In 1987, federal anti-mafia prosecutors seemed unstoppable. With the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), they had locked up four of five heads of New York's Cosa Nostra families. Only Gambino don John Gotti was left, and prosecutors were confident their string of informants and strong case would put Gotti and his six co-defendants behind bars.
Instead, the trial was a disaster for the government due to star witness John Cardinali. According to mafia historian Allan May's book "The Last Don," Cardinali nuked his credibility and the prosecution's case by revealing that Washington had paid him $10,000 for his testimony, for which he was happy to "lie, cheat, or steal." He also revealed federal prosecutors had refused his help in busting a major drug operation five years earlier, allowing the defense to argue that the feds were harassing Gotti while ignoring the bigwig criminals. Defense witness Matthew Traynor buried the plaintiffs with salacious accusations against prosecutor Diane Giacalone, claiming she gave witnesses drugs and offered Traynor her underwear for his self-pleasure.
Gotti, meanwhile, had a backup plan. Through Bruno Radonjich, head of the Irish syndicate known as "the Westies," Gotti's men paid juror George Pape $60,000 for a "not guilty" vote. Thus, at worst, Gotti would face a hung jury. Pape voted for immediate acquittal, leading to suspicions Gotti had threatened him — not bribed him, which provided cover for the corruption. The defendants walked, earning Gotti the nickname "the Teflon Don."
