Gonna Walk That Walk? Gotti Bets He'll Beat Rap Again

Even as the odds against him mounted, John Gotti declared yesterday that the courtroom dice will fall his way once again.

The gambling don, while pausing now and then during a break in his trial to comment on people as diverse as Mike Tyson, Bill Clinton and Joseph Doherty, threw plenty of darts at the prosecutor, the judge and the FBI.

In the wide-ranging 40-minute talkathon, Gotti was alternately pointed and mockingly funny as he predicted his fourth trial in seven years will end with him walking out the door a free man.

"We're going to beat this," he said.

He was speaking to co-defendant Frank LoCascio, but the remark also was intended for a Daily News reporter and federal personnel seated in a conference room waiting for the judge and lawyers to resume jury selection.

LoCascio complained that the prosecutor in their racketeering case, John Gleeson, was "worse than (former President Richard) Nixon" with "his lies and dirty tricks" and that Gleeson has "political ambitions."

"He won't after this case," Gotti replied.

Complaint about judge

Earlier, LoCascio had complained about Brooklyn Federal Judge I. Leo Glasser disqualifying four defense lawyers on conflict-of-interest grounds and for allegedly being house counsel to the mob.

This launched Gotti on a tirade in which he said Gleeson should be disqualified the way Gotti's main defense lawyer, Bruce Cutler, was.

"Conflict?" he said, pointing toward Gleeson's empty chair, "He's the one with the conflict; he's had one the last eight years. you know how they say I'm Bruce's only client the last eight years? Well, I'm (Gleeson's) only case.

"This guy, you know what he says to his wife when he gets up in the morning? 'Hi ya, John.'"

Gleeson was co-prosecutor in Gotti's first racketeering trial in Brooklyn in 1986. Since then, he has prosecuted several cases against members of the Gambino crime family that Gotti allegedly heads.

More details sought

"This guy learned how to talk by listening to my voice. I'd like to have a bug on these guys for about three hours," Gotti said, referring to the numerous government wiretaps of Gotti's conversations.

Gotti's winning prediction came on the same day his lawyers were in court seeking more details on crimes that seemingly raise the odds against Gotti--the six new murders the government has added to the case in recent weeks.

But, waiting for the judge and the lawyers, Gotti wore a game face. When not attacking Gleeson or the government, he was upbeat and cordial, sometimes in a mocking way.

Under a pool arrangement, a Daily News reporter was the only media representative in the room.

Surveying the polished and plush furniture in the room, Gotti said: "If I had stuff like this, they (the government) would use it as evidence of the Mafia and organized crime."

At one point, he asked LoCascio how heavyweight fighter Mike Tyson was doing in his rape trial in Indianapolis.

When LoCascio replied that it seemed to him that the accuser's motive was money, Gotti said, referring to accusations made by Gennifer Flowers against Democratic presidential contender Bill Clinton, "Same thing with Clinton."