Originally posted by Padrino:
Well, I guess we agree to disagree on what Neil would have done. I ageee he loved and proteceted Gotti but he was still known as a keeper of omerta and the traditions of 'the life'.
Yeah he protected John, but in the HBO film "Gotti", he comes very close to killing him due to the order given by Paul, because he had killed some cokehead in his crew who had messed up a hit on someone. I think he says something to the effect of "Paul wanted you dead. If Carlo had given the order, I would be here right now, and you would be dead". This was when Gotti was a button, I believe. So he was a no-nonsense guy who would do what the boss wanted, I agree. Over the years he got closer to John though, and their trust built its foundations. I dont know if he'd have gone ahead with it by 1985.
I agreed he stalled Big Paul but I don't recall reading anywhere where Neil heard the tapes. If Neil had heard the tapes I would agree but if he hadn't he would see that Gotti would be dead and I don't think he would kill Paul over that.
I dont think he had heard the tapes, they were still sealed (though no doubt Paul could have gotten them) but Neil told him that since they werent officialy released, police my have tampered with them etc, thus he kept Paul stalled. If he wanted to follow the orders, as you say, he would have given them immediately and Ruggerio and John would have been killed. He took John's side over Paul's, and disliked Paul quite alot. But, he did follow the rules like a man,
in general.
He was a follower of the old ways. That's why he didn't kill Paul when he was passed over as boss. He told Gotti that that was what Carlo wanted and he had to comply.
He would have had no right to kill Paul just because he didnt get the position. Besides, he was saved alot of heat from the federal authorities by not being the "man in charge", and Paul ended up with his house bugged instead (and with a 100 year sentenced had he lived through the Commission Trial). Secondly, he got alot of profit and territory in return for not taking top spot, Gambino did this to ensure there would not be animosity among the crews, especially Gotti.
Killing a boss was still outlawed and he would have to get commission okay like Gotti did directly or indirectly, with the exception being the Chin who was close to Paul and followed the rules about killing bosses.
Killing a boss is always outlawed unless
The Commission approves, as was the case with Bonnano boss Carmine Galante in 1979. Due to problems with drugs and federal probes, the Bonnano family was exiled from being on
The Commission, so there were four families on board, not 5. Of the 4, three agreed to remove Paul because he was greedy and his family was starving in his command (even though it was making $500 million a year, and he was filthy rich) but the kickups he got from his capo's and soldiers never seemed to be enough, and he distanced himself from them. Vincent "Chin" Gigante, wasn't opposed to a boss being removed if need be, but he was personally close to Castellano, so he was not consulted.
What you say about him being against killing a boss is a boloney, because he tried to have John Gotti killed over 5 times, once in 1986 by making a car bomb which killed one of the Gambino capi's, Frank Decicco, a good friend of Gotti, another time by having a soldier shoot at him in 1987 as he walked out of the Ravenite. It was simply a case of revenge, there were no rules or codes (and if he had killed Gotti those times,
The Commission had NOT approved of it. He took it into his own hands.
None of us really knows what Neil would have done but I vote for whacking Gotti if he was ordered, especially after hearing the tapes and it was about drugs. Outlawed by the commision. Plus, it reflected badly on his leadership of the crew since he let it go on.
I disagree.
The Commission did not approve of drugs due to an edict passed years earlier, and also Paul Castellano passed an edict outlawing them - even though much of the profit going to him was made from them. It was a no-questions asked business. It would not reflect that badly on Paul as it would on the people involved (Ruggerio, Gene Gotti and friends) thus meaning they'd get whacked. That is why Neil had the tapes kept from Paul, because he would have killed Gotti and Neil wanted to do anything possible to avoid this.
Neil knew part of the life was sometimes asked to kill a friend. They all know that the best way to get to someone was to have their freind, who the victim would least expect set it up. I'm sure Neil has done his fair share.
I dont think Neil would have done it unless it had gotten to the point where Paul heard the tapes and ordered the hit, in which case I am sure Neil would not do it himself. That is why Paul was killed, among other reasons, because once he heard the tapes there might even be an inter-family war over who gets whacked and who sides with Paul, and who sides with John. Also, at 70 years old and with a life accustomed to mansions and expensive restaurents, they feared that Paul might start talking about the family to save himself. There was no proof of this but it only helped to make him even worse in the eyes of his troops. The final indignity came when he did not attend the funeral of Neil Dellacroche. His death warrant was set. When he went to Sparks steak house, to discuss the reasons for his lack of attendance and the tapes, with Frank Decicco, he was gunned down by "the fist", Gotti's clan of killers and back-up shooters who killed him and his newly appointed underboss, Thomas Billoti, as he stepped out of the car.
[ August 30, 2001: Message edited by: Joey Montana ]
