest in peace.

May he rest in peace, but Carlo himself

made Paulie Castellano head of the family.

Johnny Boy, never forget that.

Yeah.

He was Carlo's choice.

Yeah, all right.

You calm down, yeah?

Take care.

-Gene: Johnny! -Not now, Gene.

(door slamming)

(glass shattering)

Come on, Johnny, relax.

I don't give a damn what that stupid guinea says!

I'm gonna run this crew any way I want to.

Johnny, we're doing good, it all pays.

Come on, there's more money in dope

than anything else we do put together.

Hey, Big Paulie says--

Big Paulie, Big Paulie, I'm sick of Big Paulie.

Johnny.

And I'm telling you right now,

we're gettin' involved in the babania business right now.

What's the matter?

Yeah, why's everybody so serious, huh?

(laughing) Come on, let's go get some clams.

♪ (singing in Italian) ♪

Yo, Diane, you wanna hurry up?

My wrist's fallin' off down here.

Diane: Don't stop, it'll stick to the pan.

-Yeah, yeah. -She's gonna spoil her rotten.

Who, Diane, my sister'll spoil my daughter?

Yes, Diane. (mumbling)

I don't think so, Ma, please.

You know she spoils that daughter rotten.

Of course she does.

Will you get over there and stir please, Frankie?

-If that sticks... -Go.

All right, all right, Ma.

...you're gonna ruin the whole dinner if you don't.

-All right. -Ma: And do me a favor?

Yeah?

Ma: Put the music a little sotto voce ,

you know what I mean?

All right, Ma.

Okay, okay, okay, okay, let me see, let me see!

Ah! Quelle Bella regasa.

Girl: Quelle Bella regasa.

Yes, you bet, go show Grandma!

Come on, hurry!

I'm gonna beat you, go show Mommy and Daddy!

♪ (Italian music) ♪

Frank: What's goin' on?

Oh, you look beautiful!

Ain't something, what are you doin'?

What's goin' on?

You know, I'm gonna have to get a new job

so's I can afford to take my daughter

to a fancy enough place for that dress!

Take her to the opera.

♪ (singing in Italian) ♪

The risotto.

♪ (singing in Italian) ♪

Man 1: So, what's John Gotti been up to?

Man 2: Nothing special.

Went to the track, lost a couple dimes, the usual stuff.

Man 1: So what's going down?

Man 2: Nothing the FBI don't know.

Listen, I gotta go.

Tell me something, you and Gotti go way back,

you obviously respect him.

How come you talk to us?

What do you care, as long as I talk?

Just curious.

You probably figured out I'm not a guinea, right?

So I'm gonna be a made man anyhow.

Guineas, when they take a fall,

their families are taken care of.

Ask my wife what she got when I went out.

I'll see ya.

Hey, that hijacking down by the docks last week,

that the Bergen crew?

By the docks?

Nah, must have been some other guys.

(car starting)

Passenger: Woo hoo hoo! (laughing)

♪ (old time music) ♪

(door knocking)

Yeah, what do you want?

Dio.

Johnny: Hey, Jackie, how ya doing?

Hey, doin' good.

Yeah, how's the family?

Good, they're good, you know.

Broad's drivin' me crazy but, what else is new, right?

(laughing)

Johnny, I got this for you.

Johnny: Have a seat.

What's this?

It's my little job we done this week.

Out of respect.

The armored car near the bakery?

Yeah.

(laughing)

How'd you know that?

It was on the news.

This may be 20 thou here.

Hey, John, like I said, out of respect--

Johnny: Out of respect, huh?

-(glass shattering) -Jackie: Ow!

Hold him up, hold him up!

750 big ones in that van!

Ow! Ow!

And you bring be 20 thousand out of respect?

-Ow! Ow! -Hold him up!

Not that much, it was nothin' like that.

It was on the news!

Hold him up!

(screaming) They lie!

Oh, they lie, and you tell the truth, huh?

No, they lie for insurance.

Is that what you want me to tell Dellacroce?

Is that what you want Dellacroce to tell Big Paulie?

(screaming)

Hey, hey!

No, don't, please don't.

I hear you're big with the ladies.

You have the rest of that money

on my desk by tomorrow noon, or you won't be so big anymore.

Capish?

(crying)

Get him outta here.

♪ (old time music) ♪

Ray: Look, he's bluffing.

I'm telling you, the man knows.

Okay, what do you think, what do you think,

I got this walking into a door, huh, Ray?

Ray: All right, I ain't arguing.

It's just a lot of money, that's all.

This is not a discussion, you hear me?

Come on, Jackie, let's dance.

What dance, what dance?

I can't walk!

You said you were stayin' home.

I had business.

With her?

Listen, don't bust my chops,

because you picked the wrong day.

Bust your chops?

That ain't all I'm gonna bust, you lyin' dirtbag.

You may think you can cheat on John Gotti,

but you don't cheat on me!

Oh, God.

Shut up, April, shut up!

'Cause I know all about the other times.

And all I gotta do is make one phone call to the Bergen.

Shut up!

Maybe I'll call the cops.

Who you gonna call, who you gonna call, huh?

Who should I call, you bum, Gotti or the cops?

Jackie!

April: Who should I call, you bum!

-Shut your mouth. -April: Gotti or the cops?

-Shut up! -(people gasping)

Get up, get up, get up.

April: You think you're so smart--

Who you gonna call, who you gonna call, huh, huh?

April: Don't you-- (screaming)

I'll slap your head off!

Get up.

April: Who should I call, who should I call!

Jackie: Get outta here, get outta here.

April: You think you're so tough!

Jackie: Get up there, go, go!

Move it!

-April: Don't you-- -Jackie: Shut up!

Mom, I'm running late, about a half hour.

Mom, I can't find anything.

Diane, I've been going for dialysis for two years now,

for once I can go on my own.

Diane: Mom, don't take the bus!

(machine whirring)

Turn.

Grazie.

Prego.

So this punk impersonating a freight company employee

calls the cargo agent and asks if there are

any goods for them.

The cargo agent says, "Sure, we got lots of stuff.

"Come on down".

He and his punk buddy rent a truck,

go to the loading dock, get the two cargo agents

to actually help them load 47 crates onto the truck,

and they're home free.

Where's my notebook.

Diane: More work for us, great.

-(knocking on door) -Come in.

Diane Giacalone?

Yeah, that's me.

Bob Teague, I'm with homicide over at the 106th.

What can I do for you, Sergeant?

You're handling the Jackie Dio thing, right?

Probably.

Armored truck hijacking near the bakery.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, is there a problem?

Well, the thing is, this Dio kid he's a bad actor.

You're tellin' me.

And I'm pretty sure he knocked off his girlfriend.

Straight murder?

That's for the DA's office.

I've been there, they won't take it.

Neither will anybody else.

So I thought as long as you're handling the hijack thing.

Hey, Sergeant, I haven't been out of this office

for lunch in the two weeks I've been working here.

I'll buy you lunch.

There's no way.

Well, thanks anyway, it's not that she was

Mother Teresa's niece or anything,

just another statistic from Ozone Park.

Sergeant?

Ozone Park?

Yeah, it's in Queens, you know it?

Oh, yeah.

Bob: So you're from there?

Diane: Saint Mary Gate of Heaven, the whole shebang.

Bob: Except the Bergen.

Diane: When I was in high school,

I watched wise guys like that actually seduce my friends,

made them think that working for a living

is what suckers did.

Yeah, punks who watch their fathers workin' all day,

and think what a jerk, yeah, I know.

I had a girlfriend once say to me,

"Any girl who marries an honest working man is an idiot".

So how did you stay out of all that?

I don't know, sometimes I think it was all a big accident.

No, it wasn't an accident, it was my mother.

She would have kicked my behind.

(laughing)

Okay, about Dio, hijacking's a slam dunk.

What makes you think you can nail him for murder?

I got wits that'll testify.

April knew all about the hijacking,

and she was threatening to rat him out

for skimming with a mug named John Gotti,

crew chief at The Bergen.

On the night she disappeared,

I got him draggin' her out of a bar.

I can even put him in her apartment later that night.

So what's the problem?

Bob: The body.

What about it?

There isn't one.

When I said she disappeared, I meant it.

Nobody's seen her since the night of the fight.

So she took off, it happens all the time.

If she did, she left without her clothes,

make-up, and jewelry.

Okay, you got a point, what do you want?

I know she's dead, and I know that slime ball did her,

but my lieutenant won't let me spend any more time

on the case without a prosecutor.

(Diane sighs)

Dio's a loose cannon, definitely paranoid, right?

Okay, let's get in his face, make him a little crazier.

Pry him loose.

(Bob laughing)

I'm in.

Man: Yeah, that's him.

(phone ringing)

Diane: (over telephone)Diane Giacalone.

Bob: (over telephone)It's Teague,

I found out who Dio's partner was

in the armored car job.

Diane: Who?

Bob: Heroin addict named Charlie.

Diane: Good work, let's bust him

and see if he wants to talk.

(Bob laughing)

Jackie: Hey Charlie, what'd you tell 'em?

Charlie: Hey, Jackie.

Jackie: Why'd they let you go?

Charlie: Hey, look, I didn't tell them nothin', man,

I swear to God!

(gunshots)

(gunshots)

Diane?

Charlie here wants to know

if you can spare him a few minutes.

(Diane laughing)

(laughing and talking)

Good morning, gentlemen.

All: Good morning.

Diane: I'm glad you could make it,

have a seat, gentlemen, I'm Diane Giacalone.

Let's see, anybody missing who matters?

(people chuckling)

We have the 106th, we have the 101st, and the 82nd,

NYPD is well represented.

We have the DA, hiya Walt.

We've got Special Agent Randolph from the FBI,

glad you could make it.

How about the postal inspectors?

Thank you, gentlemen, thanks for coming.

Okay, the idea is to mount a major case

against the members of the Gambino crime family

and their associates.

We think, no, I think, that some of those bad actors

we've come to know and love around here are not freelancers,

but are in fact linked to the Gambinos through a crew chief

named John Gotti, who hangs out

at The Bergen Hunt and Fish Club on 101st Avenue.

In here, you'll find a list of about 60 names.

All bozos in some way or another,

that have been connected to The Bergen.

And what I need from all of you guys,

by next Wednesday, is every piece of paper

on which any of these names appear.

(group murmuring)

I mean everything, old cases, new cases,

cases that never went anywhere.

Surveillance photos, wire tap ID's.

Gossip, rumor, I'll take anything.

Diane, you're talking about hundreds of hours here.

The FBI, excuse me, maybe I'm talking

to the wrong bunch of guys here.

I mean, I thought you were the guys

who got bent out of shape every time

some sleazebag walked because the DA was too lazy

to make the case.

I thought you were the guys who bitched to me

about why we try two-bit hijackers

instead of the bigwig mob guys they work for.

I thought you were the guys who wanted all this crap

we go through every day to finally mean something,

to make a difference.

Well, dumb old me, maybe I've been workin'

the wrong room here.

Diane's right.

In the two years she's been here,

she's busted her butt for every one of us.

She's made cases nobody else would even touch.

I want you all to know that I carry only two business cards

in my wallet, my cardiologist, and Diane Giacalone.

Thanks, Bob.

So, are you with me or not?

John: What do I gotta do, huh?

I warned this Greek bastard twice now.

I don't know, Johnny, I--

Hey, if you don't know, who does, huh?

I sent you over there twice to ask you

-to shut down his book! -Johnny, we tried--

Shut up!

I wanna hear from you I'll tell you, you understand?

So, what do I gotta do,

spell it out for the two of you, huh?

You go over there, and you tell that Greek son of a bitch

that if he don't shut down the book in his deli now,

I'll see to it that it's shut down permanently.

(glass shattering)

I don't want no book, no nothin',

operated in my neighborhood except by me and mine.

And that Greek bastard definitely ain't me,

and he ain't mine.

And then Willie Boy, while you're over there,

you pick up some of thatgood salty white cheese

the guy's got, I forget the name.

Hey, Sammy the Bull, what do you say?

Hangin' in there, Johnny.

-The family all right? -Gina's pregnant.

Way to go, Sammy the Bull.

Yeah. (speaking Italian)

Come on, let's take a walk.

So, everything all set with the Florida people?

Yeah.

And the Colombians?

Yeah, everything's all set.

So what's wrong?

I don't know, John, I'm just not sure it's the right time.

Why not?

You know Big Paulie, he says anybody in the family

gets into drugs, he orders them dead.

I told you, Neil covers us with Big Paulie, capich ?

Neil's sick, he's got cancer.

What if Neil goes, then we're naked.

Hey, we're all doin' good,

maybe we just keep our heads down.

The Colombians keepin' their heads down?

The Mulignans, they keepin' their heads down?

Noriega down in Panama, he keepin' his head down?

Word on the street is that some bitch

in the U.S. Attorney's Office is out to get you, Johnny.

Who?

Name's Giacalone.

-Italian? -Yeah.

An Italian broad's tryin' to burn me?

(laughing) What's a matter with these people?

We gotta stick together.

Don't worry, Big Paulie'll take care of her.

What's the matter?

I don't know, Big Paulie's not part of this.

He's not part of this?

You mean this bitch is comin' after me alone?

You and your crew, and maybe Neil.

So what the hell did we send all this money

to Big Paulie for, huh?

If it's not to take care of this crap?

Neil's sick, maybe Castellano figures--

I know what he figures,

he figures he'll leave me and Neilie out to dry,

that's what he figures.

Ah, son of a bitch.

♪ ("Silent Night" on piano) ♪

And then Mary looked up and saw the star,

and lo, it shone its light all over the world.

(clapping)

Announcer: Thank you for coming to the Ozone Park

annual Christmas Party,

sponsored by The Bergen Hunt and Fish Club.

Everybody have fun at the bazaar now.

Oh, that's beautiful, you were beautiful.

You did such a good job.

The best, the best one.

When you said your words.

(laughing)

You wanna go win some teddy bears and stuff?

No?

Aw, come on.

You know something, this pitchin' arm here never misses.

Please. (laughing)

Easy, slugger.

All right, guys, I'll meet you back at Mom's, okay?

What are you doin'?

It's early.

I know, but I can't really be

at this Gotti sponsored thing, it's not right.

Oh, but I wanted to introduce you

to Mrs. Carlone and Mrs. Russi.

Well, bring them over for coffee later.

-I love you guys, have fun. -All right.

You're an angel.

-See ya. -Bye.

She don't look good.

It's the case, she's workin' too hard.

Oh, don't worry, Ma, she'll be all right.

Mmm, from your lips to God's ears.

Yeah, so what do you say?

Do you want me to win you a teddy bear?

Yes, I want a teddy bear.

For the little girl.

No, thank you.

What's the matter, you think you're too good for him?

Well, let me tell you, Diane, in this neighborhood

Johnny Gotti's a hero.

You don't take nothin', do you, Miss Giacalone

from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Miss Giacalone from Newberry Street.

You shouldn't be talking to me.

Then don't come to my party.

You're right, it was a mistake.

Everybody takes 'cause everybody needs, even you do.

Excuse me?

What did you say?

Gluck, as in good luck.

(laughing)

Are you aware that you've got a woman

by the name of Diane Giacalone who's talking about

a RICO prosecution against the Gambinos?

Well, we understand that she'll need our cooperation,

but we think maybe the idea's a little premature.

Not enough manpower.

Well, you do what you think is right,

but I'm afraid we won't be able to be of any help to you.

Just wanted to let you know.

Randolph!

Will you step in here a minute, please?

I appreciate you guys agreeing to stick with me,

but I think the job just got tougher, the FBI is out.

Now we can't count on anything from the bureau, zero, zilch,

any documents, tapes, photos, we'll have to subpoena

or otherwise arm wrestle for.

And nobody, my boss included, feels that you can mount

the RICO case without the FBI, except for me.

I'd like to go ahead, I'd like to dismantle

The Bergen punk by punk.

But I can't do it alone,

so I need to know how many of you are gonna stick around.

Anybody who wants to leave, look, no hard feelings,

I understand, kinda.

But, those of you who are gonna stay, great,

and those of you who are not,

you know where the door is.

Well, I'm with ya.

Thanks.

Thank you.

All right, let's get going!

(clapping and cheering)

I want Willie Boy Johnson dropped from your indictment.

He's an informant, isn't he?

I was going over his rap sheet the other night,

and Willie Boy here's been arrested for everything

from assault to murder one,

and every kind of dirty business The Bergen's involved in

Willie Boy is a part of.

And he's only been to jail once.

Is he a snitch or isn't he?

Willie Boy Johnson's been providing high level

information about the middle management

of the Gambino Family for years.

(scoffs) But you didn't feel it was necessary

to inform us of that fact

when Diane started her investigation?

Tell me, if Willie Boy is such hot spit,

how come nobody's prosecuted The Bergen crowd before?

It's none of your business.

I think it is, Ned.

I'll tell you why, the FBI is more interested

in drawing up organizational charts

than it is prosecuting criminals.

So rather than blow Willie Boy,

they let John Gotti and his thugs do whatever they want.

You're entitled to your opinion, just drop him.

-No. -You damn well better!

Take it easy, Ned, she works for me, not you.

I'll tell you something else,

when I indict his crew, we'll have to inform their lawyers

that we know that Willie Boy is a snitch.

Are you crazy, they'll kill him!

We have to reveal any evidence which could be helpful

to the defense, it's the law.

All the more reason to drop him.

I can't, he's everywhere.

He's in on every crime.

You people gave him the license to extort, to steal,

to kill, you name it!

I want this whole investigation dropped!

Who do you think you are.

Giacalone, if I weren't a gentleman

I'd punch your lights out.

-Try it. -Diane, get out of here now.

What?

I'll take it from here, go on.

Do we still have a case?

Diane, beat it, I mean it!

Did you hear that?

Cassie: Part of it.

Damn the nerve.

Cassie: Are you sure?

About what?

Cassie: Willie Boy.

What about him?

Well, Truscott is right, they'll kill him.

Oh, you, too?

Oh, Diane, don't misunderstand me.

Well, what shall I do, kiss his butt?

I'm not saying you should do anything.

I'm trying to put away the scum of the Earth here!

What should I do, ask them nicey, nicey

to testify against each other?

Diane, I don't know.

Well what the hell am I supposed to do?

Nothing, you're right!

I'm sorry.

Forgive me.

What if he refuses to testify, do you still have a case?

I don't know.

Okay.

Okay.

(Diane sighing)

(crowd talking)

(chair slamming)

(record scratching)

I just got a call, a phone call,

a very disturbing phone call, just now.

It was Sammy the Bull.

And he's worried, 'cause he thinks I might be

in some kind of trouble.

In the old days, he says to me,

in the old days if a member of this club

should take a fall for a nickel, or even a dime,

he figures he'll hit the bricks in three or four,

so he does his time, and he holds his water.

But maybe, if, because of some new business

he does with babange, he gets say 25.

And Sammy's worried that this guy's

gonna lose bladder control and take a piss

on all of his friends.

Willie Boy, what do you think?

About what?

You think anybody here would do a thing like that?

I don't know, depends on the guy.

Really?

It depends on the guy.

You mean there could be a rat in this very room?

In this very room!

Well, take me, for instance.

I would never rat out a guy, never.

No matter how much I was lookin' at.

But that's just me, how I was brought up,

that's just me.

Johnny, you askin'?

Johnny: As a for instance.

You have to ask?

We're just talkin', right?

I've done a lot of things, Johnny,

a lot of things been done to me,

but I don't piss on my friends.

Word is you've been meeting

with the FBI.

That's a lie.

What is this country coming to, huh?

When you can't even trust the FBI.

(laughing)

I got nothin' to say to you, not now, not ever,

you wanna talk to me, call my lawyer!

What do we do now?

I haven't the slightest idea.

(phone ringing)

Diane Giacalone.

Luke Coslo : Yeah, this is Luke Coslo

over at the Brooklyn DA's office.

We just booked a guy for murderwho's lookin' for a deal.

He wants to sing his head offabout some mob types in Queens.

What's his name?

Argento, Freddy Argento.

Thing is, we got nothin' to offer him.

Hold on.

We called the Organized Crime Unit,

but everyone's gone home for the weekend.

Ditto for the FBI--

Oh, my God.

-Listen, Lou?-Yeah?

Don't move, don't let him move,

next sound you hear is me breakin' Mach Two.

Stop lying!

I'm not lying, get out of my face!

You don't know John Gotti from Santa Claus!

John Gotti's one of the finest men I know.

Diane: John Gotti's one of the finest men you know.

Oh, you heard me.

Diane: That's why you're chompin' at the bit

to rat on him, right?

Will it get me out of these faster?

If it's the truth.

Then let's go.

Diane: You're a real slime bucket, aren't you, Fred?

Ho! You wanna kill me like you killed Castigliola,

and God knows who else?

I'm your only prayer here, Freddy, and you know it.

Stop calling me names!

You're a murdering, lying, drug addict punk.

You treat me with some respect!

You give me a reason to treat you with respect!

Let him go.

I can get you John Gotti.

-Prove it. -(scoffs) What do I get?

Start talking, keep talking,

and if it's the truth, and it burns Gotti,

you'll get immunity.

What, for anything?

Diane: For anything you say.

All right, let's go.

But you lie to me once, about anything,

you'll go back in there and I'll make sure you disappear.

-You got it? -I got it.

Okay.

Okay, geez, you're a real tough bitch, aren't you?

You really know how to charm a girl, don't you?

(scoffs)

This is the testimony of one Freddy Argento

given of his own free will on October 9th, 1984.

(envelope sliding)

I first met John Gotti in 1979,

at Clinton Correctional, Upstate New York.

He told me all about whacking some mick

that had kidnapped Gambino's nephew.

He told me that him and two other guys

just walked into this bar in Staten Island,

and whacked this guy like they was layin' down

a bet at the track.

Me and Johnny got along pretty good,

so when I got out of Attica I went by The Bergen Club,

see that's Johnny's crew headquarters.

He's one of the crew chiefs for the Gambino Family.

The Gambino Family is divided into several different crews.

Hey, freeze!

Freddy: See, when you pull a job for the crew,

or in the crew's neighborhood,

you give a cut of the take to the crew boss out of respect,

that's John Gotti.

He takes a cut, and then passes most of it

on up to the Under Boss, Neil Dellacroce.

Neil takes a cut, and passes the larger share

on up to the Don, Big Paulie Castellano.

That's the way every crew works.

-(television playing) -(door knocking)

Man at door: Who is it?

Cassie: Diane, it's Cassie, are you all right?

Diane: Yeah, it's okay, it's my friend.

You can let her in, it's okay.

-Hi. -Hi.

Diane: Come on in.

-How are you? -Good, how are you doing?

Okay, do you believe this?

I think it's a good idea.

Why, because they're out on bail?

They were in the street last week,

and I didn't have the Herb Brothers in my living room.

Last week Willie Boy didn't know you blew his cover.

And last week, you didn't have Argento.

What's he got to do with it?

Diane, with Freddy, for the first time you've got a shot,

and they know it.

Ahem.

What?

Glass of water?

This is not working.

Excuse me, gentlemen, I really appreciate you coming by,

but, when you gotta go, you gotta go.

-Judge Fisk said-- -I know what Judge Fisk said,

and you can tell him that I personally threw you out.

Judge said you might do that.

And if you did, you had to sign this.

-What is it? -It's an affidavit.

Basically it says if we leave and you get yourself killed,

it's not our fault.

Deal.

Okay, thank you, I'm really sorry about the ball game,

it's been swell, don't come back.

Dumb! (laughing)

Tell me about Dolan, this guy who's gonna

be our second chair.

Oh, Hank, young guy, real smart,

terrific legal mind, you're gonna love him.

Trial experience?

You know, I'm not sure, but he's a quick study.

Cassandra?

This is his first trial?

You mean our second chair has never tried a case before?

-No, but it could be fun. -Fun?

Cassie: I'll have him up to speed

-in no time -Diane: Fun?

-at all. -Diane: This is not fun!

It seems to me you've got one big problem,

which is how you explain to a jury

exactly what a RICO prosecution is.

I mean, when you say conspiracy to conduct

a continuing pattern of criminal activity,

it sounds like legalistic gobbledygook.

Hey, Hank?

If you're gonna continue to be my co-counsel

I'd like to introduce you to the pronoun we.

Yeah, think little piggy, Hank.

Sorry, problem we've got.

It's a business, isn't it?

A crime business, we're going to prosecute them

because they're running a crime business.

Cassie: Yeah, that's good, and it's for profit,

but instead of selling paper clips

they're selling protection, or hookers,

or stolen property, or--

Right, and when they murder someone,

it's to eliminate the competition,

get a bigger market share.

Yeah, I don't know, it sort of sanitizes them, doesn't it?

No, it cuts through all the romantic, mysterious crap.

The Godfather, The Capo di Tutti Capi,

Al Pacino looking soulful.

They're not romantic, they're a bunch of money grubbing

little thugs who are too dumb to make a buck

without hitting somebody over the head.

Didn't I tell you, you'd be working

with a cool, dispassionate professional.

My name is Giacalone, and I'm proud of it.

I mean, we gave the world Michelangelo, Da Vinci,

Verdi, Puccini, and it makes me furious to know

that these cases of arrested development are Italian, ah!

(people murmuring)

Look, there's Big Paulie Castellano.

What, am I blind?

Well come on then, we gotta pay our respects to him.

I'm going in the church,

I came to pay my respects to Neil, not Castellano.

John, John, where you goin'?

You crazy?

♪ (organ music) ♪

He keeps looking at you.

Sure, he hears footsteps.

Frankie: What are you talkin' about, footsteps?

I don't like it.

Just do what I do, look right back.

Think he knows about the, you know, deals?

Because without Neil, you know, we're gonna be--

Shut up, Frankie, it don't matter what Big Paulie knows.

Don't matter? (scoffs)

Johnny, what do you? (scoffs)

Oh, my God, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

(gunshots)

(gunshots)

He's dead.

Diane: Midtown Manhattan, for God's sake, rush hour?

Nine shopping days 'til Christmas?

What is it, they went completely nutso.

A week before Christmas, it's terrible.

You be careful with those thugs.

Arrest them.

I can't.

Only if you think it could have been Gotti.

-I told you! -She can't talk about the case.

Come on, can't talk about the case, please, we're family!

Leave her alone!

-Frank: Who asked you? -Frankie.

You wanna know the truth?

Who cares, it's that Big Paulie this,

three finger that, the next guy's gonna be

just like the last guy, they'll always be a boss,

and they'll always be the mob!

You don't know what you're talking about.

-Come on. -And even if it were true,

does that mean we don't do anything?

Frank: Maybe, why bother?

Diane: Because they're an insult!

Frank: An insult to who?

To me, to you, to Mama, to the girls,

to Eddie the green grocer, maybe even to God!

Jo: Diane, where are you going?

Diane: Merry Christmas.

Come back and sit down.

Frankie, what's the matter with you.

Why'd you have to upset her like that.

Diane? (sighing)

I make a nice dinner and look what happens.

(phone beeping)

(phone ringing)

-Hello? -Diane: Ma?

-Yeah?-Did I wake you?

Oh, no, I was reading, what is it?

What Frank said at dinner, you think it's true?

(sighing)

You know, when I go to the market,

or the doctor's office, or the park,

I talk to the other women,

they tell me about their daughters,

how many grandchildren, how much money their husbands make,

I say to myself, because I would never

brag out loud, right?

I say, "All right,

"but my daughter, she makes a difference".

Did I tell you today how much I love you?

I love you, Mommy.

I love you too, baby.

Goodnight.

Now keep strong.

(sighing)

(car starting)

Man: Are you okay, Mr. Gotti, are you all right?

Man 2: Are you all right, Johnny?

All rise.

Be seated, please.

After this morning's violence,

it is evident to me that the defendants in this case

cannot be left at large.

I'm therefore revoking the bail of all seven defendants.

-(crowd talking) -I object!

You are depriving these defendants

of their Constitutional rights.

Judge: Overruled, you will be given 72 hours

to turn yourselves in at

the Metropolitan Correctional Center.

Defendant's lawyer: I demand to be heard!

Judge: In addition, I'm adjourning these proceedings

until an anonymous jury can be (drowned out by people)

(gavel banging)

Court adjourned!

(people talking)

Mr. Gotti, are you the head

of the Gambino Family?

I'm the head of my own family, my wife and my kids.

Nothing else.

(reporters questioning)

Buy me a juror, I don't care what it costs, get me one.

Johnny, I'll try, but it's not so--

Don't try, do it.

(car starting)

Radio announcer: A 49-year-old unidentified man

went berserk last night,

opening fire with a 12-gauge shotgun

into a crowded downtown restaurant.

14 people are dead, including three children.

Four others suffered serious injuries.

Police have a suspect in custody,

and aren't releasing any information

until they conclude their investigation.

(tires squealing)

(engine revving)

(screaming)

Diane: Oh, God, oh, God.

(tires squealing)

(glass shattering)

Man: Diane, stop, go man, go.

Diane, are you okay?

Diane: What's the matter with you?

What are you doing?

Following you.

Diane: Why?

Judge's orders.

Judge's orders?

You could have killed me!

What were you thinking?

Hey, we were just trying to take care of you.

You're crazy, you're stupid!

I'm gonna kill you!

Okay, think, opening day in court.

Okay.

Think like a juror.

Okay, I'm thinking stupid, naive, uninformed--

What's the matter with you?

This is important.

Okay.

What do you think?

Uh.

Too flashy.

Uh.

Too insincere.

Eh.

What, what, stop with the uhhs!

Cassie: It's great.

You think so?

Yeah, it says, "I know what I'm doing.

I'm not afraid of these wise guys,

and you shouldn't be, either".

-Really? -Really.

I hate it, I'm crazy, I'm in way over my head,

I don't know what I was thinking.

Oh, God.

You're gonna be fine, you got a good case!

You got Argento.

And they'll believe him.

Why wouldn't they?

Because he's a murderer, a loan shark,

an extortionist, a thief.

And you can prove every syllable he says.

I can prove.

Or you wouldn't put him on the stand.

-Or I wouldn't, that's right. -That's right.

That's right.

So what are you worried about?

(sighing) Nothing.

Good, so you're all set, right?

Yeah, I'm all set.

I don't like this dress, I hate it,

I should have never picked red.

Dragon ladies wear red.

Bulls go for red, what was I thinking?

On May 22nd, 1973, at 11:00 o'clock at night,

John Gotti and two other men walked into a bar

in Staten Island, and brutally executed Jimmy Mcbratney.

John Gotti plead guilty, and served a prison term

for this crime.

So why am I bringing up a 13 year old killing?

Why isn't it over and done with?

Because like all the other crimes

you are going to hear about,

the killing of Jimmy Mcbratney was not an isolated event,

but part of a 20 year pattern of criminal activity.

for a crime business called the Gambino Family.

First we'll prove that the crimes the defendant's committed

were a part of the Gambino Family crime business.

Second, we'll show you surveillance photos

of the defendant's at their place of business,

The Bergen Social Club.

Third, by electronic wire taps, bugs,

you will hear the defendants talk of their crimes.

And finally, by the testimony of witnesses,

associates of the defendants who committed

their crimes with them.

This woman, the prosecutor, the lady in red,

has told you a pack of lies and half truths.

The truth is that the government, with its bugs,

and wire taps, and fancy equipment,

with its informants of nothing but liars, and murderers,

and dope dealers, is prosecuting John Gotti

because it doesn't like him.

The government doesn't like the way he dresses,

the way he talks on the phone, or his friends!

But my God, in this country, when you indict people

for their way of life, there's something wrong!

This indictment is rotten to the core.

If you make a stew with bad meat, and bad carrots,

and bad potatoes, and you put on the fancy wine dressings

that the government does and call it RICO,

it still stinks, it still is rancid, it's still rotten,

it still makes you retch and vomit.

But you can stop it!

You can take this indictment and put it where it belongs.

(cheering and clapping)

(people murmuring)

(car starting)

Diane: Well, that was gruesome.

The judge has got to get control fast,

otherwise it's gonna turn into a street fight,

-and we know... -Frank: Diane!

Diane: ...who wins those.

Diane, do you know a con named Harvey Sanders?

Yeah, he was on the inside with Argento and the others.

We considered using him, but couldn't cross check

a single thing that he said.

But he called from the MCC,

says he's got something to trade.

I have what you might call a showstopper.

Diane: I'm listening.

I heard Argento say he's been lying to you.

-You did, huh? -Mm-hm, about everything.

See, and I thought I'd give this

important piece of information to you, exclusively.

Not Bennett, or Santangelo,

or any of those other defense attorneys.

Well, I'm gonna go to my office now,

and I'm gonna write down everything that was said here,

and I'm gonna send a copy to my boss, the U.S. Attorney,

and to each of the defendant's lawyers.

That ain't too smart, Miss Giacalone.

Isn't it a lot safer to have me on the inside pissin' out,

then on the outside pissin' in?

Mr. Sanders, be a hell of a lot safer for everyone

to keep you on the inside. Period.

(giggling)

(balls banging)

Thing is, it's a put-up job.

That bitch in the red dress, she's got it in for Johnny,

has had for years.

Look, I'm not even supposed to be talkin' to you.

Hey, you're not doin' nothin'.

I'm the one doin' all the talkin', huh?

Anyway, this is the figure we had in mind.

More or less, give or take.

I don't know.

Hey, no pressure, you don't have to decide now.

If you think we can do business,

just wear this handkerchief in your breast pocket.

It's 100% silk.

You keep it either way.

(people talking)

Judge: Please be seated.

Miss Giacalone, call your first witness.

Diane: We call Vince Gritti.

See, Johnny said he wanted to do Carlo this big favor,

because this Mcbratney that they whacked

kidnapped Manny Gambino, who is Carlo's nephew.

Diane: We call Anthony Calabrese.

So the kid brings the envelope

to The Bergen like he's supposed to,

except there's only 20 big ones in there,

and Johnny knows they took 750 off of the truck.

Diane: We call Sergeant Detective Robert Teague.

Number three is defendant Angelo Laforte.

Number four is John Gotti.

Number five, don't know.

Number six, Gene Gotti.

Number seven, Defendant Luther Johnson.

Number eight, don't know.

-Number nine, don't know. -(crowd talking)

Diane: Your honor, I can hardly hear my witness testify!

May we approach the bench?

No, tell them right here.

Side bar, Your Honor?

(people laughing)

Diane: Your Honor, this has been going on for weeks,

it's got to stop.

What is she talking about?

You know damn well, the noise.

Your Honor, I will not be called a bitch in open court.

I didn't hear that.

Well, I heard it.

Gentlemen, I admonish you.

Your Honor, please, in front of the jury.

Miss Giacalone, the jury will figure out what's going on.

Now gentlemen, cool it!

(crowd murmuring)

Mmm, where's mine?

You didn't order anything.

I've been ordering the same thing for five weeks,

Chinese Chicken Salad.

But today, you didn't.

I can take witnesses that lie,

I can take defendants that die,

but I cannot tolerate the fact that

you didn't order me my Chinese Chicken Salad!

It's unbelievable!

(laughing and talking)

Diane: He allowed them to have lunch catered?

What's the big deal?

My God, my jury's gonna think the mob owns

the building and everybody in it.

They'll all be gone by the time the jury comes back.

What are you kidding?

You can smell the garlic from here to Cleveland.

(gavel banging)

(sighing)

Now Mr. Argento, you said you were at

The Bergen Hunt and Fish Club on an almost daily basis

between 1979 and the middle of 1981.

Is that correct?

Yeah.

Did you see and hear of any loan sharking business

conducted in and around The Bergen

during that period of time?

Yeah.

Whom did you see conducting that loan sharking business?

I seen Johnny, Angelo, and his brother, Pete.

Genie and Joey, and the other Johnny,

Willie Boy, and Arnold Pacara.

Indicating the main defendants, among others.

Yeah.

Mr. Argento do you recall that in May of this year

you had conversations with me,

and with Paul Travisio, an investigator that works with me?

Yeah, I recall it.

And in the course of those conversations,

do you recall saying that you were locked in,

that if you didn't testify for the government,

then you had a problem being prosecuted in other cases?

Angelo: Exactly.

And, that Miss Giacalone threatened you,

threatened you with the RICO.

Yeah.

Now did you also indicate to us that the image

that Miss Giacalone presents in the courtroom

has nothing to do with reality.

Now, in your own words, not mine,

and I apologize to the jury,

I see her outside the courtroom, and she's a slut!

(people laughing)

Did you say that?

I might have said that, yeah.

(people laughing)

Defendant's lawyer: I have no more questions.

Judge: Court adjourned until tomorrow morning.

Judge: All rise.

(crowd cat-calling)

Don't you touch her, you keep your hands off her!

(typewriter clacking)

Judge: Be seated, please.

Judge: Is the defense ready?

Defendant's lawyer: Yes, Your Honor.

The defense calls Harvey Sanders.

(door closing)

Lawyer: Raise your right hand.

You see, she told me it didn't matter

if I knew him, or I didn't know him.

If I lied or if I didn't lie.

She said that if I was willing to lie,

that she would fix up what I had to say,

and I would work with her,

and she would work on gettin' me out.

Defendant's lawyer: So you did.

Mm-hmm, yeah, sure.

Defendant's lawyer: What happened then?

Well she went ahead with the whole deal.

I mean she wanted to frame Mr. Gotti

and anybody else on trial with him.

She said she had other witnesses,

she was gonna put me with them, Argento.

Did you tell her you knew nothing about

the predicate act alleged in this indictment?

Okay, see, well, what happened is, see,

I went along with her to a certain point, okay?

But actually, her putting me with Argento did more damage

to her getting me to go along with her lies than anything else

because Argento had already implicated to me

that practically everything he was saying was a lie.

Hmm, she gave me everything I wanted.

Ha, I mean, everything.

She even gave me her own panties with which

to facilitate myself with. (giggling)

When I wanted to get laid, she said,

"I couldn't possibly get a woman in there with you".

So I said, "How about a police chick?"

Mmm, and she started laughin'. (giggling)

And she reached into the bottom drawer of her desk,

and she threw her panties at me.

(people laughing)

Defendant's lawyer: I have no more questions.

Judge: Does the government have any cross examination?

Yes, Your Honor.

Mr. Sanders, where did this transfer

of underwear take place?

You remember, Diane, it was in your office.

What kind of desk do I have, Mr. Sanders?

A desk.

Is it metal or wooden?

I don't remember.

Diane: And the chair you were sitting in?

Was that metal or wooden?

I don't remember.

(people laughing)

Diane, what is he handing you?

You gonna ask the question or what?

I mean, Grandma was slow, but she was old, ya know?

Let's go.

How many windows in my office?

Two.

One on this wall, and one on this wall?

No, two on each wall, I meant four.

What are you holding there?

How many doors in my office?

One.

And are my walls painted, paneled, wallpapered?

Painted. (laughing)

Mr. Sanders, would it surprise you to learn

that my office is wood paneled.

No, I remember now.

Diane: Would it surprise you to learn

that I have two doors in my office and not one

as you've just said?

Diane, you're lying to me now, no office has two doors.

(people murmuring)

Would it surprise you, Mr. Sanders,

to learn that I have only two windows in my office,

and not four as you've just said?

Stop mixing me up.

Mr. Sanders, were you ever in my office?

Mr. Sanders: That's where you threw your panties at me.

Were you ever in my office, Mr. Sanders?

That's where you threw your panties.

What floor is it on?

What does it look like in the hallways?

Do you have to turn right or left to enter my office?

I don't remember that stuff.

(people murmuring)

Is my secretary a man or a woman?

Let me see those pictures.

Is there a kitchen, is there a library?

-May I -(men talking)

look at the pictures, please?

(men arguing)

No more questions for this witness, Your Honor.

(men arguing)

Judge: Order in the court!

(men arguing)

Diane: Ladies and gentlemen,

the first question to be addressed is whether or not

the Gambino Crime Family exists,

or is it a fantasy?

That is what Mr. Bennett said in his opening statement,

that it was a fantasy.

The evidence, ladies and gentlemen,

show that it is not a fantasy,

but a frightening reality.

And you and I have been here for the past six months

because these men are a part of the Gambino Crime Family.

As the judge will instruct you,

the burden of proof is on the government,

and I have taken you through that proof step by step.

But what has been the defense in this case?

Harvey Sanders?

Harvey Sanders testified, among other things,

that the prosecutors told him to lie,

that I told him to lie.

They've attacked the credibility of virtually

every government witness.

You heard Harvey Sanders,

and then you heard all the government witnesses say

it was Harvey Sanders who lied.

Who do you believe?

Because that was the defense.

Everyone lied, everyone was willing to compromise

their integrity, not just one person,

or two people, everyone?

Yo, can you talk a little louder?

We can't hear all the lies your telling the jury.

(men laughing)

Don't worry, honey, you're doin' just fine.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,

you may retire to consider your verdict.

(people talking)

Will you listen to what I'm telling you?

Mrs. Fabritzio's son is a judge,

he said it was the best summation

he had heard in 20 years. A judge!

If it's the compressor, I think we should just

buy you a new refrigerator, it doesn't pay to fix it.

(machine whirring)

You like the white ones or the pastel ones?

Personally, I think the pastels are tacky.

Is it all right if I ask you about

any man you might be seeing, hmm?

Also, I think we should get the one

with the automatic ice maker in the front.

Maybe you could give me a list of topics

I'm allowed to talk about, huh?

Major appliances.

I'm tellin' you, everybody's so sure

it's gonna be a conviction,

I oughta lay two to one just to get a bet down, ya know?

But, what are you gonna do?

It's not about makin' a killin',

it's about supporting my sis, right?

Right?

So, tell me, it's a lock, ain't it?

It's all locked up, right?

Okay, okay, just answer me one question.

How come you keep your underwears

in your office drawer?

What's the matter with you talking like that.

Diane, that was supposed to be a joke.

-It's not funny! -Diane, please.

Diane: It's not a joke!

Diane, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Diane!

Diane, Diane, Diane, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

(crying) You're my brother, you're my only brother.

Those jerks, those dirty rotten jerks.

Judge: All rise, please.

Please be seated.

Will the defendants please rise.

Please read the verdicts.

We the jury, in the case of defendant John Gotti,

count one, conspiracy, find the defendant not guilty.

(cheering)

Count two, find the defendant, John Gotti, not guilty.

(cheering)

(Diane sighing)

No beer.

(people murmuring)

So, somebody was supposed to buy some beer for this party?

Oh, that is my fault.

I was just about to order some when we heard

the jury was coming in, I'm sorry.

It's okay, I'll do it.

No, no, sit down, let me do it.

I'll do it.

But I want to.

It's okay, I'll do it.

Hey, hey, I got news!

I've had about all the news I can take

for one day, thank you very much.

Well, it's not really news, more like gossip.

But it's all over the building!

A fix was in.

Diane: I knew it!

One of the jurors, one of the jurors (talking quietly)

Diane, did you hear that?

They're saying Gotti bought a juror.

Diane, that explains everything,

you made a brilliant case, it was inconceivable

this jury should come in not guilty!

Well, now we know why.

No!

I don't believe it, and I won't believe it.

What are you saying?

I put seven years in on this case, seven years.

Witnesses, depositions, motions, more motions,

typing transcripts until two in the morning.

Fighting, yelling, begging, pleading.

Seven years!

But we lost, okay?

The jury didn't believe our witnesses, it happens.

It's part of the system.

And juries come in wrong all the time.

But if it was fixed?

If they bought the jury?

Well, we never had a chance.

Those seven years we put in was a waste of time--

David: I don't buy that, I just don't buy it.

David, somebody else'll nail Gotti.

He's stupid, he's arrogant, and somebody'll put him away.

Gotti's not important.

The juror who took the money, oh, he's important.

Because he lets Gotti exist,

and he's the one who brings down the system.

And that's what this case was from the very beginning,

the system versus the street.

And if they bought the jury,

the street won, and the people lost.

Voiceover: In May of 1992, largely on the testimony

of government witness Sammy "the Bull" Gravano,

John Gotti was convicted of multiple crimes.

He is currently serving a life sentence

in the federal prison at Marion, Illinois.

The foreman of the 1987 jury,

which acquitted him, was indicted and convicted

of accepting a 65,000 dollar bribe.

Harvey Sanders was found guilty of perjury.

In 1988, Wilford "Willie Boy" Johnson,

the defendantand FBI informant,

having refused federal protection, was murdered.

Diane Giacalone moved to thePolitical Corruption Unit

of the United States Attorney’s Office.

In 1990, she left public service.