Sammy Gravano's mugshot from 1990

Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano (born March 12, 1945) was underboss of the Gambino family in the 1980s under John Gotti. Originally a "capo" for the Brooklyn sector of the Gambinos, he was contacted by John Gotti once the plan to murder Paul Castellano was contrived. Gravano would play a key role in Gotti's bid to murder Castellano and become the new Gambino boss. Weighing his options, and seeing there was "something in it for him", he teamed with Gotti to kill Castellano in 1985. This dramatic murder would elevate Gravano's position in the family to underboss, under the new Don, John Gotti. Sammy Gravano, Mafia informant and former associate of John Gotti This work is copyrighted. ... Al Capone. ... 1990 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 12 is the 71st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (72nd in Leap years). ... 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Gambino Crime Family is a criminal organization based in New York City, New York, USA within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known familiarly as the Mafia (also known as La Cosa Nostra). ... // Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 1960s and 1970s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... John Gotti John Gotti (October 27, 1940 – June 10, 2002) (also known as The Dapper Don and The Teflon Don) was the boss of the Gambino crime family, New Yorks largest mafia family, and one of the most feared. ... Constantino Paul Castellano (June 20, 1915 – December 16, 1985), better known as Paul Castellano, was a mafia boss in New York. ... 1985 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 1991, after he was arrested as a result of a major FBI operation against the Gambino Family, Gravano famously turned state's evidence and testified against Gotti in exchange for a reduced sentence. John Gotti received life imprisonment. Gravano, who confessed to taking part in nineteen murders, was convicted of a token racketeering charge and sentenced to five-years. 1991 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a Federal police force which is the principal investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ... Organized crime is crime carried out systematically by formal criminal organizations. ...

Gravano was released early and then entered the Witness Protection Program, but he left it in 1995 and relocated to Arizona. In February 2000 he was arrested and charged as the ringleader of an Ecstasy trafficking organization there. Gravano was convicted in October 2002 and is currently serving a 19-year sentence in Arizona. His wife, son, daughter and son-in-law were also imprisoned for their role in the drug ring, along with other gangsters. Ironically, Gravano's downfall was due to informers amongst his own associates. In the United States, the Witness Protection Program is established by the Witness Protection Act, which in turn sets out the manner in which the U.S. Attorney General may provide for the relocation and protection of a witness or potential witness of the federal government, or for a state... 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... State nickname: The Grand Canyon State, The Copper State Other U.S. States Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Governor Janet Napolitano Official languages English Only State Area 295,254 km² (6th)  - Land 294,312 km²  - Water 942 km² (0. ... February is the second month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2000 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), most commonly known today by the street name ecstasy, is a synthetic entactogen of the phenethylamine family whose primary effect is to stimulate the secretion of large amounts of serotonin as well as dopamine and noradrenaline in the brain, causing a general sense of openness, empathy... October is the tenth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... State nickname: The Grand Canyon State, The Copper State Other U.S. States Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Governor Janet Napolitano Official languages English Only State Area 295,254 km² (6th)  - Land 294,312 km²  - Water 942 km² (0. ...

On February 24, 2003, New Jersey state prosecutors announced they will pursue murder charges against Gravano for his alleged role in a 1980 slaying. February 24 is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... State nickname: The Garden State Other U.S. States Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Governor Richard Codey (acting) Official languages None defined Area 22,608 km² (47th)  - Land 19,231 km²  - Water 3,378 km² (14. ... 1980 is a leap year starting on Tuesday. ...

On July 9, 2002, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones released the CD A Jackknife to a Swan, which features the song "Mr. Moran," which is the alias used by Gravano while in the witness protection program. The song is all about Gravano. July 9 is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 175 days remaining. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Mighty Mighty Bosstones were a ska-core band from Boston, Massachusetts (Bosstones being a play on Boston). They are credited, along with bands such as Operation Ivy and The Suicide Machines, with creating the ska-core genre, a form of ska punk that mixes to various degrees elements of... A Jackknife to a Swan is an album by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. ...

External Links and Sources

• The Smoking Gun: Gravano's mug shot and short description
• CNN: FBI details Gotti's crooked goodbye