Is there still a price on his head? Shouldn't he be hiding instead? How come he's giving an interview for a History Channel "Donnie Brasco" documentary?

If the mafia still wanted him dead he would of been assasinated a looong time ago. So i think he feels that the bounty on his head has been lifted and he can walk free, but if i remember correctly his face is still blurred out in interviews ans such and he still keeps a very low profile.

Not only that: I doubt there was ever a price on his head. One of the enduring myths of the Mob is that they "put a price" on someone's head to preserve their "honor"--as if there's some kind of Mafia slush fund that they keep to track down foes as a kind of communal effort. It's just the kind of myth Pistone would use to jack up sales of his book (and his price for personal appearances, because he's "in danger").
BS!
--First, the Mob doesn't go after legitimate cops--it's too dangerous. Recall that Charlie Luciano had Dutch Schultz whacked because Schultz was going to kill special prosecutor Thomas Dewey--even though Dewey sent Luciano away for 30 years.
--Second, no Mob guy or family is going to put up half a million or a million of his or his family's money (assuming they have that kind of money anymore) for any cause that doesn't benefit him or the family directly. Greed is crime's middle name.
--Third, there's little "honor" left in the Mafia.

Dominic (Sonny Black) Napolitano paid with his life for the mistake of nurturing Brasco and bringing him along in the family. Lefty Guns Ruggiero would have been whacked, too, if he hadn't gone off to prison. The other families considered the affair none of their business. Why should they get involved in trying to rectify a competing family's mistakes? The Mob then considered the case closed. Considering all the damage that had already been done, no one was going to waste valuable time and money on "vengeance."

I'm wondering Turnbull does the same apply to "made members" who turn states evidence? Isn't that breaking the Omerta?

A made guy who turns rat is probably going to be hunted because he's a bigger danger than a cop. An undercover cop finally surfaces, the mob guys are busted, there's a trial, end of story. But a family is far more likely to take action against a made member who turns because he's an ongoing danger--not only to family members but to other mobsters with whom he's been in contact. The usual deal the government cuts with mob turncoats is that they have to testify anytime the government wants them to--meaning years and years. And the rats are likely to say anything the government wants in order to get a conviction. You've probably read recently that Thomas (Huck) Carbonaro, who had been a member of Gravano's crew, was dispatched by the Gambinos to whack Sammy Da Bull. He came close. Part of their motive was to prove to other families that they could "take care of their problems."

wait.. i feel so stupid, i just watched Donnie Brasco today for the 2nd time (the last time being a year ago or so) and in the end Lefty gets whacked, but from reading this i see he infact was sent to prison?

Yeah, the film took a lot of liberties with the book. In the film, Lefty pays the price for having recruited Brasco, but in real life, Sonny paid the price. In the book, Brasco said that Lefty was a good earner and had clout in the family (he bested Tony Mirra, a very scary guy, in a sit-down over who "owned" Brasco). But Brasco had no respect for Lefty, whom he regarded as a cheapskate, whiner and freeloader. In the movie, Lefty comes across as a bozo, but Brasco has filial feelings for him. In the book, Brasco has genuine feelings for Sonny.

any reason why the film was false in alot of its portrayal?

Probably because Lefty was the dominant character on the Mob side of the book. Since the studio recruited Pacino to play Lefty, they had to embellish his character. Sonny comes in only in the last third of the book.

Donnie Brasco is based on a true story, so what is the deal with lefty? Is he alive in real life?

Thanks!

Lefty was a stand-up guy. Rather than turn rat, he was tried, convicted, sentenced to 20 years. He served 13. He got out in 1992, and died of cancer in 1995.

Turnball -

Thanks for the info!

What about the Mob looking guy on the stand who gave Pistone the gun on the head hand sign in the courtroom while he was giving his testimony during the trial?

Also, the show said Pistone now has a new identity and is living in an undisclosed location. So I suppose he's still a wanted man by the Mob.

What are you talking about? I dont remember any mob looking guy. I dont even remember a trial in the movie.

^^^^^^^^^^^^
He probably meant in real life, not in the movie.

What are you talking about? I dont remember any mob looking guy. I dont even remember a trial in the movie. [/b][/quote]Yeah he meant the book. Two theories:

1 - Some nut got into the courtroom totally unassociated to the mob, or
2 - It really was a Wiseguy and did it in intimidation in the hope it would stop or at least defer Pistone's testimony.

Or:
3: Pistone made up the story to sell his book.
I think it's unlikely that the Commission would ever put a price on an FBI guy's head. And if they tried, they'd never get member families to contribute to a fund. Why would they? It was the Bonannos' bad--let them solve their own problems.