U:\Criminal Motions\Gotti.Sentencing.Letters.Wpd
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK ------------------------------------------------------------- UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, MEMORANDUM & ORDER Case No. 02-CR-606 -against- PETER GOTTI, ANTHONY CICCONE, also known as “Sonny,” RICHARD V. GOTTI, PRIMO CASSARINO, JEROME BRANCATO, also known as “Jerry,” RICHARD G. GOTTI, PETER PIACENTI, also known as “Pete 17,” RICHARD BONDI, FRANK SCOLLO, also known as “Red” and “the little guy,” VINCENT NASSO, also known as “Dr. Nasso,” JULIUS NASSO, also known as “Jules,” ANTHONY PANSINI, SALVATORE CANNATA, ANNA EYLENKRIG, THOMAS LISI, CARMINE MALARA and JEROME ORSINO, JR., Defendants. ------------------------------------------------------------- BLOCK, District Judge: Subsequent to the commencement of the sentencing proceeding of Peter Gotti on March 26, 2004, the Court received requests from members of the press to make public all sentencing letters the Court had received, which included letters from one Marjorie Alexander, whose name surfaced at the start of the proceeding when the Court identified her, as well as the defendant’s wife, and his son, Peter Gotti, Jr., as having 1 written such letters.1 Because the press is entitled to a response from the Court and because the manner in which the Court views and processes letters to the Court addressing the sentence of a convicted criminal defendant, and counsels’ responsibilities regarding such letters, are matters of public concern, the Court has decided to address these important matters in a written opinion. FACTUAL OVERVIEW I. The Sentencing Proceeding At the commencement of the sentencing proceeding on March 26th, which was a Friday, the Court announced that because of its complexity, the proceeding would not be completed that day.
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