The acronym POOF stands for People Out Of Favor. POOF turns an everyday law-abiding citizen into a major criminal and subjects that person to the most serious of penalties for a minor infraction of the law.
POOF usually happens to one who has led a crime free existence who commits some action that would normally be overlooked, or, if not overlooked, it would be treated as an ethical breach or minor civil offense.
Often the person may have been one who had some bit of power or influence which has been diminished. The person’s actions are blown out of proportion by the mainstream media. Then POOF, the person is treated worse than a Mafia gangster. She suddenly faces serious criminal or other life destroying penalties.
Today evidence begins in a criminal trial of a person who was POOFED.
I don’t suppose many of you have heard of Alan Solomont. What about Don Beyer? John Roos? Each man is an United States Ambassador appointed by President Obama. Solomont went to Spain; Beyer to Switzerland; and Roos to Japan.
Prior to becoming ambassadors, each man was an Obama bundler. They held fund raisers for President Obama in 2008: Alan Solomont bundled up $230,000. Don Beyer is on the bundler list for$179,192. John Roos chipped in a mere $41,600 in 2008.
I’ve got no problems with Solomont, Beyer, Roos or any other person getting an ambassador’s job. They spent much time working hard and running events to bring in money so that Obama could be elected. They may have done this in the hope of getting an ambassador’s position or some other job if Obama was elected. It’s traditional in America that people who work for a president or contribute money to him may get some special consideration in return.
The Patriot Ledger on April Fools Day reported that “The trial of the former state probation commissioner charged with conspiring to organize a political fundraiser in exchange for getting his wife a job at the state Lottery is scheduled to begin Tuesday.”
I don’t know exactly what charges O’Brien faces in the state because I can’t find his indictment online. The only way I’d find out what the indictment alleges is the same way I’d have done it in the 19th Century. I’d have to go to the court and read it. Under the leadership of our Massachusetts judges over the past 100 years we find the criminal justice system operating like it did in the days before the automobile was invented.
If we examined the jobs Governor Patrick handed out you’ll find a lot of them were to people who were helpful in getting him elected and contributed money to him. I’d suggest that applies to any elected official in the state. Over the years many judicial appointments have been made to people who have been supporters or raised money for a governor. I have a difficult time distinguishing O’Brien’s actions from those of Solomont, Beyer, Roos or the many people who got good jobs from Patrick except for one thing.
O’Brien was POOFED. O’Brien’s fell afoul of the the Globe’s Spotlight Team’s pursuit of a Grammy Pulitzer Prize. We’ve seen the routine before. The Globe investigates something with its Spotlight Team, then keeps drumming the news on the front page demanding action. The public officials, the courts, and the prosecutors respond like Chicken Little thinking the sky is falling. No punishment is too great for such a person.
Former Massachuestts State Treasurer Timothy Cahill who O’Brien rasied money for was POOFED. He ran for governor and lost. Had he won he would never have been charged with the crime of using the Lottery money to promote himself.
Catherine Greig was POOFED. There was never any evidence that she knew Whitey was accused of murder. Even if that had been shown, there is none that shows believed it. She had no criminal record.
When she pleaded guilty to helping Whitey avoid being caught, Judge Woodlock gaily sat back while the family of people victimized by Whitey victimized her in court by shouting vile epithets at her. Then adding frosting to the cake he tripled the recommendation of the probation department by sentencing her to eight years in prison.
She received two more years than Kevin Weeks who bragged about his criminal life and how he brutalize people. He was involved in murdering and burying the bodies of 5 people. She received more time than people like Mafia leaders who dedicated their lives to crime.
Former FBI Agent John Connolly likewise got POOFED. He never fired a gun at a person or caused any person an injury. He retired from the FBI with honor. His crime was allegedly telling some gangsters something they knew as well as they knew their name, that John Callahan could jam them up. The gangsters murdered Callahan then when caught said Connolly made them do it. He was acquitted of any involvement in the murder Boston.
He was again tried in Florida. He was wrongfully convicted. The statute of limitations on the crime had expired. He has been sentenced to death . When you are over 70 and you get 40 years you know it’s a death sentence.
It is not my first time to pay a visit this web site, i am visiting this web page dailly and take pleasant facts from here every
day.
my blog … Universe app
Matt, a quick reply to Jan: the unbiased jury in Boston acquitted JOhn Connolly of three counts of leaking info that lead to murder and the Miami jury acquitted him of first degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. So, at best, we have split verdicts with the MIami jury convicting John of “murder by gun!” for saying something that led to Callahan’s death, for which the Boston jury had already acquitted him six years earlier.
Bill:
Few people understand that. It has been well covered up by the press. Even a former Supreme Court Justice got it wrong on Connolly. How can you expect the average person to get it right.
When John We all know how he was framed and why. Why? to get William Bulger and/or other FBI agents! How? By excessively zealous prosecutors and imprudent judges who accepted as gospel the words of serial killers and a murderous cop,Morris. The Feds accepted the lies; the killers lied to get leniency; the Feds put known perjurers on the witness stand because they thought they’d get bigger game; the Feds bent and broke the law;the Feds did the bidding of the rotten Boston Globe, which has a long history of bigotry and antipathy for Bulger and South Boston. John Connolly was a pawn—a poof—-in a vicious vendetta—maybe jointly orchestrated by bitter higher ups in Academia, the press and our highly politicized Government—and John was a poof in a vicious game of “squeeze him until he squeals” on Bill Bulger or other FBI agents. Remember Dershowitz’s op-ed piece in the Globe: he wrote, “Connolly’s just a cop” then advocated squeezing him to get dirt on William Bulger! The corrupt feds put Connolly in prison in Miami.John Connolly never intended anyone be killed. Those who intended to kill are free or on easy street in cushy country-club cells. Wyshak et al in my opinion abused official power, violated the Constitution and violated fundamental principles of fairness, justice and honor!
.
Apparently, the issue is many cops, criminals, prosecutors and unbiased jurors in Miami who weren’t readily swayed by the Boston locals abd folkloredo believe Connolly intended on people being killed. Either way, many of these criminals and their associates are sadistic and inherently mean and horrible people who because of their sadistic, bullying tendencies, in the long run they build a case against themselves due to their unquenchable thirst to victimize and repeatedly revictimize their subjects.. . . [the remaining was edited out as not relevant]
Jan:
I edited this post because I think the issues you have with MacKenzie and his victims are not material or relevant to our discussion.
Bill:
Over the weekend I’ll be writing more about the trial in Florida. I picked up upon some things I hadn’t known about before. You may be interested. As far as your post today, I agree with much of what you wrote.
One more comment about Morris. He gave me a copy of the book called “Lying” by Sissela Bok (wife of Harvard President Bok). I testified that Morris was challenged about his integrity by my asking, “Who’s the liar, you or me?”. Anyone who has followed this saga readily knows that Morris has a reputation of ‘lying’. T18, USC 2001 specifically spells out the criminal conviction of lying to the FBI et al. Morris has a history of lying; my professional experience deems him a ‘pathological liar’and unworthy of being believed! I would have testified to this and more but was ‘prevented’ from doing so. Read “Underboss” by Lehr and O’Neill and learn that Morris aggrandizingly admitted that TIII (wires on OC and Bulger) affidvavits were deliberately falsified by Morris and others. In other words the information ascribed to Bulger in those sworn affidavits was false and criminal. Yet, Morris who was Connolly’s supervisor, gets immunity to what? To lie more? To present more fabrications? etc. This isn’t fair, it isn’t justice, and it isn’t correct and true. I have a problem with this on conscience and oath. I testified under oath to these situations. I stand by those truths. During this Easter period we recall Pilate interrogating Jesus: What is truth he asked of Jesus? ; and Jesus replied, “I am Truth!”. Can Morris answer that he truthfully testified in this case? I would say, “No”!.
Bob:
When Morris testified in Boston he admitted lying to the FBI internal investigators at least three times under oath. He lied to the prosecutors up until the 11th hour before he testified in Connolly’s case about the money he had been paid by his only top echolon informant, a guy named Berkowitz out of Chelsea. He got $5000 from him (a loan), used his house in Florida for vacation and received lots of gifts. It was clear Morris had his hand out for anything he could grab.
You met Whitey. He was a hard guy who felt quite empowered. He referred to Morris as Machiavellian. I’ve often wondered what Morris did to impress Whitey that he would pin that moniker on him. We can now see how Morris with his fake act of repentance (conveniently crying on the stand) duping Wyshak and the other prosecutors into thinking he was victimized by Connolly. He testified in Florida he was frozen in fear after he heard that Callahan had been murdered in Florida. Yet it didn’t stop him from pocketing five grand Whitey handed him a while later.
Morris clearly was clever. He’s the boss of Connolly. He’s the only one we know for sure who took the money. Yet he’s free as a bird and living off his FBI pension for a job well done.
I am surprised at this post.Do you think your average member of the public cares if John Connally spends the rest of his life in prison?. I respect the fact that you have spent your life in the legal process. How many retired Massachusetts police officers who you speak to about John Connally feel sorry for him? John Connally was left holding the bag.How many times did you know a criminal did something and could not prove it? The legal semantics are in the past.When John Connally shaves each day the face looking back at him got him in the place he is. regards,
Big difference between being Norwood born and South Boston born I guess.
Ernie:
Norwood’s all right. He’s coming around. Don’t forget he had years of leanin’ from the likes of Howie Carr.
Norwood:
Probably the average member of the public doesn’t care if John Connolly spends the rest of his life in prison. Nor do I think many would care if I spent the rest of my life in prison. I would care and I’m sure John Connolly and his family cares. The average person when paying attention only cares about things that affect her.
When I was a prosecutor I was guided by the idea that the worst thing I could do was send an innocent person to prison even for one day. It’s a humiliating experience. I let most people show up to be arraigned without being arrested and if bail was necessary requested such bail as I though necessary to make sure the person returned to answer the charges which usually was a moderate amount.
Few people, police officers or otherwise, feel sorry for Connolly. He’s not on their radar. They also didn’t care for people who were wrongly convicted and sitting on death row. That’s not what we should be guided by.
Our goal as Americans must be to see that all people are treated as fairly as possible and that no one wrongly accused be sent to prison. It might be someone else today but it could be one of us tomorrow.
I’m not moved by what the average person or regular cop thinks. As to Connolly they’ve all made up their minds having been fed false information for years. How many of these average people know about double jeopardy or Federal supremacy?
I’m concerned with justice which means not overly punishing a person for his actions and which means not seeing someone who doesn’t deserve it slowly die in prison on one hand and on the other see those who belong in prison walking freely.
Connolly was ‘poofed’ on the Callahan murder trial in Miami as far as I am concerned. I furnished an affidavit to the US Attorney’s office in Boston about a year ago and never even received a reply. The affidavit was an attempt to furnish evidence that Connolly was wronged in testimony by former FBI agent John Morris who was immunized by the DOJ. I was not called as a witness and was told by Connolly’s defense attorneys that any testimony by me was ‘discouraged’ by the prosecution. This is unfair and extremely prejudicial as far as I am concerned. Connolly did his time for alleged offenses in federal prison but will most likely die in State Florida Prison for something he didn’t do. This is a failure of criminal justice system in my opinion.
Bob:
Thanks for the comment. I happen to totally agree with you. I think Connolly was severely punished by Judge Tauro up in Boston. All except one of his convictions was for actions he did after he left the FBI. He did his time, nine years, for those. He never should have been tried in Florida for something he was acquitted of in Boston. But beyond that, the idea that he had to tell those gangsters that Callahan was a threat to them makes no sense. Those guys were very aware who was capable of harming them. Martorano spent his whole life killing people he considered a threat. The only one who could really be hurt by Callahan was Martorano who made the deal with Callahan to murder Wheeler. Callahan could not have hurt Whitey or Flemmi never mind Connolly.
The one action Connolly was found guilty of in Boston was giving Morris the case of wine with the thousand dollars in it.
I was speaking with a person earlier today who asked me if I had seen the “Crossing The Line” program put out by NBC Dateline on Connolly and Bulger. I watched it just a while ago. It was about most of the stuff we know about and showed some of the testimony from the trial in Florida. I’ll write a little about it later on the blog.
One part showed Morris on the stand. It starts out with him crying. Then it has a little snippet of his testimony. One of those pieces was about the case of wine with the thousand dollars in it. I recall him testifying to this in Boston. He explained that the case was one of those wine cases where six bottles are placed above each other. I clearly recall the testimony about this and how he said he found the thousand dollars on the second level of the box indicating it was on the separator between the top six wine bottles and the bottom six. I figured the jury convicted Connolly of this because such a recollection about the different wine box and the money on the separator came out as so true. It stuck in one’s mind the way he described it. In the Florida trial he said the money was on the bottom of the box. This may seem insignificant but it is those little things that prove that a person is lying. It seems he’s ade the story up about the money in the box since he mixed up important, unforgettable facts. Like Weeks has himself in his sister’s car and again in Whitey’s car at the time of the Halloran murder. I happen to think he was in the murder car.
What surprises me about what you wrote is that defense counsel was discouraged by the prosecution from calling you as a witness. I’ve never heard of such a happening where the defense lawyers are guided in their strategy by the prosecution. Thanks again for your input.
Bob,
I hope you supplied John Connolly’s lawyers with a copy of your affidavit containing evidence Connolly “was wronged in testimony” by John Morris. Your affidavit might help correct that miscarriage.
I am also very curious about the substance of your affidavit. Matt and the others involved in the discussion here certainly share that curiosity.
Some of the first statements from Bulger after his arrest in CA were assertions that John Connolly had been framed. He said the murder of Callahan had nothing to do with John Connolly and it was entirely Martorano’s deal. While the source of the statements is suspect, any evidence supporting Connolly’s innocence should not be buried. Any piece of evidence, no matter how suspect, could lead to something more exculpatory that might correct this injustice.
-P
Patty:
Bob said something about the prosecutors discouraging Connolly’s defense team from using him as a witness. I thought that strange. It would be nice to see the affidavit so that we can judge for ourselves what its effect would be.
I don’t seen anyone really involved in teh Wheeler and CAllahan murders except Martorano. Martorano and
Callahan were friends. Callahan wanted to take over World Jai Alai. He lined up Martorano and who probably told Stevie what he was up to. I don’t see how they suggest Connolly needed to get involved.
Had Connolly been in anyway connected to the Wheeler murder he’d have been indicted in Oklahoma. If he’s not in that, why does he care about Callahan. The idea advanced by Martorano that Connolly said if Callahan wasn’t whacked they’d all end up in prison made no sense. It would be nice to see what Bob has to say about this. Who knows. We may be able to being to move the bar and bring a little justice to the Connolly case.
Has anyone done any research on the owners of Telex or the Boston owners of World Jai Lai? I read somewhere that the two companies were somehow connected. Perhaps I miss read the source.
How does Matt Connolly know the prosecutor is part of the “poofing”?? Hmmm…I think Matt said he was not related to John Connolly, is Matt related to BoBo Connolly, Former BPD officer? At times it seems sympathy for John Connolly is understandable, however, I’m not sure that it’s merely because John C. is not the only guilty party as opposed to his not being guilty at all.
Jan:
You’re falling into the relative trap. If I’m related to BoBo or to John Connolly that would somehow make my product suspect. You sound like the Boston Globe attributing to one the sins of a relative. There are a ton of Connollys in this area and in this story surrounding Whitey. Weeks had a girlfriend named Connolly he was going to throw into a landfill; Weeks tells about extorting money from another Connolly; etc. I’m not related to John or BoBo or Janice or Frank pr any of those involved with these people as far as I know. They may be fifth or sixth cousins but if I don’t know them what does that mean. By the way I never suggested Connolly was entirely innocent.
POOF ! I love it. There’s a lot more of that happening then the public realizes or cares about unfortunately.
Notaboyo:
Yeah it does seem that some people’s careers go poof when they get out of step.
You just have to start puffing back. It helps with the poofing. But always leave a few puffs for the extra innings home run come from behind clincher. it just takes a little while, a little bit of brains, a little patience and a big bag of surprises to clinch it….always be humble and try to be courteous and….poof, you’ll come out on top, righteously so.
Jan:
I prefer to think I’m being a little more cautious. I look at it like this. Suppose someone thought that you had done something wrong and published your name on a blog accusing you of this or that. You would feel a little bit miffed. This is especially the case when I have no knowledge as to the identity of most of the people who comment here. Without having that, I think its best to limit the identities of people not involved in the matters under discussion.
You can limit the names, however, it is a matter related to the discussions here regarding Bulger which is why K.E. was visited by the FBI agent.
Jan:
I understand. But you don’t think I’d get anywhere with K.E. or even less so with the FBI agent.
Matt, why would you delete K.E.’s name from these posts whom you explained you don’t know yet you hadn’t deleted Fallon or Boyle’s name whom you explained you don’t know either??
Jan:
I didn’t delete other names because I erred. I should have done it. This blog is about Whitey Bulger and the events surrounding him. It is not about all of these side issues, I want it to be a discussion about Whitey issues and not about MacKenzie or even people who have been victimized by MacKewzie. They don’t add to our knowledge about Whitey. K.E. has no connection to Whitey’s case that we can discuss except some FBI agent visited her. It leads us no where.
This blog is unusual in that I try to respond to each person who comments. If I know nothing about something how can I make a response. If people come here seeking to learn something about Whitey they’re not interested in K.E. or other people like that.
Lately I see the comment section in the blog is going where I do not want it to go. I will eliminate any comments on side issues. I will eliminate any repetitive rants I’m getting from other people. All comments now will have to be like evidence in court, material and relevant to the issues.
But it sounds as though if one is “POOFed” by the Govt. that person doesn’t stand a chance, so why bother?
Matt, What do you suggest people who are POOFed do? I know some you mentioned can afford an attorney but what about the others? What if a POOFed person can’t afford an attorney or is denied one? Are they to lay down and simply go to jail?
Is there any place they can go for help or is it useless when the Govt or FBI is the one POOFing?
Question:
As I wrote before, being poofed means you are out of favor everywhere. One should not give up since there are among the members of the bar some who are always willing to take a chance at helping you out. But the odds of coming out of the encounter unscathed are slim. Never lie down or give up. A great difficulty with being poofed is since the prosecutor is part of the poofing, then your chances of making a reasonable deal to save your skin don’t exist. You are so out of favor that the the prosecutor won’t even use you as a witness against others, something that they like to do. You can’t reduce your sentence by pleading guilty because the prosecutor will be looking for a basketball figures type sentence. Your only real hope lies with a jury. It’s not part of the poofing so if you get a jury that knows nothing about you then you have a chance. It’s a slim chance but it’s better than zero.
Matt, . . . I find it extremely insensitive when one dismisses the corruption surrounding a serial sex offender whose association with Bulger got him a get out of jail free card. Don’t you have any concern for the many young girls MacKenzie victimized. I double dog dare anyone to start poofing because they will find themselves a cream puff in prison if they even think of it, yup, double dog dare you…that would be time to turn the dogs on the MacKenzie crew that stood by while he committed acts of beastiality on young girls in his dog room…the dog room of which, MacKenzie blamed on Bulger….how can you repeatedly claim this is not relevant and delete the name of . . . who became a co-conspirator.
Jan:
You’re way off topic. I’m sure Whitey had a lot of low lifes working for him. Most probably did heinous things. I want to discuss things Whitey. I don’t want to discuss about MacKenzie anymore even though he claims he was a Whitey lieutenant. .
Question:
Once poofed the odds are stacked against you because everyone cheers with each addition strike of the lash. You can never give up though. Look at the Caswell Motel case where the owner got poofed and the feds were trying to steal his motel. He wasn’t a wealthy guy who had already spent about a hundred grand on lawyers and was just about to give up when a team of volunteer lawyers decided to take up his cause. They did and beat the government. So there’s always hope.
Declan,
Matt knows about PACER. He’s talking about Suffolk Superior Court in Boston. O’Brien’s trial started yesterday in state court, not federal. Does anyone know whom his lawyer is? My office isn’t far by and sometimes I like to pop in and catch a trial.
Jim:
I just read about the opening statement. O’Brien’s attorney is Paul Flavin. His specialty is business litigation. I heard O’Brien who is pretty much broke asked the federal court for an attorney and it turned him down. It sort of strange when Whitey gets two lawyers and a staff of plenty and DiMasi got a couple of high paid lawyers. When a guy is a POOF he really gets it from all sides. Flavin at least has some trial experience so he should be able to do an adequate job but it’d be better if he had a criminal defense attorney. If you have a chance drop in on the case and and give us an an idea of what is happening.
Reading the Herald article they note the prosecutor called O’Brien’s wife “burned out.” She worked as a teacher’s aide working with special needs students for 13 years. She’d be my lead off witness for the defense. After she identified herself I’d ask her, “Now Mrs. O’Brien, you were called burned out by the prosecutor, can you tell the jury what you had been doing for 13 years and describe the students who you helped. Just a thought.
Matt,
Google PACER.it is the online system for pulling up federal court records. You can open an account and have access to all of the district court records, both civil and criminal as well as bankruptcy. I think it’s 10 cents a page but it will save you I’m driving into the courthouse every time you want to take a look at a docket!
Declan:
Thanks. I use the PACER system to get the federal cases. The problem is the case today is in the state court. It has no comparable system.
Poof – I guess you could say I would qualify for this anachronism. Back in 1989, I was referred to a person named John Iuele by my then lawyer, who was shortly after appointed to the Federal Bench by President HW Bush. Mr. Iuele was represented to me by my lawyers that he could assist me with a financing situation that I had. I met with Mr. Iuele and he scammed me out of my deposit money. I filed complaints with all the appropriate state and federal authorities…and then I was POOFed…my standing as an law abiding complaining citizen was converted into a person of interest in an organized crime investigation.
If anyone has an interest of just how awful it is to get POOFed, please refer to my postings on nhjustice.net.
Matt, thank you for raising this issue. I am not certain that the general public realizes how easy it is to get POOFed by those in power.
Matt, you can inquire with a woman by the name of Kathleen …, formerly K E . . . of Dorchester, currently of M . . . , MA as to who the FBI agent was that paid her a visit after she accompanied one of Edward MacKenzie’s sexual assault victims in the victims attempt to report the assault to the Boston Police sexual assault unit in the late eighties. E was then taken under the wing at her former place of employment, UMass Boston, by former . . . where upon her work life was made easier for her as she was encouraged to disassociate herself with MacKenzie’s victim. Upon the victim initiating an anti- corruption case against the Boston Police, E . . . claimed in a cruel and nasty manner that she “did not remember’ accompanying said victim back in the late 80’s to report the crime. E . . .’s failed memory and the anti-corruption case occurred even subsequent to Bulger going on the lam – with a memory like that, I don’t know how she would have been considered able bodied to care for her own children, let alone the children at . . . the child care center that she worked at there. E . . .is a prime example of the wannabe mentality that joins forces with corruption to the point that she is horribly nasty in her attitude toward the victim (her former good friend), all in the personal joy of becoming a part of the corruption clique and the power and favors associated with it. Some ordinary citizens, do without hesitation, jump on the bandwagon even without being threatened….she was rewarded…. by the FBI agent who came to see her.
Jan:
I edited out the names in your comment. I have no way of verifying that those events happened so I feel a little uncomfortable naming people in those situations. I hope you understand.
I agree with the gist of your post that people can be lured by new associations especially with respect to law enforcement and seek to ingratiate themselves with cops and be swayed by them into having selected memories. The only thing I can say is that K.E. has to live with herself for what she did.
Matt, you don’t edit out for ex., mr luele’s name in Jean Allan Sovik’s post, therefore, please consider adding the name(s) I provided. These criminals should be outed. Imagine. . . was trusted with caring for other people’s children at the YMCA while she actively helped to protect a serial sex offender in a joyous manner and with a bullying and nasty attitude towards the victim.
Jan:
You are right I have not been editing names in the past. I did not know I could do it. I have started doing that to the comments. I’m trying to keep matters relevant to the blog. The name in Jean’s comment you refer to is already part of her nhjustice.net postings so I see that as being different from the names of the person you mentioned. I do not know her. She has no chance to defend herself. If she took issue with her name being on the blog she’d have to write and complain to me. Then we’d be talking about an issue far removed from the issues here.