Originally Posted by jace
Originally Posted by Dwalin2011
Originally Posted by jace

In fact judges are hardest on the mafia in their sentencing,


TODAY they are, but back then (in Costello's time and before) harsh sentences against mafia bosses were more an exception than the rule.



Luciano got 40 years, Genovese got two long sentences almost back to back,, Lepke got the electric chair. Sounds harsh to me.
Joe Massino spoke of 2 members of his crew getting sent to the electric chair in the 1950's. Call me a liberal, I find dying in prison and getting the electric chair harsh. The reason few got long sentences is no one ratted on them.


It's only 5 examples; how many mafiosi (or even bosses alone) were there in the USA during several decades? Harsh sentences against high-ranking members started becoming more frequent starting from the 80s more or less.

Willie Marfeo to Henry Tameleo:

1) "You people want a loaf of bread and you throw the crumbs back. Well, fuck you. I ain't closing down."

2) "Get out of here, old man. Go tell Raymond to go shit in his hat. We're not giving you anything."