Sore Hips No Reason To Release Queens Aging 'Deadly Don,' Judge Rules

QUEENS, NY — Sore hips aren't a good enough reason to release from prison an aging "Deadly Don" linked to nine murders, one of which saw a canary shoved in the mouth of a slain informant, a federal judge ruled Thursday.

The compassionate release plea of Vittorio Amuso, 88, was shot down by Judge Frederic Block, who argued the aging the Luchese crime family boss had done too much harm during his bloody reign.

"His conduct was simply too serious," Block wrote, "and too destructive to the fabric of society to warrant anything other than a life sentence."

Amuso — who ruled the Luchese family "with an iron fist" — pleaded for freedom because of severe osteoarthritis that has left him reliant on a wheelchair for traveling long distances, court records show.

His attorneys also pointed to model behavior in prison during his 31 years behind bars and argued the elderly man no longer posed a threat to society.

Block, however, could not ignore Amuso's history.

From his Howard Beach perch, Amuso had 120 made men and as many as 1,000 associates carrying out his bidding, court documents detail.

His loansharking, drug dealing, gambling, extortion and other rackets included a scheme that netted the family $1 million in kickbacks from window manufacturers, documents state

Amuso also directed hits on more than a dozen people, nine of whom ultimately were killed, according to documents.

One man who was suspected of being an informant tried to escape his execution at a body shop, only to be dragged inside, stabbed and shot to death, documents state.

"His killers placed a dead canary in his mouth as a warning sign to potential informants," documents state.

Jurors in his 1992 trial ultimately found Amuso guilty of all 54 counts he faced, which included murder in-aid-of-racketeering, records show.

Block, the judge, found Amuso's crimes outweighed even his serious health concerns, and denied his release.

"His reign of the Luchese Family was replete with bloodshed," Block wrote.

"At Amuso’s command, more than a dozen individuals were ordered to be killed, and nine were actually slain," Block wrote. "for the purpose of maintaining power over a criminal enterprise—all while amassing illicit wealth at the expense of New York City."