Frank Cullotta is At Peace with His Past

Frank Cullotta keeps reaching toward his face, trying to adjust something no longer there. His glasses.

Cullotta just finished a series of Lasik surgeries to right his vision. Gone are his recognizable, oversized frames. He now sees clearly but continues to focus his memory in the long-ago past.

Cullotta was a famous hit man for the Chicago Outfit, a self-described former “gangster, burglar, murderer, extortionist, arsonist” who admitted to the 1979 killing of con man Sherwin “Jerry” Lisner in Las Vegas. As was customary in those days, Cullotta acted on the order of Chicago Outfit overlord Tony Spilotro. The murder scene was depicted in the film “Casino.”

Cullotta was a consultant on the film, as he edged his way back into society while living under an assumed name. He spent two years in the federal witness-protection program after cutting a deal with the federal government in exchange for information about his former associates.

Today, the 76-year-old Cullotta earns a legal living as an expert in the culture that led him underground. He works as a guide for the Mob Museum, leading “Casino” tours of the primary points of interest featured in the 20-year-old mob movie, most of which was set in Las Vegas. The tours begin at the Mob Museum with a private walk-around hosted by mob historian Robert George Allen and include a bus tour of the city’s famous mob locations. The five-hour tours run monthly and cost $180, including a champagne toast and pizza dinner.

Guests visit such locations as the Casino House, where Cullotta carried out the Lisner murder; the setting for the Frankie “Blue” death scene in the film; the Las Vegas Country Club clubhouse where Spilotro and Moe Dalitz used to play cards; and the site of the Hole in the Wall Gang’s botched Bertha’s Household Products robbery on July 4, 1981, which led to Cullotta’s arrest. The bus also pulls into Piero’s Italian Cuisine, also used in “Casino.”

You see, too, the spot at Tony Roma’s on Sahara Avenue where in 1982, Lefty Rosenthal was nearly killed in a car-bomb explosion, spared by the hard-metal plate under the driver’s seat of his ’81 Cadillac Eldorado.

“I tell people that Lefty was a creature of habit,” Culotta said. “He always liked to have his ribs at Roma’s, once a week. He was an easy target.”

Cullotta is introduced to those on the tour by “Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas” book author Nicholas Pileggi. “He brags about me, saying there would have been no book or movie ‘Casino’ if it was not for me,” Cullotta said.

Cullotta considers the obvious: He is the rare (hopefully) person taking these tours who actually has committed a murder.

How does it feel to be walking around with that experience, even more than 35 years later?

“Honestly, it never wakes me up,” Cullotta said. “If you do think about it, it’ll put you in the (effing) nuthouse. When I do these tours, then everything pops up into my head; people want to know if it bothers me. Of course. But if I thought about it 24 hours a day, I’d wind up in my car with a gun in my mouth.”

Cullotta says he compares his experience to that of a serviceman carrying out an order for his government.

“It’s like fighting a war,” he said. “I hate to use the military as a comparison, but that’s how it felt; I was carrying out an order.

“People are fascinated by me, and I understand that, but there’s a big difference in me today than there used to be. I mean, I used to be surrounded by celebrities, showgirls, politicians, a lot of money, people wanting to attach themselves to you. But it came at a price.”

Which was?

“I lost my freedom,” Cullotta said. “I had to change my life completely. But I have paid my debt to society. I’m under no pressure. I used to have headaches all the time, from tension, and I don’t have headaches anymore. I’m clean today. I’m very clean.”

Thanks to John Katsilometes.

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The Untouchables in Blu-Ray

They don't make movies like The Untouchables, any more. Brian De Palma's gripping tale of a Chicago police team trying to take on Al Capone is one of the best crime movies ever made. With stellar writing, superb directing, and an all-star cast, The Untouchables feels both modern and timeless.

Kevin Costner stars as Elliott Ness, a Treasury Department agent tasked with cutting down on alcohol bootlegging (this was during Prohibition, mind you). And Robert De Niro is Al Capone, the man behind the illegal alcohol trade, as well as many other things besides. Ness tries and fails to rally local law enforcement to his cause. It's only when he teams with veteran cop Malone (Sean Connery, in an Oscar-winning role) and forms a small squad of his own, dubbed "the Untouchables" because they are the only people in the city who cannot be bribed by the mob.

The Untouchables is fantastic on many different levels. It all starts with the script, written by famous playwright David Mamet. Mamet is known for his fast-paced, overlapping dialogue and his sharp, memorable lines. Here he eases up on the rat-a-tat rhythm of the dialogue, instead allowing each character to showcase a set of very memorable lines.

Brian De Palma adds another level. De Palma's career jumps from confident and assured (Sisters, Carrie, Mission: Impossible) to downright embarrassing (Snake Eyes, Mission To Mars), but here he knocks the ball right out of the park. He lets the material speak for itself, and then adds a cinematic touch to make the whole piece move. And, of course, he's responsible for the famous Battleship Potemkin homage during the climax that still provides edge of your seat tension to this day.

The cast bring it all to life. Kevin Costner is eager and sincere in this role, playing Ness with his heart on his sleeve. It's a reminder of how good of an actor he used to be. Sean Connery is an incredible presence, world-weary but not without hope. It's one of his most nuanced and brilliant performances. Andy Garcia and Patricia Clarkson are memorable, but don't get enough screen time to really show how talented they are. And then, of course, there's De Niro, playing Capone to the hilt, making himself felt throughout, even when he's not on the screen.

And the final piece of the puzzle is the haunting score by Ennio Morriconne. Morricone, most famous for penning the scores for A Fistful Of Dollars, For A Few Dollars More, and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, is one of the world's most versatile composers and provides a tense, lingering soundtrack that perfectly complements the image on the screen.

The Blu-ray Disc:

The Image: Paramount Pictures presents The Untouchables in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1 in an AVC/MPEG-4 encoded 1080p transfer. I was quite literally shocked to see how good this movie looked in high definition. The film came out in 1988, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if someone told me it had come out in 2007. The colors are rich, bright, and solid. Shadow delineation is excellent. Detail level is off the charts. This is not only the best The Untouchables has ever looked, but it also better-looking than a good majority of HD discs of movies from any time period. The image quality alone demands that this Blu-ray be purchased and enjoyed over and over.

The Audio: Nothing's perfect, and in the case of The Untouchables, it's the Dolby Digital-EX 5.1 and DTS 6.1 mixes. Morricone's score sounds great in the high end, but the bass is lacking. Gunshots are often muted and lacking power, and for a surround mix, there's not much directionality. This is the one aspect of the disc that could use a serious overhaul.

The Supplements: Paramount has ported over all of the special features found on the latest special edition DVD. All but the theatrical trailer are in high definition.

The Script, The Cast: Brian De Palma discusses the origin of the film, mentioning that he took the job to get in good with a studio so he could finance his preferred projects. There was a lot of talk of moving away from the television series and making the movie its own beast. There are also some vintage interviews with the cast.

Production Stories: A look at the film's sets, vehicles, costumes, and designs.

Reinventing The Genre: A discussion of how Brian De Palma's cinematic techniques shaped the film.

The Classic: A wrap-up look at the post-production process and release. Morriconne's score, the film's release, success, and legacy are all highlighted here.

The Men: A short vintage featurette.

Theatrical Trailer: In HD, but not very good-looking.

The Conclusion: The Untouchables is an undeniable classic, and this Blu-ray disc does it justice with reference picture. The sound and extras aren't as good, but still far from bad. This is a must-see movie on a must-own disc. Highly Recommended.

Thanks to Daniel Hirshleifer

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Full Statement from Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch on Investigation into @Chicago_Police

Good morning and thank you all for being here. I am joined today by Vanita Gupta, head of the department’s Civil Rights Division, and Zachary Fardon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.

The Department of Justice is committed to upholding the highest standards of law enforcement throughout the United States. Every American expects and deserves the protection of law enforcement that is effective, responsive, respectful and most importantly, constitutional  – and each day, thanks to the tireless dedication of men and women who wear the badge, citizens from coast to coast receive just that. But when community members feel they are not receiving that kind of policing – when they feel ignored, let down or mistreated by public safety officials – there are profound consequences for the well-being of their communities, for the rule of law and for the countless law enforcement officers who strive to fulfill their duties with professionalism and integrity.

Today, I am announcing that the Department of Justice has opened an investigation into whether the Chicago Police Department has engaged in a pattern or practice of violations of the Constitution or federal law. Specifically, we will examine a number of issues related to the CPD’s use of force, including its use of deadly force; racial, ethnic and other disparities in its use of force; and its accountability mechanisms, such as its disciplinary actions and its handling of allegations of misconduct. This investigation has been requested by a number of state and local officials and community leaders and has been opened only after a preliminary review and careful consideration of how the Justice Department can best use our tools and resources to meet Chicago’s needs.

In the coming months, the investigation will be conducted by experienced career attorneys from the Civil Rights Division with the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois. They will conduct a thorough, impartial and independent review of the allegations. The team will meet with a broad cross-section of community members, city officials and law enforcement command staff and officers to explain our process and to hear from anyone who wishes to share information relevant to the investigation. We will examine, with our experts, policies, practices and data. And at the end of our investigation, we will issue a report of our findings. If we discover unconstitutional patterns or practices, the Department of Justice will announce them publicly, seek a court-enforceable agreement with the Chicago Police Department and work with the city to implement appropriate reforms.

Our goal in this investigation – as in all of our pattern-or-practice investigations – is not to focus on individuals, but to improve systems; to ensure that officers are being provided with the tools they need – including training, policy guidance and equipment – to be more effective, to partner with civilians and to strengthen public safety. We understand that the same systems that fail community members also fail conscientious officers by creating mistrust between law enforcement and the citizens they are sworn to serve and protect. This mistrust from members of the community makes it more difficult to gain help with investigations, to encourage victims and witnesses of crimes to speak up, and to fulfill the most basic responsibilities of public safety officials  And when suspicion and hostility is allowed to fester, it can erupt into unrest.

Building trust between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve is one of my highest priorities as Attorney General. The Department of Justice intends to do everything we can to foster those bonds and create safer and fairer communities across the country. And regardless of the findings in this investigation, we will seek to work with local officials, residents and law enforcement officers alike to ensure that the people of Chicago have the world-class police department they deserve.

At this time, I’ll be happy to answer a few questions.

- Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch

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Justice Department Opens Pattern or Practice Investigation into the @Chicago_Police

Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch announced today that the Justice Department has opened a civil pattern or practice investigation into Chicago Police Department (CPD), pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.  The department’s investigation of CPD will seek to determine whether there are systemic violations of the Constitution or federal law by officers of CPD.  The investigation will focus on CPD’s use of force, including racial, ethnic and other disparities in use of force, and its systems of accountability.

“Building trust between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve is one of my highest priorities as Attorney General,” said Attorney General Lynch.  “The Department of Justice intends to do everything we can to foster those bonds and create safer and fairer communities across the country.  And regardless of the findings in this investigation, we will seek to work with local officials, residents, and law enforcement officers alike to ensure that the people of Chicago have the world-class police department they deserve.”

During the course of the investigation, the Justice Department will consider all relevant information, particularly the CPD’s policies, training and practices related to using, reporting, investigating and reviewing force.  The Justice Department will also look into CPD’s practices related to disciplinary and other corrective action; and its practices related to intake and handling of allegations of misconduct.

"The Justice Department's investigation – opened with currently available, preliminary information – seeks to determine whether the Chicago Police Department's use of force practices and accountability systems comply with constitutional standards necessary to effectively serve its community and productively support its police officers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Civil Rights Division.  ”In the coming months, we look forward to engaging directly with all stakeholders in Chicago – including the city's residents, law enforcement officers and public officials – as part of our fact-driven and thorough review.”

“Today's launch of this investigation marks an important and positive opportunity for Chicago and its police department," said U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Fardon for the Northern District of Illinois.  “The U.S. Attorney's Office is fully committed to doing everything in our power, in partnership with our colleagues in the Civil Rights Division, to ensure that this process is a success.”

As part of the investigation the department will gather information directly from police officers and local officials; community members, and other criminal justice stake holders, such as public defenders and prosecutors.  The department will also observe officer activities through ride-alongs and other means; as well as review documents and specific incidents that are relevant to the investigation.  Pattern or practice investigations of police departments do not assess individual cases for potential criminal violations; instead they look at incidents for patterns created by systems and practices.

The Justice Department has taken similar steps involving a variety of state and local law enforcement agencies, both large and small, in jurisdictions throughout the United States.  When investigations result in findings of systemic violations of federal law and the Constitution they have in many instances resulted in comprehensive, court-overseen agreements to fundamentally change the law enforcement agency’s police practices.  When the department’s investigations do not result in findings of violations of federal law and the Constitution the department will close the investigation without an agreement.

This matter is being investigated by attorneys and staff from the Civil Rights Division with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.  They will be assisted by experienced law enforcement experts.  The department welcomes the views of anyone wishing to provide relevant information.

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Star Shark @RobertHerjavec of @ABCSharkTank On How Hackers Became The New Mafia

Robert Herjavec is best known as a star on ABC’s Emmy Award-winning hit show Shark Tank. But that only requires 17 days a year of filming, according to Herjavec – who spends most of his time as founder and CEO running his namesake cybersecurity firm.

Toronto-based Herjavec Group is Canada’s largest pure-play information security services company. Over the past couple of years they have expanded in to the U.S., Europe, and Asia-Pacific, through organic growth and a few small but strategic acquisitions of MSSPs (managed security service providers).

Herjavec’s firm recently did some of its own filming — “Hackers are the New Mafia: Breakfast and Security Roundtable with DarkMarket author Misha Glenny" — a video broadcast which discusses cyber crime with one of the top minds on the topic.

Misha Glenny is an international bestselling author who has written several books including his 2012 paperback “DarkMarket: How Hackers Became the New Mafia”. In this book, he exposes our governments’ multi-billion-dollar war against an ever-morphing, super smart new breed of criminal: the hacker.

Herjavec Group’s video was shot at their corporate headquarters and features Glenny recounting his experiences across 200 plus hours of research & interviews with the key players in the game of cybercrime including criminals, international security experts, politicians and fraud victims.

Cyber crime is on the rise. The British insurance company Lloyd’s estimates that cyber attacks cost businesses as much as $400 billion a year, which includes direct damage plus post-attack disruption to the normal course of business. Some vendor and media forecasts put the cybercrime figure as high as $500 billion and more.

If you are a consumer, business owner, corporate executive, IT or cybersecurity expert looking for some unique insight in to what Glenny calls the “new mafia” of cyber criminals – then you ought to watch Herjavec’s video.

Thanks to Steve Morgan.

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