I roll my eyes every time someone uses this for an excuse for him turning into a fat rat. Even if he did get the death penalty, being New York and not Texas, he would've died in prison before the state ever got around to executing him. It's obvious by the sweet deal he got, the real reason he flipped. He died fat, rich and free. Yes, Lepke Buchalter and many other Murder Inc killers died in the electric chair, in the 1940s! That was a completely different era.

You're probably right. Gaming the death penalty would have been no worse, or lenghthier, than the two life sentences he got in his plea deal. And he wouldn't have been tagged as a rat, which probably threatens his life every day in prison.

I'm also looking at the person he was facing the death penalty for, a fellow gangster. He didn't whack some little old lady walking to her apartment. I just don't see it.

Of course he wasint the FatFuck was. Weak Link he was complaining a year before he flipped how he can’t sit on a stool cause of back problems and Couldint be in a cell 23 hours a day his high blood pressure his diabetes he wasint a tough guy he never pulled a Trigger he was a Lunch Wagon guy handing out coffeee and muffins and later in life he was a sandwitch maker and food prep in his restaurant it wasint s surprise when he wore a wire on Vinny Bascisno that guy looks great takes care of himself 23 hour lockdown. Can’t Break that guy doing Life with a Smile on his Face

I just saw that lame excuse again on Reddit but couldn't comment because I'm banned due to this politically correct sensitive ass world we live in nowadays lol

Another story is that he flips because his daughters had threatened to cut ties with him. but that's another excuse, he was simply used to luxury and didn't want to die in a maximum security prison.
Basciano have to sons in the life and plus he is a stand up guy and after almost 20 years he is taking sentence as a man.

wasn't he tried in federal court when he turned states witness? I don't think NY has death penalty anymore.

New York had nothing to do with that case.

Okay, still, he wasn't going to be executed.

No cause for one Thing New York doesn’t have the Desth Penalty anymore the FEDS use that to get Mobsters to FLIP

Yes and it worked apparently. Funny how the Bonannos went from the Family with the least rats to probably having the most.

Flipping Massino was more psychological than anything. Flipping a sitting Commission boss? The feds struck platinum with that one.

Like I said he Planned on Flipping before he got Convicted and he was not a Street Guy or Tough Guy he ran Linch Wagons when he was younger he was a Lifeguard before getting involved
With Rusty Rastelli and his Brother Danny who Massino was Kicking up to he was Used and I don’t know why the Rastelli Brothers took a liking to him and Saw whatever it is they saw in him but it was a Mistake he never Pulled a Trigger he had no Familiy Members in the Life he wasint Schooled
The right Way to be part of the Life he just happen to Just be in the Right place
At the the Right time it just Happend

Wasn’t he involved in the capo killing?

Yes, I believe he might have even been the orchestrator.

He set it UP yeah he was there but he didint Pull a Trigger