Paul Castellano’s assassination was the first out-in-the-open Mafia hit in years. News of this didn’t reach the masses until the following morning because it was such a weird event. Murders like this were the stuff of those unrealistic, overdramatic, bullshit Godfather flicks. You can bet David Letterman latched on to it and make jokes ad nauseum for the next two weeks. The other unusual element…everybody knew who ordered the hit, John Gotti. As always, the FBI and NYPD couldn’t prove his involvement. Gotti was pretty skilled at having an airtight alibi and/or witnesses to prove his whereabouts. But only utter morons would believe the explanations. Eventually, somebody came forward when Gotti was on trial in 1992 and proved collusion; Gotti was near the restaurant so when Castellano showed up, the shooters were ordered to make their move by walkie talkie.
I’m guessing Gotti had to risk a public murder since Castellano was the head of the Gambino Family. Castellano would have much more security in private settings and/or Gotti couldn’t convince anyone close to his superior to change sides. I also thought the assassination happened due to Gotti’s ambitions. According to the History Channel, Castellano was planning to eliminate Gotti for disobeying an order on distributing drugs, namely heroin. The FBI had been ramping up its efforts to convict the Five Families’ leaders and Castellano felt the drug trade would aid the government’s case for it was the “Just Say No” days. At least Hollywood did get one thing right, Gotti had to kill Castellano or else he’d be found dead in the East River in 1986.