As we saw in GF (and read in the novel), Vito was careful never to give incriminating orders, or make incriminating statements, to more than one person at a time—to avoid creating corroborating witnesses who could testify against him if someone he trusted turned rat. Even when only Tom and Sonny were present to discuss the upcoming Sollozzo meeting, Vito merely shrugged when Sonny asked what his answer was going to be.

But in II, Michael gave his order to have Roth’s airplane “met” in the presence of Tom, Rocco and Neri. Further, when asked if he wanted to wipe out everyone, Michael replied, “Just my enemies.” And he said, “If history has taught us anything…it’s that you can kill anyone.” Michael could not have known for certain that Rocco would be killed immediately after whacking Roth—for all he knew, Rocco could have been captured and/or wounded. If he lived, he’d be charged with Murder One, and face the electric chair. Rocco was Clemenza’s man, not Michael’s. And Neri, who was Michael’s man, had pushed past him in his boss’s estimation. How could Michael have known for sure that, facing the chair, Rocco wouldn’t have betrayed him? And if he did, the police would know that Neri and Tom were witnesses when Michael gave the order.

Even our old standby, directorial license, doesn’t really work here: the real drama in that scene was Michael’s humiliation of Tom. Rocco and Neri didn’t need to be in that scene. So, was Michael slippin’?