Quote:Fourth mistrial for New York Mafia son John Gotti Jr



A judge in New York has declared a mistrial after a jury failed to reach a verdict in the case of alleged Mafia boss John "Junior" Gotti.

It was the fourth mistrial in five years for the son of notorious Mafia boss John J Gotti, dubbed "Teflon Don" for his ability to elude conviction.

Gotti Jr, 45, had been on trial for racketeering and murder.

His lawyers argued that he had quit the Gambino crime family years ago and was a reformed man.

The jurors had deliberated for 11 days before notifying the judge that they were deadlocked on all the charges, which included conspiracy linked to cocaine trafficking and three gangland murders.

Gotti Jr served more than six years for racketeering crimes before being released from prison in 2005.

He was arrested in August 2008 on the latest charges, and faced life in prison if convicted.

The charges, which follow an FBI investigation in Florida and New York, relate to murders in 1988, 1990 and 1991.

Assistant US Attorney Elie Honig described Gotti Jr as a vicious killer since the early 1980s who had "left a trail of victims in his wake".

But Gotti Jr's lawyer, Charles Carnesi, said federal prosecutors had assembled a cast of mob killers trying to win leniency for their crimes by testifying against his client.