Women of the Mafia (DVD)

Lea Garofalo, 35. She went to the police with details of the numerous crimes of her Mafioso husband, Carlo Cosco. In revenge, Cosco kidnapped and murdered her before dissolving her body in acid. Maria Concetta Cacciola, 31. Another Mafia wife. In August 2010, she drank a bottle of acid after also speaking to the police about the crimes of the mob family she had tried, but failed, to escape. Her death remains clouded in mystery. Then there's Cacciola's cousin, Giuseppina Pesce, the daughter of clan boss Salvatore Pesce. She also turned state's witness, even helping to put some of her family members behind bars. By rebelling against their clan, these women dealt a severe blow to organized crime. For in the 'Ndrangheta, the largest and most feared of the Italian mafias, women never betray. Blood ties and ancestral ties still hold tight. And -- as the film reveals -- the actions of Lea, Maria Concetta and Giuseppina have set a dangerous precedent

• documentary