MERLINO GIVEN MAX BY SULLIVAN, 24 MONTHS

Gambling smfh.  I'd love to tell you it was fair, and I would love to tell you Joey was right when he addressed the court on Wednesday telling the judge "thank you for bein fair."  The truth is, from beginning to end, I could point out a million reasons why this trial wasn't fair.

I could sit here for the next hour and debate the entire case with you.  I could point out what a liar Rubeo is and was, and how nobody believed him, but in the end it just came down to a simple, you plead guilty and because you have a past, line up and prepare to take it in the ass.  That's about how it went.

What I do want to talk about however is two important things.  Well maybe three.  The first thing is the judge telling the prosecution and the many of us in attendance that he did not believe Joey was "the ringleader of the fraud, nor did he believe Joey was the leader of Cosa Nostra in Philadelphia."  Those two things are very important.  It proves what I said all along, that the Government's case was weak, tepid, and filled with more innuendo then facts.  The truth is, had Joey not plead out to the charge and was just found guilty of gambling  he would have gotten five years plus, so even if I disagree with the max, the reality is, Joey will do 18 months, and go home to Florida, for the last year of parole and probation.

THE NEWSPAPERS LIE THEIR ASSES OFF

If you caught the daily news write up of the sentencing they made it seem like it was chaotic and like animals were unleashed.   Nobody mentioned the words "rat bastard."  If that was the case I would have heard it, the entire court room would have heard it.  It really was one person talking to another person in a hushed tone, and Judge Sullivan threw a temper tantrum.  Trust me if it was something offensive believe me the results would have been different as Judge Sullivan sat there waving his arms and yapping his yap like he was John Gotti.   The person the judge was reprimanding apologize and excused himself outside, where the press repeatedly pestered him. Marshalls didn't need to say shit or do anything.

After the sentence was handed down, and Joey was informed that he could turn himself in, in  45 days, likley at Butner, North Carolina.(Bernie Madoff, Carmine Persico are inmates there) everyone filed out of the court, not happy about the sentence, but it was Joey who probably had the best line.  He looked at me, I looked at him, and I uttered the only words I thought were slight enough for the situation, "I'm sorry bro."   His eyebrows raised, a smirk came over his face,  "FUCK EM."

Everyone piled in elevators and I got out ahead of the rest.  Outside I found the alleged "Rat Bastard" talker, and he was smoking.  Down the stairs were the nasty press.  I have an issue with them and have since the trial began.  They consistently lied, about "goons in track suits making grunting noises," and making insinuations that never happened ever. Including the lie that Joey spoke to a juror. I had enough of it, so I tried to run interference, let's be honest some people don't want to be photographed and don't need to be.  In fact many of those in attendance were followed and wiretapped by the FBI for two days while they were in New York.

I went down the stairs, cigarette dangling out of my mouth, and lit into the press, hoping to push them off to the left, giving Joey a little room to go to the right.  I opened my mouth and let expletives fly, and never thought they would report it.  I was just doing my friend and other friends a solid.  Joey escaped to the right while others dipped and dodged the cameras.  Not me, I stood at the bottom of the stairs hurling four letter words.

What I did say was misquoted, but only because they left out coc$sucke$!   The one thing I got from this experience is how the Gov't gets a blank check, and are willing to lie and cheat, and put anyone on the stand as long as it fits a narrative.  They also also witsec members to go on social media and threaten people too during and after a trial. That's probably the sickest part about this.  A federal rat, on social media like all the other rats, making up lies, and refuting the truth, and for what? 

It may be hard for some to digest Joey taking the time. For me it's a win. No matter what anyone says, he won.  He faced the Gov't backed them down, stood his ground, kept his head up, never wavered, never told, never whispered.  He took his medicine like a man. In a time period where men are a hard thing to find in this way of life, if we are to believe reports anyway, Joey stood tall, was a man's man, and he should be appreciated and respected for doing so.  Some pigs have talked for a lot less my friends.  I'm proud of Joey.  Seeing him just never bat an eye was something to witness.  There is no fear in that guy at all.  None.

In final, I wanted to thank Joey for being so open and cordial during the trial, for communicating outside of trial, and for all the alleged "goons,"  who showed up to support Joey.  There was one person in particular who knows who he is, but he's a solid guy, a friend of mine, and someone who showed unwavering support throughout the whole entire trial.  He knows who he is.  He's a stand up guy, and a good guy, and a friend.  Didn't always start that way, but ended that way.

One thing New York will never get about Philadelphia,  is that they are tight.  Like brothers, for 30 plus years.  They face it together, fight it together and those are bonds you cannot break.  There is a lot that separates New York from Philadelphia, and maybe one could argue some differences, but the fact is, they came as one, fought as one, and left as one, and I cannot put it any more clear then that. There is something I admire and I am akin to in that way that it was all for one, one for all.  When one is hurt, they are all hurt.  When one is angry they are all angry.  It's simpatico, it's friendship,  it's Philadelphia.