Edward McDonald recounts Mafia prosecutions and ‘Goodfellas’ role

Former Brooklyn prosecutor Edward McDonald has released a new memoir, ‘Chasing Goodfellas: Lufthansa, Henry Hill, Point Shaving, and Making Movies’, detailing his career and unexpected role in cinema.

During the 1970s and 1980s, McDonald led the Justice Department’s Organized Crime Strike Force in Brooklyn, prosecuting numerous members of La Cosa Nostra, corrupt labor officials, and US congressmen. His real-life work with mobster Henry Hill eventually led him to serve as an informal advisor for Martin Scorsese’s film ‘Goodfellas’. After consulting on the production, McDonald underwent a screen test and was cast in the movie.