Nenè Geraci

Antonino Geraci (Partinico, January 2, 1917 – Partinico, February 6, 2007), better known as Nenè or il vecchio (the old one), is the historical boss of the Mafia in Partinico, in the province of Palermo. Geraci sat on the Sicilian Mafia Commission since the mid-1970s and belonged to the hard line faction allied with the Corleonesi of Totò Riina and Bernardo Provenzano.[1] According to the pentito Tommaso Buscetta, Geraci took care of the fugitive Riina while he stayed in Partinico.

Antonio Nenè Geraci, Mafia boss of Partinico.

As member of the Commission, Geraci was implicated in many decisions that involved the killing of prominent Antimafia personalities and various high level law enforcement officials, the so-called Excellent Cadavers. As such he received 12 life sentences in the late 1980s, but he still maintained a great deal of influence within the Palermo mafia through the leadership of his Partinico clan, which he kept through various acting bosses while he was imprisoned. Through his membership or seat on the Sicilian Mafia Commission or Cupola, Geraci like several of his fellow mafia capos was directly held responsible for the killings of Antimafia judges Cesare Terranova, Rocco Chinnici, Antonio Saetta, Giovanni Falcone, Paolo Borsellino, the communist politician Pio La Torre and Carabinieri captain Emanuele Basile.

In the 1990s a war of power in Partinico set the Geraci family against the Vitale family, headed by Vito Vitale. The Geraci's were loyal to Provenzano, while the Vitale's were supported by Totò Riina and Leoluca Bagarella.[2]

Geraci was allowed to leave prison in May 2005 because of ill health and to return to his home town.[3] The 88-year-old was blind, had heart problems and was restricted to a wheelchair. He died from a heart failure in his bed on February 6, 2007.[4]

References
  1. (in Italian) Ordinanza di custodia cautelare in carcere Archived 2008-12-07 at the Wayback Machine, Tribunale di Caltanissetta, Ufficio del giudice per le indagini preliminari, April 11, 1994
  2. (in Italian) "La nuova mafia era contro Provenzano", La Sicilia, June 4, 2005
  3. Geraci was incarcerated under the very strict 41-bis prison regime. The human-rights group Amnesty International has expressed concern that the 41-bis regime could in some circumstances amount to "cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment" for prisoners.
  4. (in Italian) Morto Geraci, il boss di Partinico, La Repubblica, February 7, 2002.
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