By STEFANIE COHEN
Posted: 3:42 am
July 4, 2008
He may be losing his health, but not his sense of humor.
Jailed Gambino crime-family boss Peter Gotti, 68 - whose list of ailments is almost as long as his rap sheet - was hoping a judge would offer a remedy in the form of a lighter jail sentence yesterday.
But Brooklyn federal Judge Frederick Block said he knew the gangster was sick when he sent him away for 91/3 years in 2004 for money laundering and racketeering.
Still, there were no hard feelings.
"I don't think you should judge a book by its cover," Gotti said. "In other words, I may look a lot better than I feel."
"I used that same line before the state Court of Appeals," the judge said, recalling his days as a lawyer.
"Did it do any good?" Gotti asked.
"No. I lost the case," Block laughed. "Anyway, keep good cheer, Mr. Gotti."
"He's a funny man," said Peter, Jr. of his father. "He's not gonna lose that."
