Just my 2 cents, but I don't think Devecchio was ever dirty. Based upon what I have read, the facts include:

1. Linda Shiro Scarpa lied through her teeth. Her testimony in court was proven to be a fabrication based upon tape recordings she made with Capeci when a book deal was being considered. In my opinion, she should have been charged with perjury.

2. The allegations against Devecchio were raised by a zealous, insubordinate agent who was on the Columbo task team who reported to Devecchio. This guy was later relocated out of NYC and every senior agent that has publicly commented on the allegations, claim this guy was trouble.

3. Devecchio has been supported by every single one of his superiors in the NYC office at the time. Kollstrum and others have consistently stated publicly the claims were not substantiated. These are honest cops, and if there was a shred of truth, they would have gone after Devecchio with the same vigor they went after LCN.

4. There is evidence the Columbos actually came up with the strategy to discredit Devecchio. Several of the cases against Columbo guys fell apart or were not prosecuted because of the allegations.

Draw you on conclusions after you have done the research. For me, the facts were very compelling that Devecchio was clean.

What really gets me about DeVecchio is that on his 60 minutes interview he says he knew that it was Scarpa who had killed someone but yet Devecchio didn't do anything with that info. He didn't arrest him he didn't pass the information to the cops who were probably investigating the homicide day and night. He simply protected him and for what? So he could look good to his bosses, meanwhile the public is left with that homicidal killer Scarpa to wonder the streets. That's just wrong!

Well Bean to play devils advocate Joe Pistone knew Lefty had done alot of work (22 'under his belt'?). And yet he was his right hand man for 5 years.

Is there a difference?

Good question Sonny. When Lefty got arrested was he charged with any of the murders? I hope Pistone, was able to get some incriminating evidence on Lefty regarding the 22 supposedly murder victims.

It would have been different if Pistone actually witnessed a murder. Then they would have had to pull him from undercover right away. But a guy who was half-drunk most of the time bragging about 22 alleged murders? It's just hearsay. The Bureau knew what they were doing there.