The time between Christmas and New Year’s is a time for reflection. A review of the past is always good as long as you recognize you don’t dwell there. Learn from it and move on. In truth, you can’t move forward without looking back. All you Greek scholars know that Socrates suggested the same thing twenty-five hundred years ago when he reminded us: “The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living.”
If you find you’ve made a lot of mistakes, that’s good, it means you are doing something. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, that fear has caused many to deprive themselves of greater knowledge. When you make one, confess it and do better next time.
Remember when Coca-Cola came out with New Coke with the new formula? Surveys showed most people liked the new formula better. But people rebelled, especially in the South where rebellions are apt to occur. History shows people like things they had gotten used to. Coca-Cola upon reflection would admit it made a mistake. If a person like Coke can do it I suppose us other folk can do so.
A recent e-mail to me made me reflect on the blog. The writer who on occasion contacts me will suggest a blog post of mine was like the little girl with the curl in the middle of her forehead when she was good; but at other times he’ll suggest the post was like her when she was bad. He recently wrote to me: “I would not agonize over re-naming your own blog . .. You created a Brand . . . So stick with the One who brought you to the Dance!!!”
That got me thinking he had a good point. If he ever reads this I hope he doesn’t let that admission go to his head. (It kills me to think I have to give him credit for this because he can be a pain in the butt.)
I originally changed the name because Whitey had gone off to his earthly reward. I thought the name should reflect the circumstance that the trial had ended. I first changed it to “An American Commentary.” This I was told sounded too pompous; I changed it to “Crime and Punishment.” This was good but it doesn’t really convey all that this blog is about. In addition, those who had come here in the past and who might want to check back may have difficulty doing that not knowing of the name change. Considering this I recognized I erred.
I’m getting back on the horse that brought me into town and riding off on it down the dusty trail as long as it carries me along. I recognize that even with Whitey in prison much of what I write will relate to him and the circumstances surrounding his life. I’m not in a position to say “mission accomplished” because I’m still in the middle of trying to ferret out the truth, pointing out the many misrepresentations and attempting to remedy some of the injustices that have come about in matters relating to Whitey and the lives he touched.
Henceforth the blog reverts to its old name: The Trial of Whitey Bulger.
Speaking of Whitey, we’ve seen that the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has taken him from the Plymouth House of Corrections to the BOP holding section in Brooklyn, NY where he spent Thanksgiving. He is now out to the Oklahoma Transfer Station. (Sounds like a disposal company at work moving around trash.) I’ve wondered if he got there via the Diesel Therapy?
I’ve never understood how the BOP or any prison authority is allowed to play with the near torturing of prisoners like it does with that horrid bus trip. The law sets out the crime and the punishment. If a person is sentenced according to the law, how can the BOP decide it can inflict further punishment on the prisoner? We saw how the Sheriff of Plymouth County let his jailers sadistically harass 83-year-old Whitey with five or more strip searches a day when he had never left his closely monitored cell. When jailers close in on the realm of torturing inmates the jailers are hardly better than those they watch.
I’ve long suggested that Whitey will end up at Florence, Colorado to what is called ADX. That is a must. It goes along with the fiction propagated by the media in Boston, the nation, and internationally as well as the Boston U.S. attorney that he was some sort of terrorist; a special kind, one that terrorized the City of Boston for decades. Even though having lived through those years along with many others none of us ever felt the slightest fear of him, in fact many had never heard of him until long after he had fled the area.
We’ve seen with the matter surrounding Whitey that truth has taken a walk. With respect to Whitey, a big question that remains is whether he will spend New Year’s Eve at ADX. Perhaps it’ll depend on the bus schedule. With respect to the other matters that relate to him, the search for the truth continues.
The BOP jealously does things all their own way. Bulger is a geriatric case. He probably needs special treatment specific to his ailments. If ADX doesn’t fit his medical needs, they’ll ship him to a FMC for treatment. Once they’ve dealt with his medical issues, they may send him to ADX. The only ones who know for sure are the godfathers of the federal penal empire.
Matt: How is this FBI informant thing working out for you lately?
see link for hit allowed by FBI and funded by your tax dime
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/detective-blames-fbi-agent-hampering-murder-invest/ncWL3/
Thursday, Dec. 26, 2013
Detective blames FBI agent for hampering a murder investigation
Channel 2 Action News has obtained compelling video in which a Sandy Springs detective blames an FBI agent for hampering a murder investigation.
ms:
Thanks – the beat goes on
He’s stated to me he’s facing trial for the Callahan and wheeler murders. Don’t know why he’s in OK, there’s a holding area for transfers and what has been described to me as “a secret fed camp in Oklahoma” as well. Only the people there really know why.
Jim:
Oklahoma is a transfer station: he’s there waiting assignment to his next base. My money is on him ending up in ADX Colorado – it has to be because that is where we put the worse of the worse.
I just read a news article that stated Oklahoma was waiting for Bulgers Appeal to be resolved before it made it decision with respect to a Ok State trial. What is the status of Bulgers Federal Appeal?
Jean:
The Court of Appeals for the First Circuit will hear Whitey’s appeal in about a year from now. This court has already upheld civil judgments against him alleging based on a finding he murdered people. The chances of that court reversing the jury verdict is the same as Obama renouncing Obamacare. In other words none.
If it were reverse, Whitey would still be held on bail and another trial date a year or so after the Court of Appeals decision would be set. When he was convicted then, another appeal would take another year or so.
Oklahoma is right to wait. Why waste any time and energy on a guy who is going to die in prison anyway. if it (or Florida) decided to try him that’d take a year and with the appeals of his death sentence several more years. Whitey is going to go to ADX Colorado where he will be able to sit in his isolated cell by himself and reflect with himself on his past life. It’s where he belongs and Oklahoma will be content to let time take its course. That is the way it should be.
Matt,
Has the Appeal been filed yet? And if so can it be downloaded from PACER? Thanks
Jean:
I’m not sure it has been filed. I would expect that the papers – that is the parties’ filings – will be able to be downloaded from PACER when they are filed. I think it is too early for that but I could be wrong.
I believe that’s a quote from Twain’s travel writings.
Mark Twain said, “If you want to see the scum of the world, attend the changing of the guard at any prison.”
Khalid:
Thanks –
Back in the Sixties there was a riot at Walpole State prison. Sixteen inmates were indicted. They were brought to Norfolk Superior Court where I was employed at the time. They were lined up outside the bar where they were chained to heavy wooden benches stretching from one side of the upstairs main courtroom, the one where Sacco and Vanzetti were tried, to the other. Behind each one stood a guard. Standing there with a friend next to the judges bench we looked at them as they sat silently staring ahead and the guards doing the same thing behind them. My friend said: “you know, you could have the guards and the inmates change places and no one would know the difference as far as society as a whole is concerned.” I guess you could say he agreed with Twain.