Gigante jury ends first day without a verdict

Judge gives 2 hours of instructions

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A federal jury ended its first day of deliberations on the case against alleged New York City mob boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante Wednesday without reaching a verdict.

The jury got the case after receiving two hours of instructions from U.S. District Judge Jack Weinstein.

Gigante, the reputed head of the Genovese crime family, faces 21 charges that include ordering seven murders, plotting to kill three other people, rigging business bids and extortion.

The jury has heard testimony from six mob informants and a dozen law enforcement agents during almost four weeks in Brooklyn federal court. Gigante did not take the stand during the trial.

Gigante's attorney, Michael Marinaccio, called the ex-gangsters who testified for the prosecution "psychopaths and liars," and claims they tailored their testimony to get leniency from the government.

In rebuttal, assistant U.S. attorney George Stamboulidis pointed at Gigante, seated in a wheelchair, and said, "He's the reason we need a witness protection program."

Leader or ultimate boss?

Gigante has watched the trial from the wheelchair, staring vacantly and moving his lips silently, but has appeared at times to be paying attention.

His attorneys say he is incapacitated by mental illness, and earned the nickname "The Oddfather" from wandering his Greenwich Village neighborhood in a tattered bathrobe.

The prosecutors made a subtle change during their closing argument, claiming that Gigante was "a leader" of the Genovese crime family rather than its ultimate boss.

The change was designed to counter the defense's argument that the government had already sent Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno to prison in 1986 after identifying him as the head of the Genovese family.

But former Gambino family underboss Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" and former Lucchese crime family captains Peter "Big Pete" Chiodo and Al D'Arco all testified that Gigante was the boss of the Genovese family.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.  

Related stories:

• Crazy old man or Mafia kingpin? Jury gets Gigante case - July 23, 1997
• Former Mafia hitman fingers 'The Chin' - July 10, 1997
• Mob turncoat describes Gigante as Genovese boss - June 30, 1997
• Opening remarks heard in Gigante trial - June 25, 1997
• Gigante arraigned on charges of racketeering and murder - September 6, 1996
• Judge: Mob boss fit to be tried - August 29, 1996
• Judge to rule on alleged mobster's competence - August 22, 1996
• New Jersey says organized crime has ties to health care - August 21, 1996 
• Gigante could be tried for murder - March 5, 1996

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