A criminal from Cleveland (Green, Jackson: crime rates, how much, construction)

[curiousgeorge5]

I saw a documentary about gangster Danny Greene. He was from and in Cleveland, IIRC. Anyone ever see him around back in the day? Anyone ever hear older people talking about him?

[thinkalot]

If you were alive in Cleveland during that time you knew about Danny Greene.

[WRnative]

"Those who live by the bomb, die by the bomb."

https://www.cleveland.com/pdextra/20...ny_greene.html


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-RcDFu-LlE

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kill_the_Irishman

<<After several failed attempts to kill Greene, it became evident that Licavoli's outfit needed outside help. In 1977, Danny Greene was murdered after a scheduled visit to his dentist. After learning of the dentist appointment scheduled by Greene, Licavoli and Lonardo contracted Ray Ferritto to assassinate him. While Greene was in the dentist's office, a bomb was placed underneath a car adjacent to his. Upon return to his vehicle the bomb was exploded remotely. Greene lay under the ruins of his vehicle for at least an hour before his corpse was removed.[21] After Greene's assassination, Ferritto heard that the Cleveland Crime Family wanted him dead and in response became an FBI informant. The information that he provided led to the arrests of many high ranking mafia members, including John Licavoli himself. >>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_crime_family

According to the last paragraphs of the above article, the Cleveland Mob is making a comeback.

Given Mayor Frank Jackson's family affiliations, it makes one wonder if the Cleveland police department aggressively investigates mob activity. Trump also reportedly had substantial mob connections given his NYC construction activities. Perhaps the FBI under Trump also is cutting back on mob enforcement.

https://www.newsweek.com/2019/01/18/...b-1285771.html

The mob largely thrived in the U.S. as it had leverage on FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Edg...American_Mafia

[TheHills44060]

I live near and pass by the building parking lot where he blown up at. It looks nothing like what was shown in the Kill The Irishman movie.

I moved to Cleveland in '79 so Greene was before my time here.

[Natural510]

People obsess about crime these days and paint cities like Chicago has third-world warzones, but violent crime is nothing now like it was back in the 1970s and 80s. It's inconceivable nowadays to have a city like Cleveland have 20+ car bombings in one year without the FBI and perhaps military descending down on the city in droves to protect the population. But organized crime was killing people by the dozens in various cities every year, not to mention day-to-day street crime.
Anyway, I'm off-topic but the Danny Greene thing reminds how bad things used to be before the internet age and how much better they are now in most places, despite all the fearmongering from politicians and the general public.

[curiousgeorge5]

Originally Posted by Natural510

People obsess about crime these days and paint cities like Chicago has third-world warzones, but violent crime is nothing now like it was back in the 1970s and 80s. It's inconceivable nowadays to have a city like Cleveland have 20+ car bombings in one year without the FBI and perhaps military descending down on the city in droves to protect the population. But organized crime was killing people by the dozens in various cities every year, not to mention day-to-day street crime.
Anyway, I'm off-topic but the Danny Greene thing reminds how bad things used to be before the internet age and how much better they are now in most places, despite all the fearmongering from politicians and the general public.

I know crime is less now in cities like NY and LA. I guess that applies to Chicago based on what you're saying. Sometime I'm going to look at chart or statistics of crime in the 70s and 80s compared to now in the top 20 or top 50 cities.

I don't know how crime rates in small town, suburban, and rural areas compare in the 70s and 80s to now.

[Cleveland_Collector]

Originally Posted by curiousgeorge5

I saw a documentary about gangster Danny Greene. He was from and in Cleveland, IIRC. Anyone ever see him around back in the day? Anyone ever hear older people talking about him?

My dad knows his son and remembers the bomb-crazy 70's well. Greene was one of the most infamous names during the height of organized crime in the midwest, among other areas. Pretty much a thing of the past. Although there is likely some minor activity, it was pretty much dead by the early 90's. The FBI with the aid of the RICO Act made sure of that.

[curiousgeorge5]

Thanks for the replies, all.

[on3]

Frank Sheeran would have made short work of Danny Greene.

[ImpactPlaya]

Danny Greene wasnt all that he was hyped up.to be
Greene used the media to create this Irish American figure
Who openly challenged the Murray Hill rank and file
Look at your local mob history
They went after John Nardi 1ST.
WHY?
Cause Nardi was a threat to control the union and pension funds
Plus Tony Milano was trying to bring his sons from the West Coast
To level the playing field in Nardi Licavpil War.
They knew if they took out Nardi 1st then Greene was all bark and no bite
As it happened all the "loyalists" to Greene ending joining the
Other side anyhow