Curtis Sliwa
PER
Curtis Sliwa Sliwa
Curtis Sliwa told a jury that how he had been ambushed in a cab rigged so the doors and windows would not open, then shot at least twice by hit men he believes were connected with John A. Gotti, the heir to the Gambino crime family. But during cross-examination, defense lawyers focused on the past accounts of Mr. Sliwa, who admitted that he had counterfeit at least five events including another kidnapping to get attention for the anticrime group he founded that later became known as the Guardian Angels. Curtis Sliwa told a jury how he had been ambushed in a cab rigged so the doors and windows would not open, then shot at least twice by hitmen he believes were connected with John A. Gotti, the heir to the Gambino crime family. Defense lawyers focused on the past accounts of Mr. Sliwa, who admitted that he had fabricated at least five events to get attention for the anticrime group known as Guardian Angels. The fabrications generally involved Mr. Sliwa's followers, called the Magnificent 13. His troops claimed falsely, Mr. Sliwa to have rescued a woman's purse from a purse snatcher, fended off a rapist, and foiled an assault on a subway platform. Under cross-examination, he described the staged events as the dumbest thing he has ever done in his life. Mr. Sliwa said he had reported being kidnapped twice before and had lied in one case.