by TChris

When the government builds a case on the word of thugs turned snitches, it shouldn't be surprised at an outcome like this one:

In a startling setback to federal prosecutors, John A. Gotti, the Gambino crime family prince who said he wanted to leave the mob life behind and drive a minivan with his family, avoided conviction today in his racketeering trial, as the jury returned hung verdicts on three charges against him and voted to acquit him on a fourth.

The government says it will bring Gotti to trial again, but there's no reason to think its witnesses will become more trustworthy in the interim. Judge Shira A. Scheindlin rejected the government's request to detain Gotti until the second trial. That ruling only makes sense: having exposed the weaknesses in the government's case, Gotti has little reason to flee.