Pentangeli is a caporegime in the Corleone family, running operations in New York City while Michael and Fredo Corleone are in Las Vegas. He took over the position following the death of the previous capo, Peter Clemenza. Pentangeli is a very old associate and family friend, having worked with Vito Corleone in the early days of their olive oil business.Near the beginning of the story, Pentangeli approaches Michael to ask for his help in eliminating the Rosato brothers, rivals in New York, who claimed to have been promised territories by Peter Clemenza prior to his death, but Michael refuses. He orders Pentangeli to do nothing, as he does not want a war to interfere with an upcoming deal with Hyman Roth, who supports the Rosatos. Pentangeli takes this as an insult and leaves in anger. Later that night, Michael narrowly escapes an assassination attempt at his home.Suspecting that Hyman Roth was behind the assasination attempt, Michael meets with Pentangeli and asks him to help take his revenge. Pentangeli agrees, promising to end his feud with the Rosato brothers and giving the impression that Michael supported their claim, so as to give Roth the impression that Michael did not know he was conspiring against him.Back in New York, Pentangeli arranges a meeting with the Rosato brothers. At the meeting, Tony Rosato (played by Danny Aiello) ambushes Pentangeli with a garotte, telling him, "Michael Corleone says hello." A policeman passes by and the murder attempt devolves into a shootout in the street. Pentangeli disappears and is believed to be dead.Later, at a Congressional hearing, Pentangeli is presented as a surprise witness for the prosecution, believing that Michael ordered the Rosato brothers to kill him. He has been in the custody of the FBI since the murder attempt, and is prepared to testify that Michael is a Mafia Don and has ordered countless murders for the Corleone family, as well as having personally murdered a police captain (in The Godfather Part I). Because Pentangeli's protective custody is so secure, Michael knows he will be unable to have him killed before the trial. Instead, he flies Pentangeli's brother in from Sicily, whose appearance in the courtroom frightens him into keeping the Mafia's code of silence. He recants his earlier testimony, claiming that the Corleone family is innocent of any wrongdoing, thereby derailing the government's case.After the hearing, Tom Hagen visits Pentangeli. He tells him that he did the right thing, and that if he accepts responsibility for turning on the Corleone family, his own family will always be taken care of. He thanks Hagen, returns to his room, and later slits his wrists in the bathtub.
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LAYOUT BY ANTONIO MONTANA
