Mobster Vinny Gorgeous Escapes Death Penalty…Gets Life in Prison

 

A Brooklyn federal jury gave mob boss Vincent “Vinny Gorgeous” Basciano a huge break today…when they waved the death sentence and handed over life in prison instead. It only took an hour and a half of deliberations for the jury to make their decision against Basciano, who was convicted last month of ordering the murder of an insubordinate gang associate, Randy Pizzolo, in 2004. Would you prefer life being locked up like that or just going right then? Let us know in the comments and read on for details about Vinny!!

@MarisaMendez

(NY Post) – The hit was put out by Basciano from his jail cell, where was already serving a life sentence for another murder.

Known as “Vinny Gorgeous” because he once owned the “Hello Gorgeous” beauty salon and is know for his immaculate coifs, Basciano smiled at jurors warmly and nodded his head at hearing the verdict.

Seconds before the jury gave him a reprieve from lethal injection, he turned to his family, smiled broadly and winked once.

Federal prosecutors had argued that Basciano deserved to die for his crime.

Allowing Basciano to live would permit the wiseguy to continue his “cold-blooded and remorseless life in the Mafia” while continuing to orchestrate crimes during his incarceration, Assistant US Attorney Jack Dennehy said.

“This defendant won’t stop — he won’t leave the Bonanno crime family behind in prison,” the prosecutor said, telling the jury that the gangster poses “a future danger to society.”

The wiseguy’s defense attorneys countered that Basciano has already paid a high price for his crimes.

“Mr. Basciano will be imprisoned for the remainder of his life,” Richard Jasper, the defense attorney, told the jury. “You don’t have to kill him.”

The trial was filled with insights into Basciano’s colorful life.

A former Bonanno capo testified that Basciano took credit for Pizzolo’s murder by flashing a news photo of the dead man’s corpse.

“You owe me one,” Basciano allegedly said, as he held up a newspaper article about the hit.

Once Basciano took control of the Bonanno crime family, he became so paranoid about the government that he ordered his underlings to stop kissing each other on the cheek, a mob associate-turned-rat testified.

“We don’t kiss in public no more,” Gambina, 42, said a suddenly bashful Basciano told him.

“The government’s taking pictures,” Giuseppe “Joey” Gambina quoted Basciano as saying during his testimony.

Basciano, meanwhile, was concerned about his dress and food during the trial.

His lawyer George Goltzer petitioned the judge for his client to have a better lunch than the “one slice of bologna” he ate one day.

Judge Nicholas Garaufis responded, “The court has consulted with the US Marshal and the marshall agrees to accept for the defendant a sandwich each day, which must be purchased at the third-floor cafeteria.”

Basciano also asked for a wider selection of neckties to wear to court each day.