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Rating: 
Summary: Straight-Forward & Believable: Hoffa, the Mob, Kennedys
Review: A Straight-Forward and seemingly reliable Mob-insider's account by one of the LCN's top lawyers. Ragano is no name dropper, nor is he full of it. He was a top Lawyer for both Hoffa and Santo Trafficante from the late 50s through the 80s.The books explores the life of Tampa lawyer Ragano and his close relationship to Santo Trafficante. This is one of the few, if not only books, that examines the life of this shadowy, but important mobster who by his own and others' admission, was involved in planned or real assassinations of Castro and JFK. Ragano's account of his dealings with Hoffa and Trafficante and his association with a who's-who of Organized Crime personalities- Carlos Marcello, Luchesse, Gooodfellow's mobsters Henry Hill and Jimmy Burke, Sinatra, Alan Dorfman (who milked the Central States Pesnion fund for all it was worth) and others -- is told without nonsenes and in a fully credible way. Ragano is not a conspiracy nut, nor does he come across as one who makes up stories. Neither was Trafficante. So that is why when Ragano reveals what was told him by Trafficante about Hoffa's and JFK's murders, accounts which jive with other and most prevelant thoughts about those killings, I think he can be taken at his word. Clearly, it should come as no suprise that the Mafia was involved in those murders. And while not much is added to details of JFK's assassination, the death of Hoffa is clearly related, including the names of the triggermen and who ordered the hit. Unlike some mob-insider accounts I have read, where the subject's integrity is of little worth and the story sometimes hard to swallow, 'Mob Lawyer' is both profound, soul searching and entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: compelling!
Review: I read the book years ago and in my opinion the most compelling "insider" account of mafia mores...It is true that most true crime mafia tales are written by or with the help of mob members, hence the dubious veracity of some facts.(I was reminded of this book, as I just finished For the sins of my Father, written poignantly by Al Demeo, the son of a murderous mobster. We get to see another avenue in this certain world of horror.)
Mob Lawyer provides this same kind of insight, as Ragano was invited in to the mob world for a function, but he was not involved in the criminal activities.Extremely insightful.
Rating:
Summary: From his son.
Review: I was overwhelmed by the reviews, both positive and negative. The book only reveals some of the highlights of my
father's career. It captures the essence of what really transpired between Hoffa, Trafficante, and Marcello. He was in an unusual position to be able to represent all three of these men at once. According to my father, it was "tantamount to being counsel for General Motors." The book explores the uneasiness of trying to represent your clients zealously, yet ethically. In the end, though, he crossed the line of objectivity: Your never socialize with your clients, he would warn. When he was fighting Bobby Kennedy ("The General") in court, all too often he would refer to it as: "Their enemies became my enemies." The book reveals the inter-workings of a truly brilliant criminal defense attorney. It also shows how insightful these mafia chieftains were to the american public being exposed to drugs, particularly cocaine. This is later demostrated in John Gotti's interactions with the mob. I am very proud of him and I think he would be very proud of me, although I concentrate my practice in family law, where the clients are less difficult.
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