After five days of cross-examination, a prosecutor, John Gleeson, elicited in re-direct examination yesterday that Mr. Gravano was obligated to tell the truth under his plea agreement.
But the defense lawyers, Albert J. Krieger and Anthony M. Cardinale, suggested in additional cross-examination that the witness would do and say anything to avoid spending the rest of his life in prison.
"My major concern was to turn my life around," Mr. Gravano repeated in his soft, slightly hoarse voice. "Get away from what I was doing was my major concern."
"You're just looking for a new, a new version of Sam Gravano to be visited upon this world, a person who doesn't care about money, doesn't care about anything, just wants this new type of person to be seen by the world?" asked Mr. Krieger.
"I didn't say that I didn't care about money," Mr. Gravano responded. "I didn't say that I didn't care about the time. I said that's not my major concern and this is not why I signed this agreement."
Doesn't this seem exactly like what we are hearing, today?