You’re going to hear a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth by those who have made much lucre or fame out of the idea that John Connolly is a corrupt FBI agent. You can’t pay too much attention to those who have their hands dripping with loose slanderous statements about him. Many now feel their world about them is unraveling with the Florida Appeals Court decision finally telling us that the verdict against John Connolly was fundamentally flawed.
If you want to understand about John Connolly, the evidence against him when he first went to trial, and the background on some of the parties involved you can’t do much better than to read my book “Don’t Embarrass The Family”. The first section of the book lets you sit in on the evidence at the trial from opening argument through the verdict. I structured it so that any reader could make up her mind about whether Connolly was innocent or guilty and presenting it in as straight forward, unbiased manner. (If there was a bias it would have been against Connolly for reasons set forth therein.) Outside the book all that the world has been fed are stories through the pens of those who have less than noble ends in mind that often reach beyond Connolly but toward other persons and into a community itself. You don’t get the truth from those who avoid inconvenient facts.
If truly interested you should read my book and make up your own minds about John Connolly. The only evidence that differed in Florida was that Stevie Flemmi seeking to save himself from facing the death penalty decided he too would join the chorus against Connolly. Some have called the Florida trial “The Revenge of the Gangsters.” Others have called it the Italian payback, as set forth in the old Sicilian saw: “Revenge is Best Served Cold.”
It is important to keep in mind John Connolly had a large role in making the Mafia in Boston a shell of its former self. Strangely he was made to pay the price for his efforts. Suddenly he became the criminal; and the criminals with blood on their hands, lies in their mouths, prior connections with the Mafia were now found in the same boat with the federal government. Those in Connolly’s job, the FBI, who should have stood tall ran like the British did in 1812 when Colonel Jackson’s men opened fire on them after waiting ’til they looked ’em in the eyes.
That’s all in the past. Let’s understand where we stand at this point. Connolly’s conviction has been reversed. He stands innocent of any crime in the State of Florida. Although the prosecutor in Florida may appeal to the Florida Supreme Court or the full bench of the 3rd Appellate Court, until such happens and a decision is made against Connolly, he has been vindicated. The next thing that should happen is that he be permitted bail. We will be able to tell much about Florida justice and the forces allied against Connolly if he is denied this. He’s been in prison for just about 12 years and has only been convicted of minor felonies.
How then does it stand with respect to Connolly? Those reeling from this decision will start to write much about him being involved in leaking information concerning murders especially the Halloran and Donohue murders. Keep in mind that the federal prosecutors have already charged him with that. They presented the matter to a Boston jury. The jury found that they did not prove their case.
You’ll never hear that mentioned by the members of the media who act as if the case was proven. They accept the testimony of gangsters which was rejected by a jury. In Boston I listened to the gangsters testify. None could say he gave them any information about any murders.
Although the Boston jury found he did not leak information which brought about the murder of John Callahan, the federal prosecutors decided to try the case again in a Florida court along with state prosecutors. The same prosecutors who lost in Boston got another shot at him in Florida.
Now with the Florida conviction being set aside, no jury has found he was involved in any way in any murders. Even in Florida after the jury heard the case he was acquitted of first degree murder, which the murder of John Callahan clearly was, and conspiracy to murder which is the gist of the government’s case. His conviction was for 2nd degree murder with a gun.
You will hear his conviction was tossed out because of a technicality namely he was charged beyond the statute of limitations: that is the time within which a charge must be brought had expired. But it also was because he never had a gun in proximity to the crime – he was in Massachusetts when the gun was fired in Florida. The idea of murder with a gun must mean the gun must have an involvement with the act that constitutes the crime; it must not be something unrelated to it.; otherwise murders done without a gun can be enhanced by the mere fact someone owns a gun. That makes no sense.
The most important thing to remember is the job of keeping Whitey Bulger safe was the job the FBI gave to John Connolly. He did it openly and with the concurrence of those who worked with him in the FBI. There are FBI agents doing the same thing today. The Top Echelon Informant program continues as it did when Connolly took on Stevie and then Whitey into it.
No matter what you read about Connolly and the murders that the media people will talk about, whether it be Halloran, Donohue, Castucci, Callahan, or anyone else, keep in mind a jury has found him not responsible for doing anything wrong in connection with them.
Sadly in all the stories that connect him to these events, no one tells us that. The media writes as if they were – which gives you an insight into the world of enemies out there waiting to impugn Connolly and the malice attendant to their actions and writings.
The ones who had the best chance to evaluate the truthfulness of those giving evidence against Connolly on all the matters connecting him with any murder, the jurors, found the case against him not proven. Who do you believe, the wisdom of the jurors who come into the matter with no preconceived interests; or those with an interest in the matter telling only half the story through eyes filled with hatred.
Matt, when was the last time the DOJ or FBI or DEA apologized to the people of Boston for allowing our neighborhoods and schools to be saturated with drugs imported from overseas?
William:
I don’t believe they think they are responsible for that happening so they won’t apologize.
Interesting story about John Connolly that I bet a lot of people don’t know……..”—when Connolly arrived at federal prison in Lexington Kentucky in September 2002, his highly publicized story about the Bulger-Flemmi saga was already known by fellow inmates. They treated Connolly like a member of the mob. What led Connolly to establish a close relationship with convicted drug dealer and gang leader, Cornelius Anderson, 38, remains unclear but the story both convicts researched case law together in the prison library. Anderson was serving a 28-year sentence for operating a ‘crack cocaine’ ring in the Louisville area. Police reports indicates Anderson confessed to Connolly he had Gail Duncan, a former drug addict and informant, killed in 1996, because she was scheduled to testify in Anderson’s drug conspiracy trial. Duncan was shot to death in her car as her 9-year-old daughter screamed in horror. Utilizing investigative skills as an FBI agent, Connolly compared notes with inmate, Robert L. Rankin, another convicted drug dealer. Connolly told authorities, Rankin articulated how Anderson confessed to killing Deron Cole, 20, a co-defendant of Anderson. Cole was murdered after he pled guility to lesser charges in return for reduced sentence. A suspicious Anderson feared that Cole would snitch. When Connolly informed his attorney and Louisville police detective Anthony L.Finch, the officer in charge of the homicides, that Anderson confessed the murders the detective interviewed Connolly and Rankin. “I knew if I didn’t do something, I’d been reinforcing what people thought of me”, Connolly told a Globe reporter during a prison interview. Detective Finch is convinced that Connolly is speaking the truth. “The bottom line is, the man is not lying and he’s not wrong”, Finch spoke of Connolly. He has been nothing but truthful and risked his own life”. Finch said there’s enough evidence to corroborate Anderson’s role in Duncan’s murder, but not in Cole’s murder. Defense attorney E.Mullane criticize the police inactiveness to move forward indicating that May 2005–will make two years since Connolly gave the information to Louisville police and still no results. “Nothing has happened. It’s been a waste of John’s time and unnecessary risk for him to take”, Mullane said. For those harboring suspicion that Connolly informed on the drug dealer to get a reduced sentence, the former agent stated: “I would have done this anyway because its the right thing to do, period”. “If leniency had been my motivation, I wouldn’t have risked my life without getting a promise in writing”. Deprived of liberty and freedom to reconcile with a loving family, Connolly someday may accept a lesser sentence if given the opportunity but in 2003 when federal authorities offered Connolly immunity to identify crimes and corruption committed by fellow agents in Boston’s FBI bureau where he once worked as a decorated agent he declined the offer citing the fact, “I know of no crimes committed by other agents”. What Connolly wants the most is vindication for the alleged crimes all those rotten, sadistic serial killers, said he helped the Irish mob to commit—crimes that Connolly insists he’s not guilty of.”
Rather:
You are right most people don’t know about that episode. Connolly ended up in protective custody. No one cared that he dug us this evidence so his trying to do good in prison did him little good.
Matt, we agree on most points. 1. Regarding the letter written to Judge Wolfe: I understand why Wolfe was furious: But, and this is a Big But: if Mr. Anonymous or Mr. Pseudonymous Thomas Payne held a protest sign with the same words contained in that letter and paraded outside the courthouse with that sign and orally repeated the same words and distributed leaflets with those same words, he wouldn’t be charged with anything; if outside the courthouse he handed Judge Wolfe a leaflet with those exact words, Wolfe would have ignored it. Wolfe should have ignored the letter as he would have ignored a patently erroneous newspaper editorial sent anonymously to him. Wolfe admitted that he often received letters from non-parties and his practice always was to share them with the lawyers. He deviated from his practice in making one letter evidence in a criminal trial, and making letter writing a crime. Since Wolfe thought the letter contained false statements, he could have shared it with persons named in the letter who could have sued for libel. My point is that it’s not a crime to write anonymous letters to judges or other public officials, no matter how factually false the judge or public official believes the letters are. 2. I don’t believe John Connolly took any money. 3. I agree the one “lie” to the FBI agent was about an immaterial fact; 4. I agree that it’s not a crime to try to help a person (a criminal) defend himself: How many guys from our neighborhood have we tried to help with advice? 5. As a juror, I could not believe a word said by Martorano, Morris, Weeks, Salemme or Flemmi: they all cut sweet deals with the FEDs for fabrications. 6. It always struck me as odd that nobody except those with sweet deals accused Connolly of any wrongdoing: 22 years as an FBI agent, and the only ones pointing a finger at Connolly were Wyshak’s “paid” stooges. Flemmi was paid with not being executed; Morris got witness protection; Martorano and Weeks got ridiculously lenient sentences; Salemme got no further prosecutions, except for blatant perjury: even the FEDs couldn’t cover up Salemme’s whoppers. The “payments” are what Fox News’ Judge Neopolitano called “legalized extortion”. P.S. I know I’m repeating myself, but I hope David Boeri or some honest reporter in Florida is reading these words/ideas for the first time. I do hope and pray John Connolly gets set free as quickly as humanly possible. Even the Florida courts now agree he’s innocent of all charges pending against. He should be freed while the State appeals.
LET THE WORLD KNOW !!!!!!
Louie: WITH LIMITED RESOURCES I WORK HARD AND TIRELESSLY TRYIING OT LET THE WORLD KNOW ABOUT THE INQUITIES OF OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY TOWARDS JOHN CONNOLLY OVER THESE PAST 15 YEARS. HOW MANY TIMES DID YOU SEE THE GLOBE OR HERALD OR HEAR ANYONE ON TELEVISION MENTION MY BOOKS? DURING HE PARADE CASE, HOW OFTEN DID YOU READ THE GLOBE, HERALD OR ANYONE ELSE OR HEAR ON TELEVISION OR RADIO ANYONE PRESENT CONNOLLY AND WALKOWSKI’S VIEWPOINT. LAWYERS WEEKLY WOULD PRINT OUR LETTERS THE EDITOR AND AFEW OF OUR OP-ED COLUMNS, OTHERWISE WE WERE GREETED WITH STONE COLD SILENCE AND INDIFFERENCE.
JUST LOOK AT WHAT’S HAPPENING TO CONNOLLY: SIX YEARS IN PRISON, NOW OFFICIALY DECLARED INNOCENT OR NOT GUILTY OF ALL CHARGES BROUGHT AGAINST HIM IN FLORIDA. DO YOU SEE THE FLORIDA JUDICIARY RUSHING TO RIGHT THIS EGREGIOUS CONSTITUTIONAL HARM TO CONNOLLY’S CONSITUTIONAL RIGHTS?
I’VE DONE MY BEST OVER THE PAST 23 YEARS TO ALERT PEOPLE TO THE GRAVE TRAVESTIES OF JUSTICE THAT ARE VISITED UPON US, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, BY OUT OF CONTROL JUDGES, CLERKS AND PROSECUTORS.
WALKOWSKI AND I AND A HANDFUL OF OTHERS,IF ANY, HAVE SPENT 20 YEARS TIRELESSLY INFORMNG “THE WORLD” ABOUT THE TRAVESTIES. BY AND LARGE THE CORRUPT JUDICIARY, CORRUPT LEGAL PROFESSION, CORRUPT JOURNALISTIC PROFESSION AND CORRUPT POLITICAL SYSTEM IN THIS COUNTRY COVERS UP THE TRUTH, PLASTERS IT OVER WITH LIBERAL AGIT-PROP, IMPRISONS DUKE LACROSSE PLAYERS AND MIT COMPUTER GENIUSES.
Louie, FEEL FREE TO COPY AND PASTE ANY WORDS OF MINE OR OTHERS AND DISTRIUBTE THEM FAR AND WID. BUY COPIES OF CHARACTER ASSASSINS, THE FIX, SOON TO BE PUBLISHED CHARACTER ASSASSINS II, OF COPIES OF FROM TRIAL COURT TO THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT.
LOUIE, GET ONE SINGLE SOLITARY PUBLISHER IN THIS COUNTRY TO PUBLISH ALL OF MY BOOKS AND ALL OF PAUL WALKOWSKI’S BOOKS. we’ve TRIED HARD TO “TELL THE WORLD” BUT THE IDIOTS WHO CONTROL THE MAJJOR PRESSES AND THE MAJJOR MEDIA OUTLETS ARE MORE INTERESTED IN THEIR STOCK PORTFOLIOS GROWING THAN THEY ARE IN AMERICAN CITIZENS DYING OF HEROIN OVERDOSES OR AMERICAN CITIZENS BEING PERSECUTED BY CORRUPT POLITICALLY MOTIVATED JUDGES AND PROSECUTORS.
AMERICA IS IN A BAD WAY, AND THE PEOPLE WHO SEE IT AND WANT TO ALERT THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES LIKE PAUL REVERE DID: THE BRITISH ARE COMING; THE IMPERIALISTS, NEO-CONS, WALL STREET LOBBYISTS FIXING LEGISLATION, MAJOR BANKS PROFITING FROM DRUG TRAFFICKING: G.E. PAYING ZERO IN TAXES, A SCREWED UP FEDERAL TAX SYSTEM, A FAT RICH WASHINGTON D.C. IMMUNE FROM RECESSIONS, A TOO BIG, TOO BLOATE GOVERNMENT ON THE HOME FRONT AND A TOO BLOATED INTERVENTIONISTIC IMPERIALISTIC AMERICAN WAR MACHINE STICKING ITS NOSE INTO EVERY OTHER COUNTRIES BUSINESS.
LOUIE: YOU INFORM THE WORLD, AND GATHER UP SOME OTHERS TO HELP YOU SPREAD THE WORD TO EVERY VILLAGE AND TOWN; THE FASCISTS ARE HOLDING INNOCENT PEOPLE IMPRISONED; THE FEDS ARE WORKIING HAND IN GLOBE WITH HIRED GAGNSTERS THEY CALL TEI; THE CORRUPT PRESS JOINS THE CORRUPT JUDICIARY IN FORMING PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, WHERE THE JUDGES AND MEDIA MOGULS FEED EACH OTHER INFO WITH THE IMPLICIT PROMISE TO PROTECT EACH OTHER, ALL TO UNDERMINE LEGITIMATE GOVENMENT’S PURPOSE WHICH IS NOT TO SERVE THE MAJOR MEDIA OUTLETS OR MAJOR PRESSES, BUT TO SERVE THE PEOPLE.
THE PROBLEMS ARE LEGION. THE REBELS WILL KEEP TAKING POTSHOTS AT THE POWER MONGERS, BUT UNTIL A VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICAN CITIZENS PITCH IN AND JOIN THE FIGHT, JUMP IN FEET FIRST AND START SWINGING, THE WORLD WILL NEVER KNOW; THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENNED WITH DRUGS IN BOSTON; THEY DON’T KNOW AND DON’T CARE, BECAUSE ALL THEY CARE ABOUT IS LINING THEIR OWN POCKETS WITH SILVER, MORE $$$, MORE POWER: YOUR KIDS GET BUSSED; THEIR KIDS GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS; YOUR KIDS WHO SMOKE OR SELL GRASS GET IMPRISONED FOR FIVE YEARS; THEIR KIDS GET ALTERNATE SENTENCING PROGRAMS; THEIR SERIAL KILLERS GO SCOT-FREE OR WITH SLIGHT SLAPS ON THE WRISTS FOR MURDERS AND MAYHEM; OUR HONEST COPS GET CRUCIFIED.
AS SAID AT EH END OF MAC THE DOG, THE TRUTH HAS A WAY OF SEEPING THOUGH BAMBOO CURTAINS, IRON CURTAINS AND REINFORCED STEEL CONCENTRATION CAMPS. I HOPE THE PEOPLE WAKE UP SOON AND GET THIS COUNTRY AND ITS JUDICIAL SYSTEM BACK TO NORMALCY. PAUL REVERE HELPED WAKE UP EVERY VILLAGE AND TOWN. HE DIDN’T DO IT ON HIS OWN. WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS TO SEE HOW LOW OUR DEPARTMETN OF JUSTICE HAS SUNK, HOW LOW OUR VAUNTED GLOBE SPOTLIGHT TEAM REPORTERS HAVE SUNK–THEY ARE BOLD-FACED LIARS— HOW LOW ARE BUSINEESS COMMNITIES HAVE SUNK. WE’RE IN TROUBLE AS A SOCIETY, AND WE NEED MORE STOUT-HEARTED MEN AND WOMEN TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE MADNESSS, THE ENCROACHMENT OF FASCISM, IMPERIALISTI IMPULSES PLAYING OUT OVERSEAS, AND AS FOR DRUGS, THE SAME LAISSEZ FAIRE ATTITUDE THE BRITISH HAD TOWARD THE STARVING IRISH IN THE 1846-1851 (LET THEM EAT GRASS OR LET THEM STARVE TO DEATH) OUR GOVERNMENT NOW EMPLOYS THE SAME HANDS-OFF ATTITUD: lET THEM EAT DRUGS, PUT THEM ON THE PLANTATION, GIVE THEM SECTION 8 HOUSING, AND LET THEM ROT IN PLACE. WHILE ALL THE WHILE THE RICH GET RICHER ADN THE GAP BETWEEN RICH AND MIDDLE CLASS IS AS WIDE AS THE GAP BETWEEN FEDERAL GOVERNMENET WORKERS’ SALARIES/COMPENSATION/BENEFITS AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR’S SALARIES AND BENNIES TO ITS EMPLOYEES WHO WORK TWICE AS HARD AS THE FAT CATS IN FEDERAL OFFICES AND MORE AND MORE IN STAE AND LOCAL OFFICES. YOU SAW RECENTLY THAT THE CHIEF CUSTODIAN AT NEWTON HIGH WAS MAKING IN EXCESS OF 110,000 PER YEAR, WHILE THE CHIEF CUSTODIAN AT BOSTON COLLEGE WAS MAKE ONE-HALF TO TWO-THIRDS THAT AMOUNT. GOVERNMENT IS BLOATED, OBESE, SLUGGISH, INDIFFERENT TO ITS CITIZENS. lOOK WHAT’S HAPPENING TO JOHN CONNOLLY; THE FLORIDA APPEALS COURT IS GOING TO TAKE ANNOTHER SIX YEARS TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH JOHN, THEN THEY’LL ALLOW THE STATE ONE MORE APPEAL, WHICH WILL TAEK ANOTHER SIX YEARS. IT WILL BE 18 YEARS SINCE JOHN CONNOLLY WAS EGREGIOUSLY FALSELY CONVICTED IN FLORIDA IN 2008, IT WILL BE 2026, WHEN JOHN IS 86 YEARS OLD THAT HE WILL FINALLY BE RELEASED FROM PRISN.
Louie, REALY WANT TO HELP INFORMING THE WORLD WHAT’S HAPPENING? GET ALL YOUR FRIENDS TO READ MATT CONNOLLY’S BLOG DAILY.
John Connolly is now “not guilty” on all murder charges brought against him. The three counts in Florida and six counts in Boston: All not guilty. 9-0. Yet he remains in jail. What a travesty.
2. No matter how you look at the less serious charges he was convicted of in Boston you must concede that 12 years in prison is excessive, you must concede that only one of those charges involved actions committed while Connolly was still an FBI agent. One minor crime in 23 years as an agent and for that Howie Carr, the Corrupt Fatso, calls Connolly the “most corrupt agent in FBI history.” Think about that! Reflect upon that!
I take no small pleasure in knowing that that dumpy little divorced troll would rather spend his free time on the weekends traipsing around the state signing his works of fiction and giving “lectures” (Brian Kelly…what happened to you? If you need the money that badly I’ll lend you a couple of bucks) rather than spend time with his family. It Must be a real disaster behind closed doors over in Wellesley. Living Hell, hopefully!!
Declan:
Never undestood his penchant for running around weekends when he could be home with the family. Is he consumed with greed or running away from something; is he another Richard Corey who ‘Robinson told us about?
As for Kelly he must be desperate to sink so low to join up with the circus; perhaps he’ll need those couple of bucks so keep them aside.
William:
The charges are still pending against Connolly until the state exhausts its appeal rights. He will have a chance at bail at some point but I don’t know enough about Florida law to tell you when. You know the courts have all sorts of obstructions and delays even in the most simple matters so just hope he gets a bail hearing soon.
I agee that Judge Tauro hit him as hard as possible on the charge; I’ve said the Connolly has done more than enough time in prison for whatever acts he did and it is time he should be released.
Matt, John has spent six years in prison in Florida for nothing. The only charge still pending is the murder by gun, and any idiot can read the statute and case law, as well as the non-applicable Enhancement Statute, and see that none of it can be made to apply to Connolly. It’s so frustrating, like the Parade Case, which only took 3.5 years for us to resolve favorably, logically and consistent with constitutional law. There is not right to force gay pride groups into private parades. Florida has no right to hold John Connolly; he has been acquitted of all the charges; the one conviction, murder by gun, has been overturned; the chief justice of the third circuit court of appeals in florida was one of the two that reversed and overturned Connolly’s conviction; you read yourself how incoherent were the “reasoning” of the minority, a lone woman, with zero seniority. I’d take any first year law student and convince beyond cavil in one hour that the Murder by Gun statute simply cannot be applied to John Connolly; the explicit language of the statute says so, and a dozen or so cases, the case law says so. Same, with Fred Wyshak’s desperate straw grab at the Enhancement Statute; Wyshak knows he’s sunk; he hopes a corrupt judiciary will use extra-legal irrational reasoning to support his bizarre theories; but a simple reading of the enhancement statute and the Florida courts interpretation of it, shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that it doesn’t apply to Connolly, thirdly this is not a case of first impression as the states DA and the dissenting judge and even one majority judge said. this is settled law in florida, precedent abound, the statute has been exhaustively interpreted; the rodgriquez case is on point: when one person is holding the murder weapon and another person is in a different city from the murder is committed, you can’t convict him of murder by gun, because you must prove the essential fact that Mr X in City Y held the murder weapon at the time of the murder (or was within arm’s reach of it.) It gets more simple, you can’t enhance a statute which has gun possession as an essential element; 2, you can’t enhance a crime unless it is proven that at the time of the crime, the criminal held the very weapon used in the crime. 3. Possession is defined as having control and in your hands the weapon used in the crime, or being within arms reach of that weapon. By no stretch of anyone’s imagination can Murder by Gun or Enhancemetn be applied to Connolly and we haven’t even touched on the SOL expiring ont the Murder by Gun statute years before Connolly was charged with it. Finally, even if some corrupt jurors in Florida decided to ignore the clear language of the staute and the clear holding in a dozen Florida cases, the Court still would face the Ineffecdtive Assistance of Counsel appeal, to wit, SCOTUS has said that failure to raise the SOL is per-se ineffective assistance of counsel. Connolly automaticllaly would get a new trial based on that; but no new trial could go forward because the SOL had long since run on a murder yb gun statute.
Conclusion: Its a rotten business to admit you’ve imprisoned a man wrongly forsix years, and then you decide you’re going to continue to imprison him. If the appeal is going to take another six years, any decent human being would allow John Connolly to wait at home to hear what the Court decides. but those people in the judicial system in florida are no more decent than the people in the judicial system in Massachusetts who crushed the Veterans free speech rights four years running. They’re indecent. they perpetuate the travesty of justice. Why? I can only believe they understand they must somehow cover their tracks to protect their backsaides. You know what happened in Boston; when SCOTUS granted certiorari to the Veterans, SCOTUS demanded the Superior Court in Boston send all its files to the Supreme Court in Washington , D.c. Somehow all 40 boxes of materials relating to the trial had been destroyed. I’m afraid Florida will destroy or distort its own laws, so that their judiciary is spared the humiliation and scorn which was visited upon the Mass. Judiciary. they will continye to imprison and persecute John Connolly under the banner of “protecting the integrity of the judicial system.” Mark my words, and I hope and pray I’m wrong, but six years later and counting, I’m afraid I may be right this time. What do you think? You have faith in the Mass judiciary, the DOJ, the Florida judiciary, Fred Wyshak?
William:
I agree. I see no reason why Connolly is not free on bail.
Without going into it to refresh my memory, you under-emphasize the bad things that Connolly did. But I certainly agree that he has paid for his provable sins. What personally irks me even more than the murderers who bargained their way out of more than wrist-slaps is the fact that there were empty chairs at the Connolly trial — chairs that should have been occupied by various FBI brass.
Doug:
The worst thing Connolly did in my opinion was to try to help Flemmi out after he was picked up in 1995. Part of that was his writing of the letter to Judge Wolf and other parts which he was not charged with was getting him information on the identity of some of the informants for the FBI. His biggest sin was his hubris which is not a crime. He thought ike many FBI agents he was above the law and after he retired he still thought that he was protected with that cloak. I never belived Weeks’s story about the tip off at the liquor store. Whether he took money or not from Whitey I tend to think he took some but not anywhere near the amount that Whitey claimed during his trial. My post was not to cover everything about Connolly and you are right I did not go into the areas where he was convicted or suspected of doing ill; I was mainly concerned with showing that his exoneration of leaking information about informants to Whitey is never mentioned rather the media treats it like it was a proven fact.
Doug, please refresh your memory! I do not underestimate the “bad” things John Connolly has done. In fact I have a challenge for you? Tell me what bad things he has been found guilty of doing during his 23 years as an FBI agent. This is an open book, take home quiz. Take your time. We’re waiting for an answer.
if my memory serves me, it was established that he took money from Whitey/Stevie.
Doug:
Connolly was never convicted of taking money. The gangsters said they gave him oodles of money but all we have for that is the word of the gangsters.
Even today the Globe has to lie about the facts claiming that in 2002 Connolly was convicted of protecting Bulger and Flemmi. A totally bogus claim. The record says otherwise. As the historian Robert Caro said about LBJ he was a compulsive liar. He lied even when he didn’t have to. So too the Globe. Tommy T use to say ” once a junkie always a junkie”. Once a propagandist and liar always a propagandist and liar. The Globe never changes.
NC:
The greatest sin of the Globe and the others is their failure to tell about his not being connected to the murders by the Boston jury; they still talk like that was proven when it wasn’t.
Matt, great analysis. I repeat for emphasis: Six times the Federal jury in Boston was asked by the prosecutors to link John Connolly to murder, and six times the jury said no. Three times the jury said Connolly was “not guilty” of leaking info that led to deaths (including Callahan’s and Halloran’s) and an additional three times the jury said “leaking” charges were “not proven” under RICO. In Boston, John Connolly effectively was acquitted six times of any and all charges linking him to murder.
2. YET THE PRESS IN BOSTON WRITES AND TALKS AS IF HE WERE LINKED TO MURDER. JOHN CONNOLLY HAS NEVER NEVER BEEN CHARGED WITH TAKING A DIME FOR HIMSELF. (he’d been acquitted of taking a diamond ring: not guilty) YET, HOWIE CARR, THE HERALD, THE GLOBE AND ALL THE T.V. STATIONS LIE DIRECTLY AND BY OMISSION ABOUT CONNOLLY’S. THEY DO SO BECAUSE THEY’VE INVENTED FICTIONS INCORPORATED INTO THEIR BOOKS AND LONG-STANDING REPORTING THAT CONNOLLY WAS LINKED TO MURDER. THEY LIE FOR PROFIT. THEY LIE TO UPHOLD THEIR REPUTATIONS; IT’S A BAD BUSINESS WHEN REPORTERS DELIBERATELY DECEIVE.
3. As it now stands, with his conviction overturned in Florida, the one AND ONLY crime John Connolly was convicted of during his 23 years as an FBI agent was giving a case of wine to his boss, Morris; Morris said the case of wine had an envelope with $1,000 in it. In Boston and Miami he told two different stories of where that envelope was, as you’ve pointed out in the past: between the separators (in Boston), at the bottom of the case of wine (in Miami.)
Please indulge me while I at least remind your readers of the crimes John was convicted of in Boston: (1) Giving the case of wine with $1,000 to Morris: It likely never happened and Morris is the sole witness of that. THE OTHER FOUR CRIMES OCCURRED BETWEEN 4 AND 9 YEARS AFTER HE LEFT THE FBI WHILE HE WAS A PRIVATE CITIZEN WORKING AT EDISON: Crime 2. Telling Weeks in a closed walk-in freezer that an indictment was coming down against Bulger; we’ve recounted ad nauseum why that is a falsehood: Weeks is the only witness; Bulger’s actions afterward (signing his real name on New York AND New Orleans hotel registers and driving home to Boston when Theresa Stanley swears they first heard on the radio indictments were coming down; moreover, why is it a crime for a private citizen to hear through the grapevine an indictment was coming down and to relay that information; the charge is farcical from many standpoints, except that the FEDS needed a 1995 crime to circumvent the Statue of limitations on other crimes; 3. Lying to an FBI agent: one time; just one time Connolly was accused of lying about whether or not he called a lawyer’s office; it’s not a crime to call a lawyer’s office; it is a crime to lie to an FBI agent, which is why I don’t talk to them; get one question wrong and they’ll indict you. 4. Weeks said Connolly told Flemmi to lie in 1999 (I doubt it). 5. Connolly was convicted of writing a letter to a judge which contained false and libelous statements, in the judge’s opinion. False and defamatory statements are libels, civil offenses, not crimes, as I understand the law. In fact, you have a First Amendment right to express your opinion; Judge Wolfe should have thrown the letter out or ignored it or turned it over to those who thought were libeled; the letter would have never been entered into the criminal proceedings.
4. You mentioned Flemmi coming to Florida to testify against John Connolly. Remember, for seven years (1995-2002) while sitting in federal prison, Flemmi testified under oath (in 1999) and continued to maintain that John Connolly was an honest cop, and Morris was the source of leaks. In 2002, on the verge of his own murder trial and likely execution, he changed his tune and agreed to testify against Connolly. However, as late as 2006, Flemmi said under oath that John Connolly never did or said anything intending anyone be killed, according to David Boeri. David Boeri’s articles have reiterated the Flemmi’s exact quote.
CONCLUSION; so, here you have it: A corrupt press in Boston that acts like it is the jury in the Salem Witch Trials. A corrupt federal prosecutorial time that tries a man twice for the same crime. A corrupt talk show host, Carr, the corrupt fatso, who can’t bring himself to report “the whole truth”, “the whole story”. A corrupt judiciary in Florida that takes nearly six years to decide that the statute of limitations had run and that essential elements of the crime were never proven, that reverses Connolly’s conviction, and then having found Connolly blameless and acquitted of all charges, nevertheless holds him in prison. The enormities continue; the wicked evil continues; I’ve lost faith in the judicial system, the press and the media at large.
I hope all these mitigating and extenuating facts get included in your book, BOSTON BAMBOOZLED.
William,
Beautifully stated. It would be an exercise in futility, but you should send that in as a “letter to the editor”. I wonder if “tough guy” Wyshak will yell at John in person the way he did while hiding behind the skirt of the prosecutors table in Florida? I think we all know the answer to that. How great would it be to be there when Fred the tough guy walks in to a local gin mill and sees John sitting at the bar? While John is too smart to do give Freddy what he deserves, I Hope he has a spare pair of pants to change into after he turns tail. I’d hate to see a man of Fred’s stature walking around with urine soaked double knits. Same goes for the pudgy prevaricator at The herald!
William:
I agee with most of what you say up until the discusson of the letter. Judge Wolf was bound to investigation the allegations in the letter; there has never been any doubt in my mind that was a horrid obstruction of justice.He was convicted of lying to an FBI agent but whether that was a material lie is questionable but it certainly wasn’t an enormity; the idea that it’s a crime in any event has always struck me as something out of the Soviet Union mentality. As to tipping of Weeks at the store, I never believed it nor did I believe he had anything to do with Salemme or Flemmi knowing the indictments were coming down. The strongest evidence against on that issue is in Connolly’s favor because Flemmi was relying on “his friend” who was Schneiderhan. As for the case of wine for Morris; Connolly was found not to have given him $1000 to take Miss Noseworlthy to Florida as Morris testified. So even with Morris it was a toss up in the jury room.
The letter was his Archilles heel through which all the rest followed. Sure you have a right to free speech, etc., but you have no right to obstruct the orderly aministration of justice.
Matt, till the 12th of never, i’ll maintain that letter is an exercI’ise in free speech, and judge wolfe should never have admitted it into evidence. In fact, in a latter post, I cited the FRAP, which I believe echo the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Documents only come in through parties; the judge can’t say, “Hey, Matt; I’ve got this letter form your brother, Jim; It has false statements; I’m putting it into evidence; if you wanted to admit Jim’s letter yourself, the judge-fact finder would have to decide materiality, relevance, authenticiay, consider hearsay and a million other evidentiary factors. But if Wolfe can try Connolly for obstruction for writing a letter, then he can try a columnist for his opinion piece or a protester for that false sign he’s carrying outside the courtroom: “Wolfe’s wife wears Army Boots.” Obstruction of Justice? No. Free Speech!!!1
Wm:
It is a pleasure to hear the passion and conviction with which you state, and subsequently back up your arguments. I know you would have held your own in Boston around 230-240 yrs ago.
John Adams defended Capt. Preston and eight British regulars in two separate trials related to the Boston Massacre. Preston was acquitted as were 6 of the 8 regulars. 2 regulars were convicted of manslaughter.
Below is a link to John Adams verbatim speech in defense of the British officer and soldiers” http://www.bostonmassacre.net/trial/acct-adams1.html
God Bless and Keep Fighting the Good Fight!!!!
– a true admirer.
William:
I disagree over the letter. Don’t forget the jury found he tipped off Salemme and others to flee when the indictment was coming down.
Matt as always another great article
Robert:
Thanks. Nice to hear from you. Hope things are well. Always enoyed your tales.
Several people got promoted off of John Connolly’s conviction. I’d like to know if they’re now going to be demoted.
Andrew:
For the true believers who promoted those who benefited from his conviction Connolly will always be guilty. They can only justify their lives based upon that belief. They’ll be no demotions or apolgies only a continuing drum beat that despite everything he is guilty.
MATT, ON THAT POINT YOU’RE 100% CORRECT> FEW IF ANY APOLOGIZED FOR THE DREYFUS AFFAIR OR FOR “FORCED BUSING” FOR THAT MATTER. LET US EAT CAKE, GRASS, DRUGS. WE’LL WAIT UNTIL THE COWS COME HOME TO STAY BEFORE WE HEAR APOLOGIES FOR ENGLAND’S ROLE IN THE GREAT FAMINE. OH WAIT, ENGLAND HAS APOLOGIZED WITHINT THE LAST TWENTY YEARS AS I RECALL.
William:
Yes, those who experiment on the people usually are not held responsible for the results especially if they are members of the judiciary.