Back in the 70s every cop wanted out of the city. But the only cops allowed to live outside New York were transit cops. Because the transit authority was also run by Jersey and Connecticut. So these guys I knew at the 37 started pulling overtime at subway stations and got the city to declare them, ‘auxiliary transit cops’. They bought some land in Jersey, got some cheap loans from people they knew. They made themselves a place where the shit couldn’t touch ’em. That’s what they thought anyway. Cop Land 1997 starring Robert de Niro & Harvey Keitel & Sylvester Stallone & Ray Liotta & Peter Berg & Edie Falco & Victor Williams & Janeane Garofalo & Robert Patrick & Michael Rapaport & Frank Vincent & Cathy Moriarty et al, director James Mangold, opening monologue
Our minds are primitive, Berta. ibid. Gary
I’d advise you to think to yourself, hey that’s one of the good guys. ibid. Ray to young rozzer
Don’t shut me out, Ray. ibid. Gary
One door down from the next. The wives borrowing cups of sugar. It’s like you’re the Sheriff of Copland. ibid. Moe
We share a duty, do we not? If there is a stink, we must investigate. We must gather evidence because evidence makes us see the truth. Is this the stink of a criminal act or is it a turd in a bag? ibid. Moe
Mayor Suspends Investigation. ibid. newspaper headline
I’m telling you the Mob built this town for Ray. ibid. Gary
Ray had a plan and it got very fucked up. ibid.
Freddy: I look at this time and I don’t like what I see any more.
Figgsy: Who the fuck do you think you are? ibid.
They says, If we ask you to kill for us, would you? I said, Yes. Truth & Lies: The Last Gangster, Sammy the Bull Gravano, Disney+ 2022
I’m a gangster … As far as being a hitman, I was really good at it. ibid.
We shook the Mafia. We shook the state of New York. We shook the world. ibid.
Break an arm here. Break a leg there. ibid.
John Gotti: The media fed the beast. He is a stone-cold killer, and he attracted men who had a taste for blood. ibid.
December 1985: Me and John Gotti are parked in a car right here. ibid.
I literally controlled Manhattan. ibid.
You are the single most important witness ever to testify against the Mob. ibid. legal lady to Sammy
November 1991 he [Sammy] flipped. ibid man in the know
He arguably led to the demise of organised crime in New York. ibid.
‘For 30 years, the 5 families, the heart of the Mafia, had a free run in America. Loan sharking, prostitution, taking over unions, they had their hands on politics. They could do whatever they wanted.’ American Godfathers: The Five Families s1e1: Death of the Old Rules, Selwyn Raab, History 2024
For half a century the Mafia stuck to this sacred oath and pillaged New York City and the greater American economy. ibid. narrator
Sicily: ‘This is when we start to name them Mafia which is a society composed of ex-criminals but they assume themselves to now be honorable. Because they don’t use violence to steal but to defend property.’ ibid. Palermo historian
These men would soon venture to New York City in search of opportunity. ibid. narrator
In the early 20th century these local criminal groups ruled across New York City. Then in 1919 they were presented with a new revenue stream, and it was bigger than any racket they had: Prohibition. ibid.
Masseria, murdered 1931; Maranzano, murdered, 1931. With the old guard out of the way and a clean slate in front of them, a younger generation of Mafioso led by Lucky Luciano established a new thing, with new rules. [Joseph Profaci, Vincent Mangano, Tommy Gagliano, Joe Bonanno]. ibid.
‘Costello like the night life in New York and so he was often seen at nightclubs.’ ibid. comment
In 1954 Frank Costello was sentenced to 5 years in prison for tax evasion. ibid. narrator
Investment in the drug trade over the next several decades would ultimately become a tremendous burden. Members would chose to overlook the threat of law enforcement in favour of increased profits. ibid.
With the death of Albert Anastasia, Vito Genovese seized even more power. ibid.
1957 was quite a year: Bonanno went big on the drug trade, Frank was forced into retirement, Al Anastasia had his last shave, and then Appalachia. The Mafia was now Public Enemy Number One. ibid.
‘The ideas of omerta are inevitably going to get lost in the American culture landscape.’ ibid. comment
Back in Brooklyn, the Gallos were starting to get a reputation. ibid. narrator
The Gallos had failed to overthrow Joe Profaci. ibid.
1962: Five years of turmoil for the five families. ibid.
‘Valachi is going to commit the greatest sin of a mobster.’ ibid. comment
Joe Valachi would die in federal custody in 1971. ibid. narrator
In the 1950s a new generation began to challenge the old guard. American Godfathers: The Five Families s1e2: Rise of the New Dons
Joe Valachi’s decision to testify marked a time of change for the five families. A change in the way they were chased were investigators, a change in the way they were viewed by outsiders, and a change in the way they operated. ibid.
John Colombo: He was a guest on a late-night talk show. ibid.
By 1963, 4 of the 5 original bosses were dead. ibid.
Carlo Gambino was an old-school don, a valuable mentor and a vital ally for Joe Colombo. ibid.
In 1971 things were tense in the Colombo family … Joey Gallo was released from prison. ibid.
Underworld Figures Questioned In Shooting of Colombo at Rally. ibid. newspaper headline
Carlos Gambino, the most revered godfather of the time, died in 1976 of natural causes. ibid.
Bonanno Family: With little local support in New York City, after a decade behind bars, Galante needed reinforcements … A problem that sooner or later would have to be dealt with ibid.
In public Mafia figures fiercely denied any involvement in the drug trade. ibid.
Through the 1970s the Mafia made a fortune moving massive amounts of heroin into New York City. At the top of the list of earners was Carmine Galante. ibid.
The murder of Carmine Galante temporarily restored order to the Bonanno. ibid.
A new generation of mobsters rose to power by breaking the rules. American Godfathers: The Five Families s1e3: The Last Don
With blood in the streets and its leadership in disarray, the families struggled to survive. ibid.
It was true all right. Pistone [Donny Brasco] would go on to tell all testifying publicly in court for the first time in August 1982. ibid.
RICO: Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organisations: ‘You could face a life in prison.’ ibid. Raab
The RICO statute was signed into law in 1970. ibid.
The Pizza connection case resulted in the convicted of 18 Mafia players.
‘The Commission case in 1985 involved federal prosecutors bringing Rico charges against the five heads of New York’s crime families.’ ibid. journalist
‘All these cooperators gave the Feds an enormous amount of evidence.’ ibid.
‘Massino is on trial for seven counts of murder and racketeering.’ ibid. TV news
The Massino recordings shocked the underworld. ibid.
In 1992 he testified against his former boss, John Gotti. Spilt secrets of his life in organised crime. Very Scary People s4e5: Sammy The Bull Gravano I, CI 2024
Nothing but a cold-blooded murderer. This is Sammy ‘The Bull’. ibid.
He felt empowered. He didn’t feel remorse. ibid. comment
I know one thing. That night I became a professional killer. ibid. Sammy
In the early 1970s Sammy Gravano made a move from the Colombo family to the Gambino family. ibid. caption
He betrayed everybody. ibid. Raab
In 1985 Sammy ‘The Bull’ Gravano helped plan and carry out one of the most stunning Mafia murders in history, the slaying of Gambino crime boss, Paul Castellano. Very Scary People s4e5: Sammy The Bull Gravano II
In time he would take centre stage. ibid.
He was obviously a cold homicidal killer. ibid. Raab
He admitted to complicity to as many as 19 homicides. ibid.