Michael McGovern
PER
Michael McGovern McGovern
John A. Gotti's defense, that he had withdrawn from the crime family, drew a harsh rebuttal from the prosecutor, Michael McGovern, who compared him to a heavy drinker. Mr. McGovern said that for the withdrawal defense to stand, the jury would have to be convinced that Mr. Gotti did not receive any financial or other benefit, not a single red penny, from the Gambino family after July 21, 1999, five years before he was indicted in the current case. Mr. McGovern listed examples of Mr. Gotti's continuing participation in the racketeering conspiracy, including his use of a Mafia lawyer, or 'house counsel,' as he put it, to send messages while he was in jail and his continuing collection of rent from commercial property in Queens, which the prosecution contends he bought with Gambino money. Mr. Gotti's defense, which he had withdrawn from the crime family, drew a harsh disapproval from the prosecutor, Michael McGovern, who compared him to a heavy drinker. Mr. McGovern asked the jury that have they ever encountered somebody with a hangover, facing the evidence of his crimes? saying, He is  never going to have another drink. He noted that the defense had not called any ''made'' members of the Mafia to corroborate Mr. Gotti's testimony, even though several of them were in jail and would have had little to lose.