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"Oh, Judge, the co-defendant's glaring at me. Hello. How does that sound? . . . there's
seventeen lawyers and seventeen defendants and everybody else is going -- almost everybody else -- is going along with the
program and here comes Steve LaCheen to go to the Judge and say, Judge, Philip Leonetti is drawing pictures of dead rats and
checking off my name on a thing. " - Steve LaCheen, Defence Attorney  During the Scarfo trial of the 80's, Phillip Leonetti, (pictured, sitting to the left) was already a man in conflict.
Many say he had already made up his mind to lie his way out of jail. This did not stop the young man from keeping up with
his tough guy image, and he often tormented the very people that were paid to represent him, the defence attorneys. Apparently,
Mr. LaCheen, defence attorney for , and Mr. Leonetti, had been going at it for weeks, right in the courtroom. Leonetti seemed
to have shook up the defence attorney by telling him, "I have orders to kill you if you make another objection." The defence
team was getting frustrated by LaCheens constant objections, and were starting to fear they were made to look bad in front
of the easily impressionable jury of their peers. Although even LaCheen acknowledged that most of the threats were
made in good fun, Leonetti took it as far to write down a "hitlist", and check the attorney's name off while glaring at him.
The defence attorny was somewhat shook up, as he tryed to act relaxed in front of the other, more experienced "mob" attorneys
who were used to Leonetti's morbid sence of humor. By the time Leonetti( Pictured LEFT in the middle) started drawing
cartoon dead rats at the defence table, LaCheen was already somewhat used to the off-beat tactics of his client's codefendant
and alleged mob superior, although they still made him squirm in his seat.  Eventually, the arguments between Leonetti and LaCheen escalated untill Phil allegedly told some of his codefendants,
"I just want to get aquitted so I can give Mr. LaCheen and his client, Mr. Pungitore, a good beating". Mr. Leonetti
never got the aquital, and Mr. LaCheen never got the beating. "Crazy Phil" was found guilty, and within a few hours of the
sentencing hearing, he was sitting in an uncomfortable chair in an FBI field office, telling everything he knew to anyone
who would listen. Cooperating about things he knew is one thing, but many say Leonetti went below the belt when he
offered information on "the apple" AKA New York City. Many people to this day say Leonetti "lied his ass off" about everything
he said about New York. People say that while John Gotti did have a big mouth, he NEVER admitted to ANYONE that he was involved
in the murder of Paul Castellano. The very idea that John Gotti bragged to Scarfo and Co. about the murder remains
something of heavy dispute. Even wiretaps show that John Gotti never admitted to the Castellano hit in front of his alleged
co conspirators, so why would John Gotti make such a blatant ommission in front of younger, out-of-town mobster he barely
knew named "Crazy Phil"?
3 REASONS WE WILL ALWAYS RESPECT THE LEGEND OF ANGELO BRUNO
(#1) Angelo Bruno had class.Take the situation involving the Kennedy's.
When jewish associate Willie Wiesberg went on a rant about killing John F. Kennedy- Willie Weisberg: "With
Kennedy, a guy should take a knife, like one of them other guys, and stab and kill the bastard, where he is now. Somebody
should kill the bastard. I mean it. This is true. Honest to God. It's about time to go. But I tell you something. I hope I
get a week's notice. I'll kill. Right in the fucking White House." Angelo bruno Responds cooly with the following: Angelo Bruno: "Look, Willie, do you
see there was a King, do you understand, And he found out that everybody was saying that he was a bad king. This is an old
Italian story. So, there was an old wise woman about 140 years old. So, he figured. Let me go talk to the old wise woman.
She knows everything. So he went to the old wise woman. So he says to her. I came here because I want your opinion.
He
says, do you think I'm a bad king. She says, no, I think you are a good king. He says, well how come everybody says I'm a
bad king? She says because they are stupid. They don't know. He says, well how come, why do you say I'm a good king.
Well, she said, I knew your great grandfather. He was a bad king. I knew your grandfather- He was worse. I knew your
father. He was worse than them. You, you are worse than all of them, but your son, if you die, your son is going to be worse
than you. So it's better to be with you."
(#2) Angelo Bruno was old school.
Take the following wire-tap from February 17, 1962:
Maggio: He wants Edgar Hoover out of the FBI-because he is a fairy, you know he is a fairy, I heard this before.
Angelo Bruno: Who?
Maggio: Edgar Hoover is a fairy.
Angelo Bruno: Who would ever listen to that bullshit.
(#3) Angelo Bruno had a sence of humor.
When Angie started having health problems, he was often admitted to different hosptials in the area. One time, when he
found himself bunked next to a screaming elderly woman on the seventh floor of the Pennsylvania Hospital, he made the best
of it.
Angelo had sat through a full night of listening to his 96 year old hospital roomate screaming the name "Mary Stuart,
MARY STUART!" over and over again. After putting up with the screaming for as long as he could, eventually he threw on the
hostipal bathrobe and walked over to see what all the comotion was about beyond the curtain.
When Angelo boldly entered the private room, the woman stopped screaming, sat upright, and gave him a especially dirty
look.
She asked, "Just who do you think you are?"
Angelo replied, "Why, I'm Mary Stuart."
 One look at Salvatore "Salvie" Testa and you realize he was more than the son of "the Chicken Man", Salvie was clearly
his own man. Rather than slicking his hair straight back or to the side, Sal wore his wavy dark hair grown out over
his ears in typical 70's style. He was obviousely less concerned about looking or acting the part as he was at BEING the part.
The guy even played tennis! Take his clothing; While Salvie did wear the classic mob track-suits and double breasted
suits on some occasions, he was also known to wear a 10 gallen Cowboy hat and leather cowboy boots while strolling about his
business, a style he seemed to have inherited from his father (RIGHT), who was also known to wear the same style hats.  What a picture Salvie was, pearing up from under his cowboy hat with his dark, emotionless eyes, scary enough
to make the papparazzi question the safety of their chosen proffession. Salvie had the ability to look like a great white
shark. The worst part is, were not even exaggerating; anyone who has seen the man in person, or the old press footage, knows
exactly what were talking about. When the press would photograph Salvie or the people around him, he would scowl exactly like
the monster previousely described.
Many of his father Phil's associates had to be a little shook up when they were told he was "sending his son Salvie over
to come and see them". Just ask the Riccobene faction of the 80's, the group the Goverment alleges was at war with Salvie.
Take
the example of the tragic story of the Riccobene kid, Enrico, 27 at the time of his death, who had the misfortune of being
the nephew of the faction leader, and also ran a small jewelry store in South Philadelphia.
When Salvie was targeted
for murder by the Riccobenes, and survived more than a couple attempts on his life, he started a campaign to torment many
weaker members of the faction, including Enrico. Enrico Riccobene began recieving calls at his store, an almost familiar voice
yelling into the phone, "Meet with Sal Testa, or do the job yourself!".
Do the job himself is exactly what the kid
did, and he was found dead on Dec. 16, 1983. After Enrico was found dead, Testa was said to have bragged, "Were so tough,
we don't even have to do the work ourselves anymore, they do it for us!" 
Eventually Salvie Testa's luck ran out, and after the Riccobene family quietly withdrew from the war(white flags were
said to have been hung from Riccobene hang-outs) he found himself as the target of murder from his own people. Salvie was
eventually found on the side of a New Jersey back road wrapped in a blanket, tyed with road- "cowboy style". (RIGHT)
As
for the reasons Mr. Testa's friends eventually turned on him, their remains many theories:
Some in Philadelphia
say that Salvie was drug dealing on the side with the blacks of North and West Philadelphia, and not kicking any of the money
up the latter. The JBM, aka the Junior Black Mafia, was a money-making power house of that time, controlling most of the hard
drugs that were being sold in the open air drug markets of Philadlephia. An alliance with such a group could have provided
all the fire power Salvie needed in order to take over the Philadlephia underworld in some type of bloody, B-grade action
movie sequence (think Christopher Walken as Frank White, in the cult classic "King of New York").
Other attibute a Wallstreet Journal article that not only attracted a lot of heat to the young man and his friends,
but was said to make many higher-ups paranoid about a eventual takeover by the ambitious young man. Salvie was said to have
grown "too big for his britches" and had become a "walking liability".
Whatever people say about the late and great
Salvatore Testa, he will always be remembered as a one of kind, live for the day, true South Philly soldier.
Salvie
would have turned 52 this year.
 Meet Martin Taccetta, a man the goverment has managed to convict on a murder charge that even
the top turncoat involved in the case doesnt beleive he committed. A lot of people
have been screaming "Frame Job" for a while, and it seems like their actually might be something to it. For one thing, the
informants involved, Phil Leonetti, Tommy Ricciardi, and Anthony Acceturro have all made conflicting statements involving
this murder, and a related extortion. Marty
even obtained an FBI memo that clearly noted that Taccetta was no involved or on the scene when the murder of Vincent Craporatta.
What is especially scary is that if what Taccetta supporters allege is true, than the Federal Goverment knowingly put turncoats
on the stand to provide false information, contridicted by their own memos.The
Federal Goverment has also been accused of lying about the address of a witness, so the defence couldnt find him, or properly
prepare themselves for his testimony. The Prosecution claimed it misunderstood the defence's
request, and thought they were asking for prior address  As a neautral party, PhillyMobSpot.com has not made up our mind
whether we beleive Taccetta was involved in the 1984 murder of Vincent Craporatta. What we do know....... Marty certainly loves his mother !
 " Mob" Funerals are a funny thing. Respect for the dead is what they are supposed to represent,
yet many have more camera's flashing than a Paris Hilton nipple Slip. What is it about the Goverment where they cant take
a freaking break?The problem is, they make for pretty good pictures. Forget that someon's life has passed,
who could forget the pictures of Carlo Gambino's Coffin being surrounded by the entire city of New York, or in Philadelphia,
the pictures of Angelo Bruno's Pallbearers looking somber as they struggled with the coffin (Top Left). 
Some "Mob" funerals have allegedly meant much more than just a celebration of life, many
signify change. According to the Federal Goverment, On the day of Phillip Testa's funeral (right), Nicky Scarfo was forced
to skip the ceremony, and take trip to New York to pick a new leader. So much for paying your respects. Im sure he had his
reasons.
As flakey as funerals can be for normal people, the same goes for these alleged "mafioso".
They are a place to see and be seen as much as anything. Many people see these funerals as a chance to show their face and
be seen. Some woman smile under tears at a chance to wear a certain black dress, or a vailed jet-black hat.
As the family members role their eyes in disgust, the somber fashion show continues, and
often carries out into the street(below-Phil Testa Funeral).
 Before you think the life of an alleged wiseguy is all fun and games, picture your mother at
your funeral, being blinded by some Feds cheap flash.
Many people justify this lack of respect in death, for the accused lack of respect of the
law. The law justifys their actions as the following: What about the real victoms, the thousands of people that suffer directly
and indirectly at the hands of suspected wiseguys and other organised crime figures.
If taking a couple pictures at a funeral helps the FBI understand the structure of the
criminal enterprise, then respect aside, the FBI will do what they gotta do.
Over here at PhillyMobSpot.com, were not sure how we feel about the topic, but we will
continue to "do what we gotta do", to accurately report both sides of the story.
Over here at PhillyMobSpot.com, we gotta be honest, were not too sure how we feel about the Martarano
family.  They made some problems and some say the father got what he deserved. We do not share this opinion. We respect life, and consider
this another Philadelphia Tragedy.Nevertheless, we still felt a need to print
a letter, George Martarano, currently incarcerated, wrote about his Father, who was shot dead in 2002 on his way to a doctors
appointment in his late model lincoln towncar.In this letter, George hints that maybe his father died for a reason-so his son could be released. The way he sees it,
as long as the father was alive, he would never be released because the Law would always want him to testify about his Father
in order to get out from under the system.The letter Reads:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------My Friend,I received a touching letter about
my father from an old friend. After reading the letter, I decided to send him the words I spoke in 2002, the year my father
passed away due to street violence.
I spoke these words from the prison to the funeral home via the telephone. The good
warden had me brought to to an office. Just an empty office, a desk,one chair, one phone, no windows, and 4 cold walls. As
I delivered the eulogy, my voice was heard by my loved-ones and friends through little speaker-phones that had been set throughout
the room where my dads casket was present.  I needed to speak, have some sort of closer, I was 2000 miles away. Today, I have made up
my mind to share those words I spoke, the sorrow I felt then, and still feel today. I want people to know people with a past
such as I mine hurt too. Yes, we can feel pain just like you when we care about loved ones and friends, as I do.
So, since
it’s been 6 years since I spoke alone, in that spare office, I ask that you hear my voice-and remember, not all that
are caged are beast, some are human, as I…
(words George spoke that day)
“For many of you are asking the question, why did’nt he leave, leave Philly? I have asked myself this over
and over.”
“Then it hit me. It was the greatest sacrifice for a son, for me. He told me himself - by the last
court decision. A decision stating the same as all the rest. Talk or die in prison. He believed while he lived I would never
be released.”
“This Lion that lies before you had no choice but to remain and give up his own life the only
way an old lion knows how. And yes, in my heart, the very center of it, I believe this now, so much so, that this poem tells
it all…”
“LION LOVE LAST”
No
one can know of my life.For I am the old Lion left to roar.Here, in harsh land, I make myself seen and heard, again and again.And
yes, my legs are weak, yet I will not run.Alone, I am bound to roar against jackals the color of dung.So Forgive me now, pain
has slowed my claw.Forgive me now… ’tis time this old Lion must fall.Thus, to all, to all, only kneel before God
and remember this old Lion’s roar…George-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------George
Martarano is currently serving one of the longest federal sentences for a nonviolent offense in America. Poor George. Anyone
interested in the FREE GEORGE MARTARANO movement can get more information from http://www.freegeorge.us/. Dont tell them we sent you.
 Poor Phillip Testa. He didnt look like most would describe as a "mafia boss". With a
thick mustache, bad skin, and blue-collar clothing, Mr. Testa looked more like a badly dressed plummer than an "old world
don". He was close with old-timer Angelo Bruno, and even closer with new-timer Nicky Scarfo.March 15,1981, Phillip threw his heavy hand around the door nob of his South Philly rowhouse only to be blown accross
the street by a nail bomb. He was killed instantly. A sad thing considering Testa was known as a mostly nonviolent, drugdealer-banning,
short time mob leader.  Over here at PhillyMobspot.com, we dont belive in the mafia, but if we did, Mr.
Testa would have been on our list as one of the better guys to work under. Calm and collected, testa often gets less credit
than he probably deserved. I know, Your wondering, "Hey, Why didnt he bring up
the song?"Ok, Bruce Springteen wrote a song, "Atlantic City", and Mr. Testa
gets a dedication. You happy now toughguy?
MEET FRANK "CHICKIE" NARDUCCI- (PICTURED)
On January 7, 1982, Chickie took 10 bullets to the head and chest. He was a genuine tough
guy, bookmaker extrodinare, and a one-time driver of Angelo Bruno.
Chickie also ran the infamous Buckeye Club on 8th st in South Philadelphia, now the site
of a recording studio renamed after Frankie's club as "Buckeye Recording". 
Frank( RIGHT) was shot dead on his way home from another court apearance at the age of 49
Many say he got what he had coming. Some say Frank was behind the Nail-bomb death of Phillip
Testa, than the alleged Boss of the family. Many beleive Frank conspired to kill Testa with others, so he could take over
the family .
 Frank was survived by his 2 son's , who actually spent most of their time around the same man who many belive was behind their
father's murder, Mr. Salvatore Testa, son of the imfamous "Chickan Man".
Frank Narducci was denied a proper Roman Catholic funeral because his marriage was considered "invalid" by the church due
to no witnesses present at the time of the ceremony. Even if Frank had 200 witnesses, none of them would have talked, if they
did, the Catholic church could of probably thought of a few other reasons for the denial.
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