(4 Aug 2009) HEADLINE: Feds won't pursue death penalty vs Gotti
CAPTION: The federal government has decided not to seek the death penalty if John 'Junior' Gotti is convicted. Gotti goes on trial Sept. 14 in Manhattan. (Aug. 4)
[Notes:ANCHOR VOICE]
NB. THIS IS A VOICEOVER TRANSCRIPT, NOT A FULL SHOT LIST.
(New York)
The government is changing its strategy in its quest to put John Gotti Junior behind bars for life.
On Tuesday, Gotti pled not guilty in court to two new murder charges -- just six weeks before his racketeering trial was set to begin.
Gotti's lawyer says this means the feds are unsure of their case.
(Charles Carnesi, Gotti Lawyer)
"I guess they weren't satisfied with the charges they had. They probably didn't have confidence in their case and they decided to readjust it.
Under the previous charges, the government was seeking to prove that Gotti was part of a violent criminal conspiracy, the Gambino Crime Family.
But Gotti says he left the mafia in the 1990s.
(Ted Shaffrey, The Associated Press)
(New York)
"Under the new charges, the government alleges Gotti ordered the murders of two men who got in the way of his cocaine trafficking business."
Also in court was Curtis Sliwa, who prosecutors say was kidnapped and shot on orders of Gotti in the early 1990s.
He is hoping Gotti is put behind bars permenently.
(Curtis Sliwa, Anti Crime Advocate)
"As a result of negotiations over price that went awry, these two guys were whacked on the ordres of John Gotti Junior and so he's going to have to stand and face trial with a number of individuals who were involved in following out his orders who are obviously eating the parmesan cheese of Team America and are going to testify against their very dear former leader."
The government says they will not seek the death penalty against Gotti.
Gotti's lawyer says he will seek to delay the start of the trail until November to prepare a defense against the new charges.
Ted Shaffrey, The Associated Press, New York

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