Did you know they were always gentlemen? But the reality is...theyll kill you on the spot, if they want to.

An in-depth look at the crime-ridden world of mafia man John Gotti which asks, amongst other questions, why is the criminal so popular? March 2nd, 1990.

John Gotti's ruthless charm is becoming a sort of folk hero. He roams free after facing multiple government indightments and investigations. A special prosecutor and two former mobsters join the program with insight. When this real-life godfather was in the courtroom reporters, actors, agents were regularly there to get close, or maybe strike a movie deal...

A history of the man begins with his first accusation of assassinating a fellow mobster to control the Gambino crime family. Bruce Cutler, Gotti's lawyer insists there's no evidence his client is associate with any sort of 'so-called mafia' and doesn't answer questions when approached on the street.

Back in studio Henry Hill tells us if Gotti is 'immune'. He claims to have had a childhood relationship with John but says he personally never committed crimes with him. Joe Cantalupo another informant gives some history of the organisation, saying Gotti took over from Paul Castellano. The government won't catch him, he's too careful and rules with an iron hand.

Ed McDonald says the government's case is far from over. Claire Sterling author of Octopus tell us the romantic mafia image has always been as a gentleman. Only the underlings are thugs, the bosses are princes.

An audience member wants to know if the informants know so much why isn't he in jail? Jerry Capeci of the NY Daily News says John Gotti beating the government's case three times over has made him the folk hero. Ed McDonald the prosecutor is pressed on what actual crimes he is charged with, and goes on to detail the mafia's poisoning of labor unions and other institutions. Claire chimes in with a thorough explanation of who controls who, the Sicilian mafia or the American mafia. The former mobsters claim American is independent but all agree Sicilian gangs are much bigger and more powerful.

Ed McDonald details Joe Cantalupo the former mobster present, from mob boss Joe Columbo being gunned down in 1971 and brings that history to the present, how the government got him. An audience member claims the prosecutors' cases have been weak so far, why?

Despite his depiction as Robin Hood, John Gotti actually killed someone but a plea bargain by Roy Cohen got him off the hook. But a question again brings us back to another argument: all this talk of the Italian mafia makes Italians look bad. Italians should be proud of themselves, Claire counters that some of the most aggressive investigators of the mafia are themselves Italian.

Jerry Capeci says traditionally mafia bosses do keep neighborhoods safe, they keep the other criminals out and have rules about breaking and entering things like that. Is there really honor among thieves though? Ed McDonald says it's greed, the Godfather and Hollywood are the places where mafia honor exists.

Henry Hill's case is detailed and he speaks for himself. One mafia person allegedly used a lottery winning, that's where the money came from. It can work on IRS forms. And what about taxes, well the organized crime types are becoming a lot more sophisticated about those..

More audience questions, a reminder that there are many more criminals than just Sicilian mobsters, amongst Italians a miniscule percent are associated with crime, and John Gotti is vulnerable to other gangsters in the street.

The show closes with a prediction that unfortunately, the mafia will be with us for the forseeable future.

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