| THE
SOPRANOS REVISITED
After the latest mobster murder in an Italian restaurant in Carlton
in Melbourne I said on air that it was life being in New York in
the Mafia shootouts of the 1960s and 1970s.
And you look at the picture on Page One of The Australian today
and it looks like too many people have seen too many episodes of
The Sopranos on TV.
Family and associates of alleged killer Dominic “Mick”
Gatto are seen leaving court after he was charged with the murder
of Andrew Veniamin, alleged drug czar Carl Williams bodyguard, after
a brief altercation at la Procetta restaurant mid-afternoon Tuesday.
Veniamin’s execution was the 23rd underworld death in recent
years. As I said it is reminiscent of the old gang wars in New York.
I remember, when living there in the 60s and 70s and we held a
farewell party for The Happy Hooker, Xaviera Hollander – New
York’s most notorious madam. She was being deported to Canada.
Around 4 o’clock in the morning our double-decker bus full
of journos and Hollander acquaintances ended up at a joint called
Umberto’s Clam House in Little Italy – a notorious hangout
for mobsters in downtown Manhattan.
It had been in the news a week before because a gangster called
Crazy Joe Gallo had been shot dead there in front of his ten-year-old
daughter at her birthday party.
A bit like some of the recent executions in front of kids here.
The night we were there somebody knocked over a chair and the back
hit the marble floor with a loud “crack”. Suddenly I
was the only person standing up. Waiters, bartenders, customers,
dived under tables. Welcome to Carlton.
And while we are talking about the latest shooting – some
intriguing questions.
Karl Williams claimed he dropped Veniamin off at his home after
the DNA court case for another alleged killer Victor Brincat.
He said that he didn’t know “Benji” was going
to Carlton. How come he turned up so fast and ended up commandeering
a car and then hiding in a service station toilet?
He says Veniamin wasn’t carrying a gun. How did he know He
claimed his bodyguard never carried a gun. And pigs don’t
fly.
If I were Williams I wouldn’t be racing out to buy a new
shirt. Unless he wants a crisp, clean one for his own funeral.
Thursday, March 25, 2004
©Copyright
Derryn Hinch 2004
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