American Justice Season 2 Episode 21 Target: Mafia: The Showdown

Target: Mafia: The Showdown is the 21st episode of the second season of American Justice. The episode focuses on the showdown between law enforcement agencies and the Italian Mafia in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The episode begins by providing an overview of the Italian Mafia's history in America. It talks about how they came to power through organized crime and their involvement in illegal activities like gambling, loan-sharking, and drug trafficking. It also highlights how the Mafia was able to survive for so long due to a code of silence within the organization.

The episode then moves on to discuss the law enforcement agencies' efforts to bring down the Mafia. It talks about how the FBI began using wiretaps and other surveillance methods to gather evidence against the Mafia's leaders. It also sheds light on how the Mafia was able to keep their criminal activities hidden, even from law enforcement agencies.

The episode then focuses on the events that led up to the showdown between the Mafia and law enforcement agencies. It talks about how the Mafia, feeling emboldened by their long-standing power, began targeting law enforcement officials. It also highlights how the law enforcement agencies were determined to take down the Mafia and began making arrests of their leadership.

The episode then goes into the details of the Mafia's downfall. It talks about how they were exposed through wiretap evidence and their own incriminating words. It also discusses how John Gotti's decision to kill a former boss, Paul Castellano, ultimately led to the Mafia's downfall. It shows how Gotti's brazenness in admitting to the crime on wiretap helped the law enforcement agencies finally bring him and his associates to justice.

The final part of the episode focuses on the aftermath of the Mafia's downfall. It talks about how their exposure led to a reduction in their power and how the law enforcement agencies were able to uncover a significant amount of evidence against them. It also highlights how the code of silence within the organization began to break down and how many of its leaders began turning on each other in order to secure plea deals.

Overall, Target: Mafia: The Showdown is a fascinating episode that provides a detailed look into the downfall of the Italian Mafia at the hands of law enforcement agencies in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It uses first-hand accounts and interviews to provide viewers with an inside look into the events that led up to this showdown and the aftermath that followed.