On this day, April 2, 1992, mob boss John Gotti was convicted of murder, dealing a serious blow to organized crime. Dubbed the “Teflon Don” for avoiding conviction, Gotti also was known for his outspoken personality and flamboyant style that made him a favorite of the New York tabloids. Gotti rose through the ranks of the Gambino crime family and seized power after ordering the 1985 murder of then-boss Paul Castellano outside a Manhattan steakhouse. Gotti finally went down when the FBI taped him discussing a number of murders including Castellano’s. The FBI also caught him denigrating his underboss, Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano. Gravano made a deal with the government and testified to committing 19 murders, 10 of them sanctioned by Gotti. The Teflon Don was sentenced to life in prison. On June 10, 2002, Gotti died of throat cancer at age 61. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn announced that it would not permit the Gotti family to have a Mass of Christian Burial, but changed its mind and allowed the Mass after he was buried.
