NEW YORK, Sept. 14 (UPI) -- John Gotti's fourth racketeering trial began Monday in New York with a judge known for keeping prosecutors and defense lawyers in line, authorities said.
U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel is overseeing Gotti's trial on charges of racketeering to engage in murder, drug-trafficking, extortion, bribery and loan-sharking.
Castel "is the classic, fair, neutral umpire," said Robert Giuffra Jr., a lawyer who has known Castel for more than 15 years.
Gotti , 45, is expected to use the same defense he used in three previous racketeering cases that ended in mistrials: that he withdrew from the Mafia by 1999 and, therefore, the statute of limitations had run out, The New York Daily News reported Monday.
In pretrial hearings, Castel was unmoved by reports that Gotti had kidney stones and should be let out on bail. Castel also cast a skeptical eye on allegations of new evidence against Gotti.
"That's it? ... I'm not finding very much that's new," Castel told prosecutors.
Gotti is the son of John J. Gotti, who led the Gambino crime family and died in prison in 2002.
