US News

MOBSTER’S ‘PEN’ PALS

Life in prison is one thing — but not being able to fraternize with other wiseguys is going too far.

Brooklyn federal Judge Jack Weinstein denied a request by prosecutors to isolate convicted Gambino capo Nicholas “Little Nicky” Corozzo from mobsters while he sits behind bars.

“When the government seeks to impose terms that make life in prison and on supervised release harsher than necessary, the [court] cannot ignore history and this country’s aspiration to provide justice for all,” Weinstein wrote.

Prosecutors had asked Weinstein to segregate Corozzo, 69, who pleaded guilty to murder and racketeering and who was sentenced last week to 13½ years in prison, so that he could not issue orders from behind bars.

But Diarmuid White, Corozzo’s lawyer, said giving such an order would give the Bureau of Prisons free rein to stick his client in solitary for his entire term.