Feds say former Colombo boss knew of dangers involved with playing ping pong
Mob life is dangerous. So, apparently, is Ping-Pong.
The feds, in seeking to toss a slip-and-fall suit filed by Colombo crime family big Thomas Gioeli, say that table tennis is a risky endeavor.
The 65-year-old wiseguy sued the government, saying he slipped in a puddle and hurt himself while playing the game while in federal lockup.
But court papers filed this week argue that Gioeli knew about Ping-Pong's perils — including walking on water to track down errant balls.
"Gioeli, by playing pingpong and retrieving a ball near the showers, assumed the risk of slipping on a wet floor," Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevan Cleary wrote.
Gioeli said he slipped in August 2013 at the Metropolitan Detention Center while facing off with a twentysomething inmate he knew as "De."
During the fateful game, Gioeli, nicknamed Tommy Shots, missed a shot.
The ball rolled into the common area, near shower stalls. Gioeli slipped in a puddle and fractured his right kneecap. He needed an operation and physical therapy, according to court papers.
Gioeli's suit insists prison staff fell down on their jobs to create
and maintain safe conditions. He claimed he had long been complaining
about the slippery situation.
But Cleary insisted the case had to get tossed. Gioeli played even
though he knew of the room's showers and puddle, as well as the hazards
of retrieving balls."Scoring points in Ping-Pong entails hitting the ball past the opponent. Thus, an errant ball is the essence of Ping-Pong,” he said.
A trial on liability for the injury is scheduled for next month.
Gioeli's lawyer could be immediately reached for comment.
Gioeli was convicted for racketeering conspiracy in relation to murder plots. He is now incarcerated at a low-security prison in Connecticut, serving an almost 19-year sentence.
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/mob-boss-filed-slip-fall-suit-knew-ping-pong-perils-feds-article-1.3621940
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