I have pointed out that it is difficult to believe anything Steve Flemmi said about the murder of Deborah Hussey because he had the motive to do it and he was always putting it on other people.
I was pointing out how Kevin Weeks was of the same mind. I noted how both were well compensated for their time with gifts from the prosecutors for their testimony. These prosecutors were driven to find every scrap of evidence whether it made sense or not against Whitey Bulger. I was telling about how a greater understanding of Kevin Weeks could be found in his book Brutal.
Weeks is a genuine tough guy. A smart tough guy since he stays away from the vices that destroy a lot of them the drugs and booze. He grows up in a family dominated by a father who expects a lot from his sons and does not shy from informing them of this with his fists. Two of Weeks’s sibling will become book smart and graduate from Harvard; Weeks will become street smart and live the life of the street wise guy. He is brutally honest in some parts of his book. He points out that being a criminal is to live a life of lies; and the idea behind living the criminal life is not to get caught for one’s crimes. He also points out how important it is for them to survive in that life by knowing everything that is going on around them. They were alert to everything.
When judging Weeks’s involvement in the Hussey murder we have to look a little behind his words and to his relationship with Whitey. Remember he is involved in several the murders but presents himself as sort of a spectator. That in itself should have you scratching your head; always a bridesmaid never a bride.
Yet in his book he seems to be Whitey’s Rottweiler. Whitey sicced him on one person after another and he would gladly give them a beating. He was Whitey’s strong arm man, his muscle, ever ready to do the dirty work that Whitey wanted to avoid so as not to mess up his clean T shirt and pressed jeans. Why when it comes to the murders does he turn into a sort of lap dog sitting on the chair and staring in amazement at the brutality of others?
T.J. English who spent a lot of time talking to Weeks in his book Where the Bodies Were Buried p. 249 notes: “”Kevin was athletic, and he seemed to enjoy punching people. Bulger tested him out right away; he had Weeks beat up not only people who had crossed him in areas of criminal business, but also those who had violated he neighborhood’s code of ethics. [Those people] . . . might find themselves on the receiving end of a beating by Weeks, as ordered by Bulger.”
Why would in not have been Weeks he who wrestles Deborah to the ground to show his toughness? He tells us he’s at the murder house and expecting her to arrive but not thinking they would murder a woman there?
He testified: “She was a girl. She wasn’t a criminal. . . . So I didn’t think anything was going to come of it.” Why did he not think that? He knew Flemmi had already murdered Debbie Davis who fit that description. He knew as he said Flemmi was having problems with her? He knew what Flemmi did when he had problems with women. Why does he hide all this knowledge and put himself upstairs in the bathroom when Deborah arrives.
Weeks and Flemmi put it on Whitey, which they have to do to get a deal, but based on their history it is more likely they did the actual murder of her. English would ask (p. 271) Weeks why would Whitey murder Deborah if he had never murdered any woman before. The best Weeks could answer is Whitey was “trying to one-up” Flemmi.
He said Flemmi had murdered Debby Davis and Whitey hadn’t murdered any women so that was why he murdered Deborah. That makes no sense to me. If that was his concern there were many other women he could murder.
English, whose book is deficient because he was prejudiced by the people he relied upon who all had axes to grind against Whitey, also puzzled over it why Whitey would murder Deborah. He lamely said (p. 271) the “answer was simple because they could get away with it.”
Maybe the best answer is that Whitey who never murdered a woman before had nothing to do with Deborah’s murder. He was born in 1929 and in 1985 he would have been 56-years-old. Why would he start then?
What’s more there is not a scintilla of evidence he ever even threatened a woman, unlike Weeks who when mad told his girlfriend he was going to add her to a landfill. The women in Whitey’s life never said they were afraid of him or threatened by him.
Both Weeks and Flemmi unlike Whitey had a record of hostility toward women. Surely Weeks, and especially Flemmi who already had a woman’s blood on his hands, could murder Deborah without Whitey’s help.
DanC
I totally believe the Weeks attempt on Howie Carr was a BS story. Weeks trying to look like a tough guy. If Whitey Bulger wanted to kill Howie Carr he would have done it. No doubt at all.
Jerome:
I agree. If you wanted to kill a guy why would you only make one attempt. You either want to do it or not. If Whitey wanted to kill Howie he could have done it in a New York second.
DanC
Same here regarding Weeks. On one hand I think he is “soft” compared to Flemmi and Bulger. What I mean is he is no where near as violent, sick, and psychotic as those 2 individuals. On the other hand I dont think he is this “nice” guy he portrays to the media that all he did was beat people up, collect money, and distribute drugs. If anything I see Weeks as a follower who simply did what Bulger told him to do. I bet Bulger constantly tested Weeks to see where his limit was especially in the realm of violence. It wouldnt shock me to find out Weeks to kill someone but again I think its because he was spellbounded by Bulger constantly being in his ear. The frightening thing is Weeks was present during some very violent extortions by Bulger and did nothing but stay and watch. I always wondered how could Weeks do business and sped so much time around Flemmi and Bulgerand not be scaredthese 2 murderous thugs wouldnt turn against him one day
Matt
You havent addressed something I wrote in another comment so I will repeat it here. I have studied cults and gurus in the past. Followers of gurus have been known ( and its well documented ) to do a lot of what society considers as sick and immoral behavior such as incest, violence, scamming money from others, selling drugs, and even murder. Look at the Jim Jones tragedy in Guyana as one dramatic example. Jim Jones didnt kill all those people by shooting them and making them drink the Kool Aid. No, some of his top leaders in his organization did what they were told. You follow?
I think the Whitey Bulger/Kevin Weeks relationship has a lot of the traits of the guru/follower relationship which includes blind devotion. Years of feeding Weeks mind with daily talks probably heavily influenced Weeks enough to kill for Whitey. But with Hussey that seems like a Flemmi victim.
Hi Jerome,
No argument here with me. Flemmi was definitely her murderer. But you may be letting Weeks off too easily by saying he’s a zombified, Jim Jones-style Bulger follower. Let’s face it, the prospect of doing hard time in prison seems to have instantly snapped (two) Weeks out of whatever spell Bulger may have cast. To my way of thinking, Weeks is a rat and a murderer.
DanC
Do you think Weeks murdered someone by shooting,stabbing, or choking them to death? Or do you think he is guilty of murder by simply watching Bulger and Flemmi murder?
Hi Jerome,
Here’s what Weeks had to say about Bulger: “He stabbed people. He beat people with bats. He shot people. Strangled people. Run ’em over with cars.” It’s hard for me to believe Weeks did nothing but look on while Bulger was doing all the heavy lifting. Trouble is, Weeks isn’t a reliable witness. I think all that stuff about blowing up and/or shooting Howie Carr is pure fiction. So I think there is always going to be a cloud of uncertainty about everything that Weeks has said and done. In the end, I’m just as puzzled by this guy as you are.
Matt
I am not entirely convinced Weeks actually murdered Hussey. He may have grabbed her for Flemmi but as much of a sicko nutbag that Flemmi is I think he is quite capable of killing Hussey all by himself. I think Flemmi DOES fit the profile of a serial killer. In the CNN documentary by Berlinger Bulger says that he thinks Flemmi is insane. Coming from Bulger what does that tell you?
The thing about Weeks is he is/was such a weak organized crime “leader” once bulger split and has no history of murdering anyone else that its hard for me to fathom him killing Hussey. What MOTIVE would Weeks have to murder Hussey? We know he probably would have killed (and may have) someone for Bulger. Weeks seemed like he loved Bulger and admired him even though he had a dad.
Matt: You might be right. Fred spent about eight years in the Brooklyn DA’s office without getting a single mention in the New York Times, an extremely poor start for a guy who seems to like publicity. This item from Globe speaks (with no irony whatsoever) of a “red-carpet extravaganza at the Coolidge Corner Theatre” for Black Mass. Fred’s name appears in bold face, though it must be conceded the newspaper appears to have named just about everybody in the audience: https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/names/2015/09/16/familiar-faces-black-mass-screening/MlYUg5C261OR9bnfUlE5wO/story.html
Seems like Fred is just beginning to feel the love! And that’s bad news for Catherine Greig and maybe Billy too ….
Billy Bulger, by the way, turns 82 in February. Sorry for ranting on so, but Wyshak ‘s obsession is grotesque.
Dan:
Yes, Billy is getting up there in years. Sure his obsession is gross but he has to maintain his relationships with those who have urged him on over the years who are also a little sick in their hatreds.
Hi Matt:
As I’ve said before, it’s time to turn this case over to the historians. Wyshak himself is no spring chicken. He’s around 62 years old, no? Look, I’ve got nothing against career prosecutors. In fact, I think it’s a good idea. But Fred has clearly been on the job too long. Let’s hope Wyshak smartens up and decides to spend his Golden Years in private practice.
Dan:
We cannot turn it over to the historians yet — we have to put out some information that will prevent them from rubber stamping the false history that has already been cast in stone. Whyshak will die with his prosecutor’s boots on; he has no other life.
I should also point out that Fred Wyshak ‘ s infatuation with elderabuse includes the prosecution of 75-year-old Robert Fitzpatrick and the continued persecution of 65 – year – old Catherine Greig. Fitzpatrick’s fanciful testimony shouldn’t have warranted anything stronger than a slow shake of the head. Greig will evidently have to remain in prison forever: Wyshak wants her to somehow give up Whitey’s buried treasure and/or Billy Bulger.
Dan:
What makes it worse is that he is allegedly looking to find the assets of Whitey – yet he protects the assets of Flemmi and Martorano who murdered many more people. But that is only a pretend reason as I will show when I write next week that he is all about pretending one thing and doing the other. I believe he wants to find out from Greig who she corresponded with back in Boston. He wants to try to show that somehow Whitey was able to communicate to Billy and then even though there is no way he could indict Billy for that (if it happened) he would leak the grand jury minutes to the Globe so that the reporters there could do a job on him. Or, in the alternative drag Billy and others who Grieg may have information about back before a grand jury and ask them questions about it hoping that they deny what Greig told him and then indict them for perjury. You see Wyshak can go on and on with this type of persecution of people and he is the type of person who would do it without a second hesitation.
Matt: I think Wyshak would definitely haul Billy before a grand jury in order to take a final crack at him. Greig has good reason for not talking, and I don’t mean by that she’s concealing some sinister crime. I’m sure that over the years, she must have talked on the phone with her relatives, including her sister. It’s very likely that Bulger did the same with his family. So she probably feels she has to protect her own kin in addition to the family of her locked-up-forever boyfriend. She a standup gal, much tougher in her own way than the parade of thugs and murderers we’ve seen in this case.
Dan:
Greig might be the only one from Southie who did not become a rat. They should put a statute up in her honor at Marine Park. I’m sure the main reason she is not cooperating is that she does not want to cave in to Wyshak. And, she knows he will go after the Bulgers and her family if he has a chance. He loves the publicity that comes with it.
Agreed, Matt. The morons in Southie who wanted to name a school after Bulger should have nominated Catherine Greig, a vastly better choice.
Matt, are you saying that if Greig were to go in front of the grand jury and testify truthfully, that would make her a rat?
Bob:
Absolutely. What is the difference between making a deal like Marorano did to go in front of the grand jury and what Greig would do if she testified. Martorano, Weeks, Salemme, etc. made deals to give evidence which incriminated others to save them from doing time. Greig would be doing the same thing. You could argue that she would be foreced to do it while the others weren’t but basically in one way or the other all of these people were forced. That’s not to say all rats are equal, some are more despicable than others.
Matt, I have to say that your last comment is the most astonishing thing I’ve read on your blog. You were a prosecutor, right? And that’s your attitude toward people who testify in front of grand juries?
Bab:
You asked a specific question. I gave you the answer. Most people who testify before grand juries are witnesses to crimes with no relations to the people involved or are victims.
It’s just so infuriating to think that Flemmi, Martorano, Weeks and John Morris are walking the streets. The federal “haul” for all this has been an elderly gangster, his hapless girlfriend and John Connolly. Black Mass? You bet!
Matt:
If the United States prosecutors rewarded anyone implicated in any of these events and more, what about 18 USC 4.
Also, the “Doctrine of Clean Hands”, Equal justice under the law”, and “No one is above the law”, are they meaningless slogans?
[email protected]
Doug:
Wow! I never knew of 18 U.S.C. 4. It reads: “Whoever, having knowledge of the actual commission of a felony cognizable by a court of the United States, conceals and does not as soon as possible make known the same to some judge or other person in civil or military authority under the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.” I sure hope Wyshak doesn’t know about it.
I have not read any case law that relates to it but it seems to require the reporting of felonies to the authorities. If I’m in a room with you and your best friend and you tell us that you received a phone call from an FBI guy asking you to call him back and your best friend says “don’t bother” then he is attempting to interfere with an FBI investigation which is a crime. If I don’t report him “as soon as possible” then I can be charged with a crime. Pretty scary
As to “clean hands” that as I recall only applied to equity if that is still around; as to “equal justice” that just applies to those who are not connected to those in charge; and just think of the Top Echelon program and you’ll understand many are above the law. Slogans are good to feed those who don’t think which is sometimes the goal of our media and government to keep people in that states.
Mi Matt: I believe that Flemmi murdered this woman, perhaps with Weeks’ direct asssistance. I believe Bulger is innocent Do see any factual means of establishing what happened, or is the truth lost to history?
Ext
Dan:
It is lost. The “truth” was made up years ago by those who were not interested in it.
* and then ” easily retailed ” …..
Flemmi individually tailored the murder of each girl ; suited to fit his enraged needs, and the easily ” retailed ” by various agencies to support an ” official ” version of events. The failure to find ” truthful continuity ” in the Saga therefore is unsurprising ; any able prosecutor would blast the entire show of marionette manipulations apart. MTC is very able, willing, and succeeding in his efforts here to examine the ” track! ” He is following the signs like one of General Crooks’ Apache scouts, but is always working with ” the known version .”
Kevin Weeks is unlikely to have participated in any murder of any woman. It just don’t fit his MO as they say. He is not a killer. He knows a few though. Flemmi was … bestial … in instincts and a guy that any wiseguy knew, unless he wasn’t looking closely enough, needed to be kept at a distance.