A federal judge has set a deadline for the capital murder trial of former Bonanno crime-family boss Vincent “Vinny Gorgeous” Basciano, saying he will not permit any more delays.
Judge Nicholas Garaufis said that jury selection will begin on March 2.
“This case is over five years old, the trial has already been postponed, and the parties have had ample time and resources to prepare,” Garaufis wrote in an order today. “No further requests to postpone the trial date will be entertained.”
Basciano, who has been housed in solitary confinement at a federal detention center while waiting to stand trial for the murder of a mob associate, is already serving life in prison on a previous racketeering and murder conviction.
A week ago, the judge ordered Basciano to stop sending him letters from jail, as the mobster tried to second guess his own team of defense attorneys and argue legal points directly to the judge.
“My death-penalty case is right around the corner,” Basciano wrote the judge. “I want to be consulted about the very important issues and decisions that will ultimately affect my life.”