Jury hears sides in NY Mafia case

Both the prosecution and defence in the latest trial of alleged Mafia boss John "Junior" Gotti have laid out their cases in opening statements, BBC reported.

Mr Gotti, 45, has been charged with conspiracy linked to cocaine trafficking and three gangland murders.

The government told jurors he was a killer who had obstructed justice. His lawyer said Mr Gotti was innocent.

He has served prison time for racketeering. Three later trials folded after juries failed to reach a verdict.

The charges, which follow an FBI investigation in Florida and New York, relate to murders in 1988, 1990 and 1991.

Assistant US Attorney Elie Honig described Mr Gotti as a vicious killer since the early 1980s who had "left a trail of victims in his wake".

Mr Gotti's lawyer, Charles Carnesi, said federal prosecutors had assembled a cast of mob killers trying to win leniency for their crimes by testifying against his client.

Mr Gotti faces life in prison if convicted. He has been in custody since his arrest in August 2008.

He was released from prison in 2005 having served more than six years for racketeering crimes including bribery, extortion, gambling and fraud.

In 2006, US prosecutors failed for a third time to convict him on more racketeering charges, after the jury was deadlocked.

His father, John Gotti Senior, was nicknamed the "Teflon Don" because of his ability to evade justice. He eventually died in prison in 2002 after being convicted of murder and racketeering.