James McBratney

James McBratney (November 17, 1941, New York City, New York – May 22, 1973, Staten Island, New York) was an Irish American gangster, believed to have been involved in the 1972 kidnappings of Emanuel "Manny" Gambino (nephew of Carlo Gambino) and Lucchese crime family caporegime Francesco Manzo and Gambino crime family mafioso Vincent D'Amore.

James McBratney (a.k.a. Jimmy From Queens) was born in 1941 to emigrant Catholic parents from Northern Ireland. He first met his longtime friend and fellow Irishman, Edward Maloney at Green Haven Correctional Facility where McBratney had been convicted of armed robbery. Maloney would later describe him as a "devoted family man". He stood 6'3", weighed 250 pounds, and was an avid weightlifter. Maloney later commented about McBratney's behavior while incarcerated saying, "he was quiet, a listener and learner and soon we were discussing heists we might do together."

He was knowledgeable about firearms and wanted to become a collector. The father of two small children, while incarcerated his wife visited him in prison regularly and corresponded with him through letters every day. Unlike many criminals, McBratney remained throughout his life devoted to his wife. When fellow inmates in prison discussed mistresses and women in a degrading manner it upset him. He wanted to save up his illicit funds earned by armed robbery, kidnapping and gun running and open up a night club. This would have been impossible for the liquor license board would have never awarded him the certificate because of his connections with the Gambino crime family and Colombo crime family, including his own personal extensive criminal record. It is wrongly perceived that McBratney was the leader of the kidnapping gang, while he did oversee the kidnappings he was just a "point man" and "middle man".

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