There are three excellent reasons why next month’s trial of acting Bonanno family boss Vincent (Vinny Gorgeous) Basciano and capo Patrick (Patty From The Bronx) DeFilippo (right) will be a very intriguing affair. 

For one, the case will mark the much-anticipated debut as a prosecution witness of Joseph Massino, the first full-fledged New York Mafia boss to cooperate with the government.

For another, it will be the first major mob trial in the spanking new 14-story federal courthouse in downtown Brooklyn. (Having suffered two major defeats recently, prosecutors are eager to notch a big win in their new digs; kind of like hanging up a good luck charm in the new house.)

But the most intriguing aspect of the case will be the interplay at the defense table between Basciano and DeFilippo. That’s because earlier this year, Vinny Gorgeous asked former boss Massino for permission to whack Patty from the Bronx. 

As you might expect, that annoyed DeFilippo more than a little bit when he got

wind of it. Worse, he got to hear all about it courtesy of an FBI tape recording.

“Patty is a scumbag… he ain’t your friend,” Basciano, 46, said about DeFilippo, 66, on January 3, in a conversation that was tape recorded by Massino (left) in the federal lockup in Brooklyn where all three gangsters were housed at the time.

In recounting a previous, unrecorded discussion for his FBI handlers, Massino questioned Vinny Gorgeous about his prior use of a corrupt mob lawyer to seek Massino’s approval to kill DeFilippo, using the code word “jocko” to mean “kill,” according to court papers. 

“Then he (the lawyer) says to me if Patty gets out (of prison) Vinny wants to jocko him,” said Massino.

“Yes, I did say that,” Vinny Gorgeous replied. He later summed up his antipathy towards his fellow mobster: “I have a problem living in the same world with this guy.”

Under prodding from Massino, Basciano suggested that one reason for his anger at his former mentor in the Bonanno family’s Bronx brigade was DeFilippo’s

repeated practice of badmouthing Vinny Gorgeous to their boss for taking over his crew and rackets.

It wasn’t always that way. Back in 1985, according to court records, DeFilippo chose the ambitious Basciano (right) as the gunman in the attempted murder of a rival numbers runner, one of two racketeering acts in which both wiseguys allegedly participated. By comparison, the other charge is literally small change: They allegedly operated an illegal Joker Poker business since 1979.

After allegedly firing four shots into the head and chest of his target, Basciano was nabbed running from the getaway car. DeFillipo, who allegedly ordered the hit, was corralled in the car’s back seat – too obese to flee. There was other bad luck: the victim survived and is expected to testify, 

“Back then,” said one source, “Basciano was ‘Skinny Vinny’ and DeFilippo was called ‘Patty The Pig,’ behind his back” because of his penchant for overeating.

Basciano acquired his current moniker from “Hello Gorgeous,” a Bronx beauty salon he later opened. DeFilippo lost his derogatory nickname after shedding more than 100 pounds. 

During two taped talks – recorded within a four-day stretch in January – Vinny Gorgeous repeated his intentions about Patty From The Bronx several times after Massino fueled his anger by recounting that DeFillipo had labeled Basciano a “bad choice” as acting boss. DeFilippo had also harbored his own bad intentions toward Basciano, Massino confided. “At one time (Patty) was looking to put your lights out,” the boss told him.

“I’m letting you know he’s a problem for us,” Basciano replied. “Take that,” he added, cocking his fingers in the form of a gun, said one source.

Last week, however, the lawyer for Patty From The Bronx threw a legal monkey wrench into the mix that just might reduce the tension and level of excitement at the inaugural mob trial in the new Brooklyn courthouse. 

In court papers, and during a three hour session before Judge Nicholas Garaufis, attorney Richard Levitt – to the consternation of prosecutors – raised the possibility that DeFilippo and Basciano will be tried separately, with his client proceeding first on January 17. 

For a variety of reasons, Levitt argued – with some persuasion, as the judge reserved a final decision – that he should be entitled to play the tapes as part of DeFilippo’s defense. If Garaufis ultimately agrees with Levitt, the men

would be tried separately, since the tapes cannot be used against Basciano in this case.

Citing numerous portions of the taped conversations, Levitt argued they buttressed the defense assertion that Basciano had the authority to order a 1999 Bronx murder, the only one his client is charged with, and was the mob superior of another Bronx mobster who pleaded guilty to that murder before trial.

“I gave the order,” Basciano said about a 2004 mob slaying for which he will be tried later next year, a remark that clearly makes Basciano out to be a murderous thug, thus a likely candidate in the 1999 slaying, for which he was once suspected.

Among other things, Levitt posited, the tapes show that Basciano plotted to kill a prosecutor and also “show Massino’s cunning ability to fool Basciano into believing his sincerity and veracity, just as he will endeavor to fool the jury.”

Prosecutors Winston Chan, Amy Busa and Greg Andres countered that the tapes were inadmissible and that the defendants should be tried together. If Garaufis, who told the parties he would issue a written opinion by the end of this week, decides in favor of DeFilippo, prosecutors said they would try him first. 

Judge Advises Lawyer: Get A Lawyer

The feds have more plans for their high-powered turncoat in the new year.

Massino will lead the charge against Gambino capo Dominick (Skinny Dom) Pizzonia (right) at his trial for the 1992 murders of a husband and wife team that robbed several mob social clubs, including Skinny Dom’s, that year. 

Those plans were disclosed during a proceeding at which assistant U.S. attorney Mitra Hormozi argued that lawyer Joseph Corozzo, whose father and uncle are top Gambino mobsters, should be disqualified from the case on conflict of interest grounds. 

At the session, Judge Jack Weinstein advised Corozzo several times to retain a lawyer to respond to allegations that he was involved in potentially criminal conduct with turncoat capo Michael (Mikey Scars) DiLeonardo, another witness against Skinny Dom.

“I strongly suggest to you that you get counsel to assist you,” said Weinstein. “As a matter of fact, since you knew that your position as a lawyer would be challenged today in a number of ways, I find it strange that you don’t have counsel here.”

Later, when Corozzo disputed assertions that his father – Gambino consigliere Joseph (Jo Jo) Corozzo – had proposed him to be a “made man,” Weinstein warned the lawyer “that anything you now say can be used against you. That is why I have strongly suggested that to protect yourself, and your client, that you retain independent counsel.”

Corozzo said he would, and would weigh his words carefully until he did. Later, he seemed to forget his own words when Weinstein advised the lawyer that it “would be very unwise” for him to question DiLeonardo at a hearing scheduled for next week.

The attorney, who has vehemently denied ever representing DiLeonardo, (left) let alone being involved with him in any criminal activity, indicated that he would likely handle the cross examination, even though “the court might advise that it is not the wisest thing to do.”