After three mistrials in a year, federal prosecutors said Friday that they will not pursue a fourth racketeering trial against John “Junior” Gotti, the legendary mob boss’s son.
“A retrial of defendant John A. Gotti on the pending indictment is not in the interests of justice in light of the three prior hung juries in the case,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia.
Garcia said the court had signed prosecution paperwork filed Thursday “which ends this prosecution.”
Gotti was charged with ordering the botched kidnapping of Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, who almost died in the 1992 attack.
Sliwa was outraged by the decision and said he would sue Gotti.
“John Gotti was given a gift he didn’t deserve,” Sliwa said.
Gotti’s defense attorney, Charles Carnesi, did not return a phone call left at his office seeking comment.
Gotti, 42, was free on $7 million bail while awaiting the government’s decision on his legal future. The son of the late Gambino family boss John Gotti claimed he had walked away from organized crime.
The most recent trial ended Sept. 28, with yet another deadlocked jury. In September 2005, a jury deadlocked 11-1 in favor of conviction; this spring, a second jury deadlocked 11-1 in favor of acquittal.