The rat? Junior Gotti's ex-henchman and ex-bouncer, Willie Marshall who under
heavy guard, appeared as a government witness in Manhattan Federal Court for a trial related to Gotti's upcoming racketeering trial.

According to Marshall, "Defoe [Construction] was required to make a payment of
$50,000 to John Jr.," Marshall said, offering the first public
testimony ever by a mob insider directly implicating Junior Gotti in
a specific crime. "It's more or less a contribution to show he's
onboard, he's with the family."

Marshall's testimony came in the trial of four members of a
minority coalition that allegedly helped the Gambino crime family
extort money and no-show jobs from contractors.

Prosecutors allege Gotti runs the Gambino crime family for his
imprisoned-for-life father, John (Dapper Don) Gotti.

Marshall is expected to testify in February's trial of the younger
Gotti, who faces charges including shaking down contractors and
pocketing cash from the Manhattan strip club Scores.

Questioned for five hours by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mylan
Denerstein, Marshall made clear the younger Gotti was at the top
of one of the nation's largest crime families.

He recalled a dispute about whether the Gambino or Genovese
crime family "controlled" Defoe, and claimed a Gambino soldier,
Greg DePalma, "was acting under orders from John (Junior) Gotti
to handle the situation."

Marshall said DePalma was ordered to instruct Defoe that they
were with the Gambino family, and that the company must pay
$50,000 in "tribute."

"Did Defoe have a choice about making a payment to John Jr.?"
asked Denerstein.

"No," said Marshall.

Marshall also aired his dirty laundry, admitting his life of crime
began when he was still a student at Lincoln High School in
Yonkers.

As he climbed the Mafia ladder, he beat loanshark victims bloody,
engaged in a shootout on the Saw Mill River Parkway, and even
blew up a dry-cleaning shop that had fallen into disfavor with one
of his Mafia pals, he said.

He also admitted lying during testimony in a previous state case in
which he was acquitted on charges of extorting money from the
owner of a Westchester County nightclub, Colours.

"Why did you want to extort him?" Denerstein asked.

"He had money?" Marshall replied.

-- Midknight - 11/11/98