The federal racketeering case against Bonanno boss Joseph Massino (left) has all the earmarks of an encore performance of “Donnie Brasco,” the hit movie about the undercover work of FBI agent Joe Pistone that took place a quarter century ago.

Last week, the feds charged Massino with the 1982 murder of Anthony Mirra, a Bonanno soldier whom Pistone, while playing the role of a jewel thief, had suggested whacking.  The feds also charged a family associate, Ronald (Monkey Man) Filocomo, with aiding Massino in the storied 1981 murder of capo Dominick (Sonny Black) Napolitano, one of the mobsters who befriended Pistone/Brasco and allowed him into Bonanno clubhouses.

Remarkably, despite the defection of six Bonanno wiseguys in recent months, the only substantial charges the feds have lodged against Massino, who has been family boss for more than a decade, are these two mob hits – both of which took place more than 20 years ago.

Massino, 60, is also charged with loansharking, and running a variety of illegal gambling businesses – a seasonal baccarat game, a sports betting operation and the distribution of joker poker machines in restaurants and bars in the Metropolitan area – mild stuff by comparison.

Massino’s lawyer, David Breitbart, who represented the only defendant to be acquitted of all charges in a 1982 trial based on Pistone’s work, said: “Six informants and Joe Pistone and the best they can make out are two 22 year-old homicides. We’re ready for trial. We’re convinced the result will be the same as the first time I cross examined Pistone.”

In court papers, federal prosecutors Greg Andres and Mitra Hormozi have

alleged that Napolitano and Mirra were whacked, at least in part, as retribution for allowing Pistone (right) to infiltrate the Bonanno family from 1976 through 1981.

Mirra, 60, was shot to death at a lower Manhattan parking garage on Feb. 18, 1982, several months before five Bonanno soldiers and associates went to trial on racketeering and murder conspiracy charges stemming from Pistone’s undercover work.

At trial, Pistone conceded he told Benjamin (Lefty Guns) Ruggiero “why don’t we just kill him” during a discussion about Mirra, but insisted that he said it to “maintain” his credibility in his Brasco role and “knew (Ruggiero) wouldn’t kill him on my encouragement.”

At the time of the conversation, which Pistone taped and turned over to his superiors, Mirra and “Brasco” had been engaged in a feud over what defense lawyers charged were narcotics sales by the undercover detective never reported to the FBI. Pistone insisted the dope deals were concocted by an undercover police officer as part of their cover.

In real life, Napolitano was killed and Ruggiero was convicted of racketeering and sentenced to 15 years. In the movie, which starred Johnny Depp (left) as Pistone/Brasco and Al Pacino (right) as Lefty Guns, the Ruggiero character gets whacked at the end.

Meanwhile, sources said, FBI agents have warned the Bonannos “not even to think about” retaliating against any relatives of capo Frank (Curly) Lino, whose defection against Massino – an open secret for weeks – has split the Lino family. Lino’s cousin, Robert Lino Jr., is a Massino codefendant charged with a 1990 murder; Lino’s son Joseph has, sources said, disowned his father, while another son with no crime family ties, has expressed support for his father’s decision.

In 1992, Luchese gangsters tried to kill the sister of a capo who defected – family leaders lost respect of their peers as a result – but that was an exception to a rule that American mobsters have lived by since Joe Valachi became the first Mafia turncoat in 1962.

But during the time that Salvatore (Sammy Bull) Gravano was living openly in Arizona – and the Gambinos were plotting to kill him – some area wiseguys were pushing to change the rule, according to top DeCavalcante turncoat Vincent (Vinny Ocean) Palermo. (left)

At the trial of three New Jersey mobsters convicted yesterday of racketeering and murder – consigliere Stefano Vitabile, capos Philip Abramo and Giuseppe (Pino) Schifilliti – Palermo said that when he was serving as the family’s acting boss, “a few members of different families were talking about changing the rule” and permitting retribution against relatives.

The rule stayed in place, and Palermo never gave his feelings about killing wives and children of turncoats, but testified that two New Jersey wiseguys, Frank Polizzi and Jake Amari, told him “we should do what they do in Italy…. kill the whole family.”

Lawyer Michael Coiro Dies at 72

Michael Coiro, a colorful mob lawyer who defended a young John Gotti, an older Jimmy (The Gent) Burke, and years later was convicted of obstructing justice in a drug probe of Gene Gotti, died of congestive heart failure in Las Vegas on May 23. He was 72.

The Brooklyn-born Coiro, who could have been a model for the Joe Pesci character in “My Cousin Vinny,” was affectionately known during his heyday as “Uncle Mike” by young lawyers and sandlot football players he coached in Middle Village, Queens.

“He was a good friend and gave me an important start in my career,” said lawyer Gerald Shargel. “Unfortunately, he was never able to have kids of his own and took a liking to young lawyers. He was a warm, decent guy who fell victim to a whole lot of bad luck.”

Convicted of obstructing justice on November 30, 1989, Coiro was overheard that night on an FBI bug reporting the verdict to John Gotti, and, after being called to testify at the Dapper Don’s 1992 trial, was convicted of perjury. Sentenced to a total of 17 years, he was released in 1998.

“Through him, I met Jimmy Burke, John Gotti, and the boys from Brooklyn and the boys from Queens. It gave me a chance to develop my own reputation, first as an appeals lawyer, then as a trial lawyer,” said Shargel.

 “The thing about Mike, he was fantastic trial lawyer. I remember a case in the mid-1980s when he was under indictment. It was a multi-defendant case and he had one of the best cross examinations I ever saw. I remember Judge (Whitman) Knapp telling him that.”

Coiro is survived by his wife Stephanie, and a sister, Nancy Tarangelo.

Mob Star: The Story of John Gotti

Mob Star: The Story of John Gotti – the book it took yours truly and Gene Mustain 17 years to do – tells the complete saga of John Gotti, from his treacherous rise to his defiant downfall. Although we didn't know it at the time, we began working on "Mob Star" in 1985, when we began covering the Gotti story as news reporters.

The first edition came out in 1988, and we finished this new edition three days before Gotti died in June 2002. We added a postscript, and Alpha Books has distributed it to the nation's bookstores.

With a 40,000-word update, the new edition contains the entire Gotti saga right up to his time in prison and his death from throat cancer.

The 378 page, full-size book uses eight additional chapters, a prologue and an epilogue to complete the story we began telling (better than any other reporters, we might add!) when we covered the Gotti-orchestrated, midtown Manhattan assassination of former Gambino boss Paul Castellano.

For the last and best words on Gotti, this is the book to have. It is specially priced at Amazon.com at $11.87, more than five bucks off the suggested retail price.

    Not Really For Idiots

Whether you're a Gang Land regular or an occasional visitor, you'll enjoy  "The Complete Idiot's Guide to The Mafia," a book I wrote for Alpha Books. It's filled with real stuff about real wiseguys and insight about the ways that mobsters make their money. It's 343 pages of true stories of life and death, honor and betrayal. Get it at your local book store, or at Gang Land's favorite, Amazon.com, where the powers that be have knocked the price down to $13.27, so low I am concerned that the Godfather of online booksellers has forgotten about my end.