THE LAST MOUTHPIECE. The Man Who Dared to Defend the Mob

Hardback, 1st US edn. During the 1960s and '70s, if you were in Philadelphia and in trouble with the law the word on the street was: "All you have to do is hire Bobby Simone and you will win." And win he did. With a reputation as the best "cross and close" criminal lawyer anywhere and a track record to match, Bobby Simone began attracting not only Philadelphia's most talked-about citizens as clients, but people in legal jams all over the country. From the glamorous and infamous Lillian Reis to then reputed mob boss Angelo Bruno, aka "The Docile Don," to Linda Lovelace, and eventually to his most notorious client ever - alleged La Cosa Nostra head Nicky Scarfo - Bobby Simone delivered the acquittals, the reversals, and the 'Get-Out of Jail Free" cards. Along the way he would watch his friends turn into ghosts, have his life threatened, land in prison, and learn a fact that would turn the rest of his 35yr. career into a walk through a minefield: the government is a sore loser. Spanning 4 decades, there's Vegas, Miami, and Atlantic City, the loan sharks, the hits, the women, the double-crosses, and the nicknames - Phil "The Chicken Man" Testa, Nick the Blade, Hunchback Harry, The Crow, and a host of other real-life and unforgettable alleged mob characters. Then there's the fascinating look at the legal system from the other side - the rats, the set-ups, the wires, the bugs, the crosses, the strategy, the juries, and the Feds. Illus., Partial List of Supporting Players + Index. 340pp. 8vo. h/back. Nr. F. in vg+ dw.