Table of Contents
This book is dedicated to all the outstanding men and women in the FBI, past and present, who made and continue to make our world a much better and safer place in which to live.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The person who stood by my side and gave me the strength to persevere through a very difficult period in my life is my wife, Carolyn. Without her love and encouragement I would have suffered far more than I did. Similarly, my daughter Ann, and my brother Jay, provided love, understanding, and financial and legal assistance that was without precedent. These three were the finest support team anyone could have desired.
Significantly and equally valuable was my defense team of Doug Grover, Mark Bederow, and Ginnine Fried, who, with an unshakeable belief in my innocence, gave tirelessly of their time, expertise, and good office. To Jim Kossler, Andy Kurins, and Chris Mattiace I have nothing but the highest praise and admiration. They provided unselfishly of their time and know-how to make my trips to New York bearable. They conducted effective interviews of potential witnesses; got accurate and truthful information out to the public; and generated financial support to help with my legal costs. Long before my legal problems, these are men that I would go through any door with and literally trust with my life.
To Charlie Brandt, who watched every minute of the trial and believed in me from the start. Without his guidance and writing skills my time in the FBI and subsequent ill-conceived indictment could not have been so eloquently presented.
To two other writers whose significance and valor will become clear to the reader, thank you Jerry Capeci and Tom Robbins.
My heartfelt gratitude for their assistance in countless ways, and for their moral and financial support goes out to Geoff Doyle, Lou Stephens, Brian Taylor, Bill Carden, Joe Pistone, Pat Marshall, Bill Doran, Tom French, Denis Collins, Warren Flagg, Doug Corrigan, Tom Vinton, Craig Dotlo, Ken Brown, Jim Brennan, Dave Stone, Ken Steiger, Joe Fanning, and more than a thousand former and current FBI Special Agentsyou know who you are. Finally, to Kathleen Karelis, who provided additional legal counsel to my fine defense team and to longtime NYO Administrative Officer Nick Sacco, who tirelessly worked unseen defending my innocence.
RLD
Our literary agent Frank Weimann introduced me to Joe Pistone and we became friends for life. Nine months before Lins trial, Joe and I criticized Lins murder charges in three chapters in Joes book, Donnie Brasco: Unfinished Business. Joe recommended me to Lin for his book and I added another friend for life. Like Joe, Lin is a true American hero and one of the bravest and finest men Ive ever been privileged to know. No one can truly know what Lin has gone through or how magnificently he has handled it. I echo Lins thoughts about Carolyn. Her good humor and support helped make the trial bearable for everyone. I echo Lins comments regarding Capeci, Robbins, his outstanding legal team and especially his former FBI colleagues who were indispensable to Lins cause and to the writing of this book. This was truly a Shakespearean band of brothers in action. Working on this book with Lin, his legal team, and his brothers was an honor. Our goal was to give Lin back his reputation.
Our editor, Denise Silvestro, and her assistant, Meredith Giordan, were top-notch and had their hearts in everything they did.
Finally, and as always to Nancy, my wife, and first line editor in my writing and in my life, and to our children and grandchildren.
CB
THE JOB INTERVIEW
SEPTEMBER 25, 1984
Mary Bari leaned right up to her mirror. Was she wearing too much eye shadow and eyeliner? Mary didnt want her eye makeup to rob attention from the all-natural glow of her large brown eyes. But as she knew too well, for a girl to work in a social club the made men in the Colombo Family expected the cosmetic works. The hippy look never caught on past a certain age, at least not in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. All the young Italian girls in the neighborhood got made up and took good care of their hair. She smiled at her image and dabbed My Sin perfume behind each ear.
Mary touched her hands to her petite hips and swiveled sideways. She was satisfied with the way her black halter top snugly clung to her shapely breasts and how her studded wide leather belt accented her slim waist and drew attention to her shapely legs in designer jeans. Thirty-one-year-old Mary was stunning, way better looking than Allie Boys middle-aged wife.
Im not being catty, Mary thought, but that woman had her day, and even in her day she wasnt exactly worth bragging about. Im not getting any younger either, for that matter. Even though everybody says I look the youngest of anybody out there. Her and me both gave Allie Boy the best years of our lives. But no way shes ending up with him.
Ill raise holy hell, Mary thought. You know what? You can push me only so far. Its about time these people did something for me. They can afford it.
In a flash Mary imagined that For Sale sign planted in the front lawn of her boyfriend Allie Boy and his wifes house. Ever since she first heard that Allie Boy Persicos house was going up for sale, the image of a Cantalupo Realty sign haunted her like crazy. She got the story about them selling the house from her girlfriend who got it from her second cousin who worked right inside the Colombo Family real estate agency that controlled Bensonhurst. The Colombo Family made it so you had to be Italian to buy a house in their territory.
Mary Bari had lived her whole life in Bensonhurst in Colombo Family territory.
You know what, Mary thought, I know for a fact what shes up to. I should have told his brother Junior everything. Shes selling their house and moving someplace out of the way like Florida. That way he can sneak in and be with her. And like what do I get out of the deal? Hell spend all his time on the lam in Floridawith her and their precious grandchildren with their Confirmations and Communions. And whos the one whos been putting up with him being on the lam for four years already?
So what, I got some jewelry. Swag jewelry! Big deal. Im sure his wife gets the best swag. His goddamn crew used to bring me to see him, at least. Big deal. He has his fun. Then what? They bring me right back to the neighborhood. To nothing and nobody. I should have told Junior that.
I should have told his brother Junior everything. I should have told Junior Im scared too, you know, of Allie being sent back to jail.
When she first met him in 1969, Allie Boy was out of jail about two years. Mary was sixteen. Big, strapping, good-looking Allie Boy Persico spotted her and at once took a fancy to her. Allie Boy was forty, and hed been a made man in what they call the life his whole adult life. Hed spent eighteen years of the life in jail on a card game murder. The nights big winner made the mistake of falling asleep at the tableno doubt so he could stop playing and preserve his winnings. The guy stayed asleep at the table permanently.
Allie Boy had a youthfulness that comes from not drinking and carousing too much for eighteen years while youre in jail, and then from not having to work and get worn out when youre out of jail and from getting up whenever you feel like it. Allie Boy had the big-shot flair that goes with being a made man and the adviser, the consigliere, to his kid brother, Junior, the big Boss of the whole Colombo Family. Junior Persico was a puny man compared to his older brother. Junior had perpetual bags under his eyes and his whole face seemed to sag from the weight of his responsibilities. But in their world in Bensonhurst you didnt get any bigger than Junior Persico. Maybe if Allie Boy hadnt been in jail all those years he would have been Boss of the Colombos. After all, he was the older brother. Dont let the name fool you. In Bensonhurst, if your name was the same as an older relative or family friend, you stood a good chance of having Boy attached to your name. Junior Persico named one of his sons after his brother Allie Boy and that son had become known as Little Allie Boy. He would be Boss somedayJunior planned.
