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hi Jolan
I have to fetch a friend from hospital soon (day surgery) so I won't be around at 5pm but will enjoy looking in later in the evening to see all the answers. I hope more of the forum members join in. It would be good to see some "new" faces. J

My word, really struggling today..I only have no.1 so far (and it's the type I don't normally solve!. I'll have to look in later to find out why my thinking is so far adrift today.

Back from voting- veeery busy. Only have three so far. You're a tricky one, Jolan.

Number 3 is the one in particular that I'm scratching my head over. I am not clear what is the definition part so am completely bamboozled at the moment!

Wish I'd had more time to dwell on these. Tried sires, holds, etc. for 3 and just don't see it.
1- ALABAMA
4- MINUTE
5- GORDON BENNETT

No 2 is nothing but a random guess

1. State of mind leaves a bold Mafia-man confounded (7) Alabama? (“of mind” out of “a bold mafia man”, confounded gives state)

2. Readily adaptable person taking tea, with English fruit, outside (9) Not confident - versatile?

3. Thinks of old breaks between sons and fathers (5) Weens? (old word for thinks is in clue)

4. Detailed report of a small tailed amphibian associated with the speaker (6) Minute? (sounds like “my newt” and “minute” is detailed)

5. Expressing mild surprise at hired thug capturing Rural Dean with tendency to carry net! (6,7) Gordon Bennett? (Goon +RD (rural dean) + net +Bent (tendency))

Gordon Bennett was a New York newspaper owner, notorious for his eccentric behaviour - apparently one of his tricks was to run through a restaurant, pulling the cloths (and contents) off tables, then paying the bills.

Great clues as always.
Here are my suggestions:
1. Alabama- anagram of a bold mafia man less of mind
2. Chameleon- cha as in tea melon around E(nglish)
3. Weens- hidden in clue
4. Minute- sounds like my newt!
5. Gordon Bennett- Goon around RD (rural Dean) Bent (tendency) around net

Of course.

Brilliant!
In addition to early birds, Hi to Jazzy and andyc. Well done Ari on 1,4,5 and ab 1,3,4.
Thanks djaw for all correct answers/parsing.

Very inreresting chrise, Chambers just gives "US journalist".

Thanks to you all for having a go. Although no need to give my detailed working(see djaw), I'll include it anyway for completion.

1. (subtractive anag [confounded]) of “a bold mafia man” – “of mind” = ALABAMA
2. tea =CHA; English = E; fruit = MELON; yielding cha + mel(E)on = CHAMELEON = readily adaptive person (fig or adj Chambers dict)
3. “breaks” = it’s “in” there! ween (vt) = to think (archaic – Chambers & OED) = WEENS = thinks. (of old = archaic)
4. (report of = homophonic clue) my newt ‘sounds like’ MINUTE = detaiied (meaning no. 2 in Chambers Dict)
5. hired thus = goon; Rural Dean = RD; goon capturing RD = GORDON. tendency = bent; to carry ‘net’ = ben(net)t. Yielding GORDON BENNETT! = expressing mild surprise (Chambers Dict)