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Mob hit man out of the closet: Robert Mormando is gay and regrets life of
crime, his lawyer says
Tuesday, October 20th 2009, 4:00 AM
Mob hit man Robert Mormando stunned a veteran Brooklyn judge Monday when he renounced his
membership in La Cosa Nostra and - for good measure -
acknowledged he was gay.
"That's the first time I've heard this in court," Federal Judge Jack Weinstein said of the mobster's renunciation
of his blood oath.
"I've asked many Mafia members and they've always refused," added Weinstein
who was appointed to the bench in 1967 by President Lyndon Johnson.
Mormando, 44, a divorced father of two sons, was being sentenced for
participating in the shooting of Queens bagel store owner Angelo Mugnolo, who was wounded in the driveway of
his Howard Beach home in 2003
The rubout was ordered by Vincent Gotti, the younger brother of late crime
boss John Gotti, who suspected the baker was fooling
around with his wife.
Mormando became a government informant shortly after the shooting. He did not
have have to testify against accomplices Vincent Gotti, his nephew Richard Gotti and Angelo Ruggiero Jr., because they pleaded guilty
to murder conspiracy charges last year.
Sources said Mormando's cooperation was kept a closely guarded secret until
he came out Monday.
The court calendar did not identify him by name and he was referred to as
"John Doe" throughout the proceeding.
Defense lawyer Nancy Ennis told the judge Mormando was given the
contract a month after he was inducted into the crime family in 2002.
"He was summoned to perform an act that he found totally unacceptable
afterward," Ennis said.
"He did follow through, but he found the incident to be so disagreeable
shortly after that he started having strong thoughts about leaving the mob.
"He was living in hiding, not from law enforcement, but from La Cosa Nostra."
Ennis' biggest bombshell was announcing that Mormando is out of the closet.
"He has been openly gay since he left the mob," Ennis said.
Mormando's partner has refused to enter the witness protection program, but
they have relocated and together they "live a peaceful working life," she said.
Members of the Mafia do not accept a gay lifestyle within its ranks although
there is no specific rule that inductees must accept, like the prohibition from
having an affair with another gangster's wife.
Former DeCavalcante crime boss John D'Amato was whacked in 1992 for being gay.
A burly gay hit man named Vito Arena was a member of the murderous Roy DeMeo crew. He, too, became a mob informant,
but he returned to a life of a crime and was shot dead in a botched armed
robbery.
In any event, Weinstein was more interested in asking Mormando what attracted
him to the mob.
"As a young kid growing up in Ozone Park, John Gotti was a hero," Mormando
explained. "He had cars. Power. I regret that now."
Weinstein asked: "Are you publicly willing to resign that organization?"
"Yes your honor, I already have," Mormando said.
The former wiseguy was sentenced to time served - which was no time at all.
He faced up to 17 years in prison.
jmarzulli@nydailynews.com