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Criminal Justice

Court: Son Can’t Represent Dad in Gambino Case

Posted Mar 28, 2008, 04:00 pm CDT
By Molly McDonough

With a decision that came as a surprise to both sides, a federal judge in Brooklyn ruled Thursday that the son of a reputed Gambino consigliere can't represent his father at his racketeering trial.

U.S. District Judge Jack B. Weinstein made the ruling without hearing testimony from Lewis Kasman, the self-described "adopted son" of the late mob boss John "Dapper Don" Gotti, the New York Daily News reports.

The ruling leaves Joseph "JoJo" Corozzo to scramble for new counsel.

"I make this ruling very reluctantly," Newsday reports Weinstein saying. The just reportedly praised Joseph Corozzo as one of the "most brilliant lawyers in New York City."

The lawyer Corozzo was disqualified because he has a past lawyer-client relationship with one of the government witnesses in his father's case. Weinstein did not address any allegations that Corozzo was an arm of any crime family or involved in any criminal activity, Newsday reports.

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