NEW YORK _ This old fella is getting out of the can.
Vincent Asaro, 85, who dodged a guilty conviction in the notorious 1978 Lufthansa heist depicted in Martin Scorsese's film "Goodfellas," was released from prison by a Brooklyn judge Friday over concerns about coronavirus and the longtime mobster's rapidly declining health.
The Bonnano family capo pleaded guilty in 2017 to ordering associates _ including the late Gambino boss John Gotti's grandson _ to burn the car of a man who cut him off in Queens.
"Asaro's age, in combination with his deteriorating health, constitutes an extraordinary and compelling reason for his release," wrote Brooklyn Federal Judge Allyne Ross in her ruling. "In addition, the combination of the COVID-19 health crisis and Asaro's age and preexisting conditions constitutes an extraordinary and compelling reason for his release."
Asaro, who is currently being held at a federal medical facility in Missouri, suffered a stroke in 2019 and now struggles to speak in complex sentences, feed himself and use the bathroom on his own. He even forgot the names of his children, defense lawyers said.
Ross determined that Asaro no longer posed a real threat to society if released.
"While I do not know whether Asaro currently has the ability or the power to command others in his organization to carry out criminal acts at his will, I do not believe that, given Asaro's current state, his release would put the public at a significantly increased risk of danger," Ross wrote. "And, considering his impairments ... he is not likely to be orchestrating complex criminal schemes."
Federal authorities who opposed the application for compassionate release, are reviewing the decision and considering legal options, a spokesman said.
