I don't think Gotti was weak physically or in fights, I don't see where even guys who turned on him said anything like that. I believe inmate Johnson went nuts and attacked him, based on talking to corrections officer I know (my brother, and other family members) Gotti had been in prison before, I think in 1977, wouldn't a coward reputation would have followed him onto streets ?
Yeah, Gotti had been in prison in the late 60s as well. He always seemed to be the kind of guy who didn't mind getting physical if needed. In '84 he got into that fracas with the refrigerator mechanic who was upset that Gotti's friend, Frank Colletta, had double-parked and was blocking the street. John Gotti and his brother Gene looked like typical throwback bruiser types!
That refrigerator mechanic, Romuel Piecyk, had a record himself, several arrests for assault among them. Maybe they had common friends who got him to not testify. I wonder if he was even really a refrigerator mechanic. He certainly was not innocent in the fight, he had attacked a smaller man who was Gotti's friend over a parking spot.
I've read different accounts about this incident. Some stories say Colleta picked the fight by rushing up to Piecyk, who was seated in his van, and smacking him through the open window and stealing $325 from Piecyk's shirt pocket. Other stories say Gotti came out of the bar and either "starched" Piecyk or simply threatened him to "get lost"! I think this is one of those stories that tends to grow more fascinating over the years, what with all the revisionists around.
i agree as with most gotti stories it is fantasy mostly. The media made it seem like gotti beat the guy up by himself but in reality he only smacked teh guy when 3 or 4 of guys in his crew assisted
