Garret Byrnes was the District Attorney in Suffolk County from 1952 until 1978. Like all district attorneys he would have to run for re-election every four years. He knew that most people have no idea who is their DA or what county they live in. He recognized the value of good publicity. A month or so before an election he would have the Boston police conduct a big bookie raid. This would get him enough publicity to make it look like he was doing something against organized crime and to ensure his reelection.
Another example of a DA ginning up publicity before an election was when Bill Keating was the DA of Norfolk County. He was running for Congress when Amy Bishop a biology professor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville gunned down three co-workers early in 2010. It seemed that in 1968 in Braintree, Bishop had also killed her brother with a shotgun which had been ruled accidental. Keating reopened that investigation, garnered all the publicity and indicted her for murder in June 2010, three months before his election. He knew he would never have to try the case since he would not be DA after that fall; he also knew that she’d be convicted of the three murders in Alabama; and that she’d never be brought back here for trial. DA Mike Morrissey was elected DA in Norfolk to replace him. After her Alabama convictions he showed his wisdom in getting rid of the Norfolk murder charge against Bishop.
Now we have Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan in another publicity ploy. She wants to bring Dzhokhar Tsarnaev back to Cambridge to stand trial for the murder of MIT police officer Sean Collier and other crimes in the days after the Marathon attack. She says, as if she is unaware he is sitting in a federal prison facing the death penalty, “When you come into Middlesex County and execute a police officer in the performance of his duties and assault other officers attempting to effect his capture, it is appropriate you should come back to Middlesex County to stand trial for that offense.” (my emphasis)
No more untrue statement could be made in the Dzhokhar Tsarnaev matter. It is totally inappropriate to put someone on trial when you are unable to impose additional punishment on the person. She cannot increase in any manner the punishment he is facing. She must know there is no chance he will ever leave prison except in a box.
She should know that what she proposed to do is just a big waste of time and effort. It is hard to believe she is unaware of the huge costs and security considerations that would be involved in taking Dzhokhar to another trial. If she wants to be consistent she should announced the indictment of Whitey Bulger for the murders he committed in Middlesex.
What meaningful punishment does she expect to be able to impose on Dzhokhar? Will she insist his body be exhumed if he is executed so he can be tried? Or, if he overturns the death penalty and gets life then after he dies in federal custody has she some plan whreby he can begin his state sentence? Perhaps she could try him in absentia; he can sit in ADX in Florence, Colorado while she goes puts him on trial in Middlesex.
If she really wants to punish people who murder other people in Middlesex County and who can suffer some consequences if she convicts them I have a few suggestions. She could start with Howie Winter and those guys in his gang still on the street. Howie was the head of the Somerville Winter Hill gang. She can look into the murders of Richard Castucci, the Notarangelli brothers and others who were murdered in Middlesex County and indict those involved.
Those cases are simple to prove. All she has to do is bring John Martorano into her grand jury. He has already written about them in his book. She can have him testify. She can also bring in Steve Flemmi as a corroborative witness. She can also bring in Kevin Weeks and Frank Salemme before the grand jury. She can give them immunity if they already don’t have it and require them to testify.
Her announcement of her plans makes me wonder at her judgment. Why would she want to reopen all the wounds of the many victims of Tsarnaev which are just beginning to heal to put them through this trauma again for no purpose at all. She is supposed to represent the people and not be using tragedies to gain publicity. She should give up this foolhardy plan and let Dzhokhar Tsarnaev fade off into oblivion.
An apology from whom ? … Plenty of remorse to go around. ” His ” opponents graduating from checkers to chess? … We still are not sure who is playing white and who is playing black in what is still a middle game. We’ve identified the pawns. Who is the King? Who wins and who loses if he is placed in check? … ” Checkmate ” in 2011 is an MKUltra fantasy. Reality Check. 10-4 . OVER/OUT.
Rather, Back at ya’ Brother. As to Jimmy ” Cracking up ” which I suspect you said with our sly Irish humour, let’s just say that his Chess game is very … Resilient . JKM
Correct…..Dripping with sarcasm.
I think his opponents graduated from checkers to chess in June 2011, and put him in checkmate at trial. He should have used the MKUltra defense.
All I’m hoping for at appeal is… some new information, an apology, a statement, some closure…., a surprise, really.
I predict something of note will happen, even though he has no chance legally.
Matt,
May I ask a question?
When a person such as Benji D. writes a book (not too recent) and purportedly gives facts, or at least gives opinions IN WRITING about unsolved homicides, why the **** are those not being pursued by cold -case squads? With today’s forensic technology and corroborating testimony (Freddy can get it) why isn’t something being done?
The public victims (Davis’, Donahues’) aren’t the only ones AND YOU KNOW THAT.
Use your forum for good please…… not just another way to be a selective political news-monger.
Get back to where you came from.
JKM…peace, Bro.
…and a little help from their two friends named John.
I heard that a family member, possibly a niece, is writing a book. I would love to read it.
Also don’t forget about his forgotten handwritten manuscript “My life in the Irish Mafia Wars.” Supposedly close to one hundred pages of personal thoughts in writing by Jim……. where the hell did that go? The public never got to see it. I would like to.
Matt will have to start writing about Whitey again…he has no choice, events will compel him to.
Circus comes to town soon.
Matt
Are you going to make a post about this:
http://www.people.com/article/whitey-bulger-pens-emotional-letter-3-teen-girls
Jerome: That letter never would have made it past the prison censors if it wasn’t filled with wholesome thoughts. I though it noteworthy that Bulger didn’t pen a single word about Catherine Grieg, the woman who stood by him for so long and didn’t rat him out, even though she’s doing hard time.
danc: You make an interesting point. I was not aware that letters going out were screened. Also, it is said that Whitey Bulger is a very manipulative person. If that is true what angle is he trying to use with such a wholesome letter. Of course I dont believe what he wrote. He is writing from a jail cell and didnt turn himself in after 16 years on the run.
Jerome,
You are right.
They can’t look at outgoing mail, by law, but they sure do open and inspect everything that comes in.
I think it’s fair to say that Whitey is somewhat manipulative. I don’t think anyone can match him as to how many different ends he was playing against the middle at once.
I brought up the same point last week about him writing to those girls. Interesting…. what’s the angle? Is he softening up? Is he planning apologies to victim’s families? Will he speak at all? Read a long statement that he has been working on in prison? I am hoping he has a shred of decency and takes advantage of this last opportunity to do the right thing.
Obama recently commuted the sentences of/or pardoned 46 federal prisoners,… Cathy Greg should been one of them.
And one other thing about the letter to the girls… beyond the dubious remorse. His witty “make crime pay-go to law school” comment at the end… does he realize he just got finished bragging about his lawyer brother and his many lawyer kids or was it a veiled dig at little brother for not showing up at his trial? Old men get remorseful but they also get bitter.
I think outgoing mail can be read and censored under some circumstances but that’s of little import. I love the idea of pardoning Cathy Greig even though we know it won’t happen because of her association with you-know-who. Maybe there’s a way to get her out a little sooner?
Rather not
I wish Matt would write a post or at least comment as he has a better understanding of the minds and psychological makeup of criminals than myself. You bring up some very good questions. At the end of the day, and this is a very very simple conclusion, in what way does that letter to the girls SERVE Whitey? Maybe he is bored being locked up in isolation for 23 hours a day? Maybe loneliness? Maybe he doesnt wants his family and nieces and nephews to think he is a monster? Only Whitey knows of course.
What would be a very very interesting book in my opinion is a book where Whitey does a 100% honest tell all book. From his youth to now. Why he did certain things in the criminal world. Why he didnt do certain things etc. As horrible and terrible as his murders are (no matter if they too were criminals and murderers themselves) Whitey Bulger and for that matter Steve Flemmi both outlasted a long long list of other New England criminals. And they were able to do this because of some intelligence and incredible street smarts.
Or is he cracking up?
Somebody has to own these reforms, take responsibility for them, otherwise they will never work. The prime minister needs to explain to the Greek people what he wants to do, not what he doesn’t want to do.
MORAL CATHARSIS !!! … Sure, there are issues easily cited about headline grabbing at election and the practical and monetary absurdities entailed ; but that’s Dzhokhar’s ” Tale ” we see disappearing down History’s Rabbit Hole. As ” Praise Allah ” whispers in the grass and we hear a rustle of somehow having been collectively hustled by the little bastard. Oh for The Tower in Henry’ s day; and agony wracked night after night !!! Tsarnaev pathologically and passive aggressively tormented the afflicted victims during the federal trial with his … insouciance. Oh, how PC Che Guevara, Dzokhar. But you are no Che, you little prick. I prefer Marian Ryan heat up the oil, sharpen her knives, and tighten the sinews of the rack with a thoughtful application of beeswax, to your … Controlling The Narrative ….. DICK .
Costs? Whose money is she spending?
Agreed. It’s a political stunt. The security costs for such a trial would be enormous.
Matt-parrot.