Mob Trial Casts Seagal As Witness
Sat Jan 18, 2:32 PM ET
By TOM HAYS, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - Action-film hero Steven Seagal (news) is taking a beating in Brooklyn.
AP Photo
He's been labeled a liar by lawyers and mocked by alleged mobsters. And so far, in public, he's not fighting back.
It's all part of Seagal's latest role as a reluctant star witness in a Mafia trial that opened last week in Brooklyn federal court.
"You'll find out that the last thing he wanted to do was to become a witness in a case like this," prosecutor Rick Whelan told the jury.
Seagal is expected to take the witness stand at a later date by court order, infusing some glamour into an otherwise lackluster prosecution against Peter Gotti, brother of the Mafia boss John Gotti, and other accused members of the Gambino crime family. The defense hasn't waited to attack his credibility.
Seagal "is a pathological liar," defense attorney George Santangelo said during opening statements. "He has a reputation all over Hollywood for lying."
The actor, along with his lawyers and publicists, have refused to discuss any aspect of the racketeering case with reporters. "I have no comment," said one of the attorneys, Martin Pollner.
Prosecutors describe Seagal — known for his martial-arts moves in films like "Under Siege" and "Exit Wounds" — as a victim of the Gambino's bid to infiltrate the film industry for profit.
Seagal's troubles began when he had a falling-out with his former producer and business partner, Julius Nasso. Authorities allege Nasso was a Gambino associate who turned to the crime family to help him settle the score — charges Nasso has denied.
During visits to Seagal's homes in Toronto and California, wiseguys warned the actor he "would be hurt or killed" if he didn't pay millions of dollars Nasso believed he was owed, Whelan said.
"Despite his martial arts training, Seagal, like anyone in his position ... became concerned what was going to happen to him," Whelan said. "He became very concerned."
Wiretaps caught a Gambino captain instructing Nasso to demand the actor give the family a $150,000 cut for each film he made, prosecutors said. In a bugged VIP room in a Brooklyn restaurant in 2001, the mob suspects could be overheard chuckling over how "petrified" Seagal looked at a meeting.
"I wish we had gun with us," one gangster said. "That would have been funny."
Said another: "It was like out of the movies."
The defense denies any threats, saying Nasso was always business-like in seeking to get Seagal to repay $500,000 he loaned the actor for taxes. The lawyers claim the actor ran to federal authorities with false accusations to keep Nasso from collecting.
Authorities say Seagal actually didn't trust the feds to help him. He instead visited an unnamed inmate in state prison in New Jersey, thinking the inmate could use his mob connections to get his tormenters off his back, Whelan said.
Seagal "initially refused to testify (or) even meet with the government," the prosecutor said.
I know alot of the members don't want to read bad news on Steven, so if you do not want the updates on the trial just say so and I won't put anymore on here..They want him to look bad so there will be a lot a bad news on him like this one..
Sat Jan 18, 2:32 PM ET
By TOM HAYS, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - Action-film hero Steven Seagal (news) is taking a beating in Brooklyn.
AP Photo
He's been labeled a liar by lawyers and mocked by alleged mobsters. And so far, in public, he's not fighting back.
It's all part of Seagal's latest role as a reluctant star witness in a Mafia trial that opened last week in Brooklyn federal court.
"You'll find out that the last thing he wanted to do was to become a witness in a case like this," prosecutor Rick Whelan told the jury.
Seagal is expected to take the witness stand at a later date by court order, infusing some glamour into an otherwise lackluster prosecution against Peter Gotti, brother of the Mafia boss John Gotti, and other accused members of the Gambino crime family. The defense hasn't waited to attack his credibility.
Seagal "is a pathological liar," defense attorney George Santangelo said during opening statements. "He has a reputation all over Hollywood for lying."
The actor, along with his lawyers and publicists, have refused to discuss any aspect of the racketeering case with reporters. "I have no comment," said one of the attorneys, Martin Pollner.
Prosecutors describe Seagal — known for his martial-arts moves in films like "Under Siege" and "Exit Wounds" — as a victim of the Gambino's bid to infiltrate the film industry for profit.
Seagal's troubles began when he had a falling-out with his former producer and business partner, Julius Nasso. Authorities allege Nasso was a Gambino associate who turned to the crime family to help him settle the score — charges Nasso has denied.
During visits to Seagal's homes in Toronto and California, wiseguys warned the actor he "would be hurt or killed" if he didn't pay millions of dollars Nasso believed he was owed, Whelan said.
"Despite his martial arts training, Seagal, like anyone in his position ... became concerned what was going to happen to him," Whelan said. "He became very concerned."
Wiretaps caught a Gambino captain instructing Nasso to demand the actor give the family a $150,000 cut for each film he made, prosecutors said. In a bugged VIP room in a Brooklyn restaurant in 2001, the mob suspects could be overheard chuckling over how "petrified" Seagal looked at a meeting.
"I wish we had gun with us," one gangster said. "That would have been funny."
Said another: "It was like out of the movies."
The defense denies any threats, saying Nasso was always business-like in seeking to get Seagal to repay $500,000 he loaned the actor for taxes. The lawyers claim the actor ran to federal authorities with false accusations to keep Nasso from collecting.
Authorities say Seagal actually didn't trust the feds to help him. He instead visited an unnamed inmate in state prison in New Jersey, thinking the inmate could use his mob connections to get his tormenters off his back, Whelan said.
Seagal "initially refused to testify (or) even meet with the government," the prosecutor said.
I know alot of the members don't want to read bad news on Steven, so if you do not want the updates on the trial just say so and I won't put anymore on here..They want him to look bad so there will be a lot a bad news on him like this one..
