I had the little bastard. He was a thorn in my shoe.


In 1910 Carlos Marcello was born in Tunis, French Tunisia. Organized crime was his chosen profession and in the late 40s he became the Godfather of New Orleans as he was selected by the capos to replace Sylvestro Carolla what was deported back to Sicily.

He controlled illegal gambling in Louisiana and made connections with Meyer Lansky to grab a share of the New Orleans casinos. He also got his share from some Las Vegas casinos in exchange for providing some muscle in Florida.

In 1951 he was called before a senate committee chaired by Estes Kefauver and cited the 5th Amendment 152 times. This was the same tactic he used before the McClellan Committee in 1959. This was his initial encounter with the Kennedy brothers, John as a Senator and Bobby and chief counsel. The result was a life long hatred for the two.

Several attempts to deport Marcello failed because of the legal wizardry his money could buy. However on April 4, 1961 during a routine visit to the local immigration office, under Attorney General Kennedy's orders, he was taken into custody and dropped into Guatemala. That nation was chosen because at one time he used a forged Guatemalan passport. He was dropped in the jungle in his high priced business suit and wingtips. He made is way to civilization and David Ferrie flew there to bring him back to New Orleans with even more hatred for brothers.

When the 1960 election came around, unlike other mafioso, like Trafficante and Giancana, he was not convinced to give to the democrat. He put his money on Richard Nixon. However once the Kennedy's were in office and Bobby began dropping the federal hammer on organized criminals he was happy to join the others, along with Jimmy Hoffa to plot their removal. His analogy was that if you cut off a dogs tail it will keep biting you, but not if you cut off the dogs head.

Hoover's FBI reported to the Warren Commission that they "did not believe Carlos Marcello was a significant organized crime figure". They said he was just a tomato salesman and real estate investor.

Other investigations told a different story. Among other associations, in mid 1963 Jack Ruby contacted Marcello and Trafficante about problems he was having with the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA) – the strippers union. This was about the same time Lee Oswald was in New Orleans connecting with other mob and CIA people.

Marcelllo had an ongoing relationship with Lyndon Johnson through Bobby Baker and bagman, John Halfen who delivered cash payments for favorable legislation. His connections were solidified when his associate Joseph Civello represented him at the Murchison meeting on November 21.

When all the nastiness in Dallas was going on, Carlos Marcello was in immigration court receiving a ruling he would not be deported as if he was just a tomato salesman minding his own business.  Reports from those in attendance say that there was everyone let out a gasp as the shock of hearing about the death of the President was announced.  That is everyone but Marcello and his brother who sat stone faced at the defendants table.  A short time late, he seemed agitated when word came that Lee Harvey Oswald had been arrested for the crime. 

Oswald's uncle, Dutz Murret was a bookie in the Marcello organization and could have been an embarrassing link to the mob boss.  David Ferrie, who was with Marcello was dispatched back to Texas through the pouring rain to take care of things for Marcello.

Carlos Marcello: The Man Behind the JFK Assassination
by Stefano Vacara

New Orleans is the true birthplace of the Sicilian mafia in America. Carlos Marcello controlled organized crime in Louisiana and across the Southeast in the 1950s and '60s. He was untouchable until he met the Kennedy Brothers. Once Robert Kennedy became attorney general, Marcello was deported to Guatemala and swore to seek revenge. It became a duel to the death. Marcello found his "patsy," a former marine with a Russian wife. Lee Harvey Oswald was the perfect fall guy but he never pulled the trigger.

Many more books about Carlos Marcello... check them out.