Giuseppe Puca
Encyclopedia
Giuseppe Puca was an Italian Camorrista, and the right hand of Raffaele Cutolo
, boss of the Nuova Camorra Organizzata
(NCO). He was known among criminal circles as "'o Giappone" (The Japanese), due to his Japanese looks.
During his youth, Puca showed a talent that did not pass unnoticed by Cutolo, who recruited him as among the NCO's first members in the Poggioreale prison. The others were Antonino Cuomo aka "'o Maranghiello" (The Cudgel), Pasquale Barra
aka "'o Nimale" (The Animal), Pasquale D'Amico
aka "'o Cartunaro" (The Cardboard picker) and Vincenzo Casillo
aka "'o Nirone" (The Big Black).
Thus, began his ascent to success. He soon became the capozona of Sant'Antimo
. He was suspected and accused of several murders, the principal or not, extortion and Camorra association. He was also suspected of having Cutolo escape criminal from mental hospital of Aversa
, making the jump to the wall of dynamite. Puca was a primary suspect in the murder of Vincenzo Casillo, Cutolo's deputy and main 'military' chief at the order of Cutolo himself. This accusation, however, has never been confirmed nor proven. After Casillo's death, Puca replaced him as Cutolo's new second-in-command, but was later arrested and brought to trial in the famous 1983 maxi-trials
against the NCO.
He was involved in the "Tortora case", after the famous TV talk show host Enzo Tortora
who was arrested in May 1983 and sentenced to ten years imprisonment for association with the mafia to corrupt the press. In September 1986, the Corte d'Assise
of Naples fully acquitted Enzo Tortora. In 1987 the Supreme Court definitively affirmed Enzo Tortora's total innocence, and he started an action against those magistrates who had unjustly tried and sentenced him. Tortora's name allegedly appeared in the agenda of Puca, however in reality it was a certain Tortona, not Tortora.
Puca was murdered on February 7, 1989 after a long shoot out with members of the Verde clan in Sant'Antimo
.
Raffaele Cutolo
Raffaele Cutolo is an Italian crime boss and the charismatic leader of the Nuova Camorra Organizzata , an organisation he built to renew the Camorra. Cutolo has a variety of nicknames including "'o Vangelo" , "'o Principe" , "'o Professore" and "'o Monaco"...
, boss of the Nuova Camorra Organizzata
Nuova Camorra Organizzata
The Nuova Camorra Organizzata was an Italian Camorra criminal organization founded in the late 1970s by a Neapolitan Camorrista, Raffaele Cutolo, in the region of Campania. It was also known by the initials NCO...
(NCO). He was known among criminal circles as "'o Giappone" (The Japanese), due to his Japanese looks.
During his youth, Puca showed a talent that did not pass unnoticed by Cutolo, who recruited him as among the NCO's first members in the Poggioreale prison. The others were Antonino Cuomo aka "'o Maranghiello" (The Cudgel), Pasquale Barra
Pasquale Barra
Pasquale Barra is a former Italian Camorrista who was a senior member and hitman for the Nuova Camorra Organizzata , a Camorra organization in Naples. Barra has the distinction of being the first NCO member to become a pentito, when he decided to collaborate with Italian Justice in 1982.Barra...
aka "'o Nimale" (The Animal), Pasquale D'Amico
Pasquale D'Amico
Pasquale D'Amico is a former Italian Camorrista who was a senior member of the Nuova Camorra Organizzata , a Camorra organization in Naples. His nickname was "'o Cartunaro" . D'Amico defected from the NCO and subsequently became a pentito in 1983. Among the pentiti, D'Amico was one of the highest...
aka "'o Cartunaro" (The Cardboard picker) and Vincenzo Casillo
Vincenzo Casillo
Vincenzo Casillo was an Italian Camorrista and the second in command of the Nuova Camorra Organizzata , a Camorra organization in Naples. His nickname was "'o Nirone" .-Second in Command:...
aka "'o Nirone" (The Big Black).
Thus, began his ascent to success. He soon became the capozona of Sant'Antimo
Sant'Antimo
Sant'Antimo is a comune in the Province of Naples in the Italian region Campania, located about 13 km north of Naples.-External links:*...
. He was suspected and accused of several murders, the principal or not, extortion and Camorra association. He was also suspected of having Cutolo escape criminal from mental hospital of Aversa
Aversa
Aversa is a town and comune in the Province of Caserta in Campania southern Italy, about 15 kilometres north of Naples. It is the centre of an agricultural district, the agro aversano, producing wine and cheese...
, making the jump to the wall of dynamite. Puca was a primary suspect in the murder of Vincenzo Casillo, Cutolo's deputy and main 'military' chief at the order of Cutolo himself. This accusation, however, has never been confirmed nor proven. After Casillo's death, Puca replaced him as Cutolo's new second-in-command, but was later arrested and brought to trial in the famous 1983 maxi-trials
Maxi Trial
The Maxi Trial was a criminal trial that took place in Sicily during the mid-1980s that saw hundreds of defendants on trial convicted for a multitude of crimes relating to Mafia activities, based primarily on testimony given in as evidence from a former boss turned informant...
against the NCO.
He was involved in the "Tortora case", after the famous TV talk show host Enzo Tortora
Enzo Tortora
Enzo Tortora , was a popular TV host and anchorman on national RAI television, who was falsely accused of being a member of the Camorra and drug trafficking...
who was arrested in May 1983 and sentenced to ten years imprisonment for association with the mafia to corrupt the press. In September 1986, the Corte d'Assise
Corte d'Assise
The Corte d'Assise is an Italian court composed of two professional judges, Giudici Togati, and six lay judges, Giudici Popolari, selected from the people. The court has jurisdiction to judge the most serious crimes, such as terrorism, murder. Penalties imposed by the court can include life...
of Naples fully acquitted Enzo Tortora. In 1987 the Supreme Court definitively affirmed Enzo Tortora's total innocence, and he started an action against those magistrates who had unjustly tried and sentenced him. Tortora's name allegedly appeared in the agenda of Puca, however in reality it was a certain Tortona, not Tortora.
Puca was murdered on February 7, 1989 after a long shoot out with members of the Verde clan in Sant'Antimo
Sant'Antimo
Sant'Antimo is a comune in the Province of Naples in the Italian region Campania, located about 13 km north of Naples.-External links:*...
.