BLOODSHED
08-18-2005, 03:07 PM
The hack job on Sliwa
Rat tells court of shooting in taxi
BY ROBERT GEARTY
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Shooting radio talk show host Curtis Sliwa in the knee wasn't going to satisfy John A. (Junior) Gotti's thirst for revenge, according to riveting testimony yesterday.
A gangster who drove the stolen cab that almost became Sliwa's hearse told jurors that Gotti scoffed when a single bullet to the leg was proposed for the Guardian Angels' founder.
"No, I want it to be personal," mob turncoat Joseph (Little Joey) D'Angelo quoted the Dapper Don's son as saying. "I want him to know we had our hands on him and we could do this at any time. He's getting personal and I want to get personal."
Making his debut as a government witness, D'Angelo's vivid blow-by-blow account of Sliwa's abduction and shooting had jurors in Manhattan Federal Court on the edge of their seats - and occasionally in stitches.
Sliwa was shot three times on June 19, 1992, nearly dying after the attack. It was a crime the feds claim was masterminded by Gotti and carried out by D'Angelo and Gotti's co-defendant, alleged triggerman Michael (Mikey Y) Yannotti.
D'Angelo, a protege of former Gambino underboss Salvatore (Sammy Bull) Gravano, said Gotti wanted to get Sliwa because the radio host was "badmouthing him, the Gambino family and John Gotti Sr."
D'Angelo recalled sitting in the stolen cab, shooing other hails away as they waited outside Sliwa's East Village apartment. He said they were just about to call off the attack when Sliwa took the bait and jumped in the cab for a ride uptown.
With Yannotti hiding under the dashboard, D'Angelo sped off and soon heard Sliwa say he was going the wrong way.
"Mike jumped up and said, 'Give me your wallet, give me your wallet,'" D'Angelo said.
D'Angelo said Sliwa stammered, "Okay, take it easy," then start slapping at Yannotti's gun.
"Mike shot him, I saw the flash," D'Angelo said.
He said he heard more shots, then suddenly saw Sliwa attempt a dramatic escape. The cab had been rigged so there were no buttons to unlock doors or lower windows in the back.
Bleeding from three stomach wounds, Sliwa made a leap for the front passenger window.
"I don't know if [Yannotti] threw him out or he jumped out on his own, but he went out the window," D'Angelo said.
Jurors laughed when D'Angelo was asked how he knew the cab was stolen and he replied, "You start it with a screwdriver, it's pretty much stolen."
Today: More testimony from D'Angelo is expected - and Sliwa could finally take the stand.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime_file/story/338349p-288890c.html
Rat tells court of shooting in taxi
BY ROBERT GEARTY
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Shooting radio talk show host Curtis Sliwa in the knee wasn't going to satisfy John A. (Junior) Gotti's thirst for revenge, according to riveting testimony yesterday.
A gangster who drove the stolen cab that almost became Sliwa's hearse told jurors that Gotti scoffed when a single bullet to the leg was proposed for the Guardian Angels' founder.
"No, I want it to be personal," mob turncoat Joseph (Little Joey) D'Angelo quoted the Dapper Don's son as saying. "I want him to know we had our hands on him and we could do this at any time. He's getting personal and I want to get personal."
Making his debut as a government witness, D'Angelo's vivid blow-by-blow account of Sliwa's abduction and shooting had jurors in Manhattan Federal Court on the edge of their seats - and occasionally in stitches.
Sliwa was shot three times on June 19, 1992, nearly dying after the attack. It was a crime the feds claim was masterminded by Gotti and carried out by D'Angelo and Gotti's co-defendant, alleged triggerman Michael (Mikey Y) Yannotti.
D'Angelo, a protege of former Gambino underboss Salvatore (Sammy Bull) Gravano, said Gotti wanted to get Sliwa because the radio host was "badmouthing him, the Gambino family and John Gotti Sr."
D'Angelo recalled sitting in the stolen cab, shooing other hails away as they waited outside Sliwa's East Village apartment. He said they were just about to call off the attack when Sliwa took the bait and jumped in the cab for a ride uptown.
With Yannotti hiding under the dashboard, D'Angelo sped off and soon heard Sliwa say he was going the wrong way.
"Mike jumped up and said, 'Give me your wallet, give me your wallet,'" D'Angelo said.
D'Angelo said Sliwa stammered, "Okay, take it easy," then start slapping at Yannotti's gun.
"Mike shot him, I saw the flash," D'Angelo said.
He said he heard more shots, then suddenly saw Sliwa attempt a dramatic escape. The cab had been rigged so there were no buttons to unlock doors or lower windows in the back.
Bleeding from three stomach wounds, Sliwa made a leap for the front passenger window.
"I don't know if [Yannotti] threw him out or he jumped out on his own, but he went out the window," D'Angelo said.
Jurors laughed when D'Angelo was asked how he knew the cab was stolen and he replied, "You start it with a screwdriver, it's pretty much stolen."
Today: More testimony from D'Angelo is expected - and Sliwa could finally take the stand.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime_file/story/338349p-288890c.html