Being Oscar
From Mob Lawyer to Mayor of Las Vegas
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4.0 • 3 Ratings
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
In Being Oscar,one of America’s most celebrated criminal defense attorneys recounts the stories and cases of his epic life. The Mafia’s go-to defender, he has tried an estimated 300 criminal cases, and won most of them. His roster of clients reads like a history of organized crime: Meyer Lansky, Nicky Scarfo, and “Lefty” Rosenthal, as well as Mike Tyson and boxing promoter Don King, along with a midget, a dentist, and a federal judge.
After thirty-five years as a defender, he ran for mayor of Las Vegas, and America’s greatest Mob lawyer became the mayor of its sexiest city. He was so popular his image appeared on the 5, 25, and 100 chips. While mayor of Vegas, he starred on the screen in Rush Hour 2 and CSI. He is as large a character in the history of organized crime as any of his clients and as legendary a figure in the history of Las Vegas as the entrepreneurs (his friends and clients) who built the city. This is his astonishing story—the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Shoot-from-the-lip remarks abound as long-serving Mafia lawyer and former Las Vegas mayor Goodman delivers a fast-paced, entertaining account of his over-the-top life. The son of a Philadelphia attorney, Goodman entered the legal profession and spent 35 years defending some of organized crime's biggest names. As though that weren't enough excitement for one lifetime, in 1999 he was elected mayor of Las Vegas and served three terms (presently his wife holds the job). Stemming from his philosophy to "never back down," his courtroom antics were well known and his contention that many law enforcers shirk their duty created a contentious relationship with the FBI. Goodman defend-ed the infamous gangster Tony Spilotro numerous times, describing him as "fearless, honorable to a fault with me," and says Spilotro never complained about the hand he was dealt. As mayor Goodman worked tirelessly to revitalize the city center and here addresses his controversial support of regulated and legalized prostitution. Though Goodman's ego comes through on the page, the man brims with charm and humor.
