Downfall
Ironically, it would be one of these independent decisions that would cause Riccio's downfall. In 1982, Ciro Fiorentino, one of Riccio's personal godsons, became the lover of crew member, Pasquale Damiano's widow only a few weeks after his murder. Riccio who was serving a minor sentence in prison at the time decided to have Fiorentino killed without consulting Cutolo, and asked Carmine Argentato to perform the hit. When knowledge of the murder became public, Riccio was summoned to Cutolo's cell, where both Cutolo and Pasquale D'Amico strongly objected to the murder.
For Cutolo, the new relationship was acceptable since Fiorentino had belonged to the organization and he harshly scolded Riccio. Insulted by Cutolo's harsh words, Riccio put up a counterarguement: "If you die and i become the lover of your girlfriend, what would you think of it?" This was seen as a multiple insult. Cutolo was highly superstitious and took offense at the discussion of his death as well as the eventual betrayal of his memory. He reacted by angrily leaving the room and slamming the door behind him.
Aware of the symbolic power of social actions in the prison system, Riccio interpreted this as a death sentence. When he was eventually released from prison, Riccio sensed that he was no longer safer within the NCO and he asked for the protection of the Nuova Famiglia in exchange for his skills as a killer. He subsequently became affiliated with the Giuliano clan from Naples' quarter Forcella, and was allowed to continue operating his business for months.
Read more about this topic: Luigi Riccio, Biography
Famous quotes containing the word downfall:
“Children demand that their heroes should be fleckless, and easily believe them so: perhaps a first discovery to the contrary is less revolutionary shock to a passionate child than the threatened downfall of habitual beliefs which makes the world seem to totter for us in maturer life.”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)
“Show me one thing here on earth which has begun well and not ended badly. The proudest palpitations are engulfed in a sewer, where they cease throbbing, as though having reached their natural term: this downfall constitutes the heart’s drama and the negative meaning of history.”
—E.M. Cioran (b. 1911)