New York ? A judge on Friday rejected John A. “Junior” Gotti’s request to be acquitted of a racketeering charge, clearing the way for a new trial.

A jury deadlocked on the charge at trial in September, and U.S. District Judge Shira A. Scheindlin declared a mistrial and freed Gotti, 41, on $7 million bond.

Gotti is charged with ordering a botched 1992 attempt to abduct Curtis Sliwa, a radio show host, in retaliation for Sliwa’s on-air rants against Gotti’s father, the late mob boss John Gotti. Sliwa was shot but recovered and resumed his work on the radio.