There are some people, who I must confess, have a very good feel for this case. One who I talk to now and again at court has always been on top of it and has seemed to me for whatever reason to be particularly insightful into the happenings. I ran into her earlier today. I’ll call her Marla.
I’ll say what I used to say in writing up affidavits for warrants, the use of the feminine gender does not necessarily mean this person is female. She may not be. I’ll let you figure out the other alternative.
We had a few moments on our hands so she told me she has been in contact with one major gangsters in the Underworld. I don’t know how many of you have seen the movie “M” starring Peter Lorre. That is one of the few movies that has ever truly depicted the Underworld as it existed back then and as it still exists. To get a feel for what I’m telling you I’d suggest you may want to see it.
Marla has had access to this one person in the Underworld because she grew up with this person. She is one of the few outsiders of that Underworld who has ever had a connection that high in that insulated world. That is why some of her writing about this case has been absolutely brilliant by the way it penetrates deep down into the motives of the witnesses.
Marla is the only person I have ever met who has been fed information from the Underworld. She tells me that it took her source years to get the clearance but when she explained one night sitting by the ocean that the above world had access to the media she convinced the Underworld it too should have a media friend.
What she learned resulted in the explosive revelation in the Teddy Deegan case. Without revealing her source, for to do it would mean instant death despite her long time friendship, she managed to have that case reopened and was able to expose the malignancy which brought it about.
I tell you that because I did that in affidavits where I would have to explain to a judge why an informant was worthy of belief, sometimes called credible, and the basis of an informant’s knowledge, we usually required direct personal knowledge, in order to get a warrant, I thought it best to give you a similar background.(I’m not sure the federals need direct personal knowledge because they have a rule that lets them use hearsay upon hearsay if the original hearsay would have been admissible through an exception)
In any event Marla has shown her bona fides in the Deegan case and in other cases which I am unable to mention because much of the information is singular and could be traced back to her. But this is what she told me under the condition that I swore I would never to reveal it to anyone else. I swore to that but since Marla did not say “off the record” and I had my fingers crossed, I feel no compunction against disclosing it in the interest of truth. I would ask you to be discreet and only disclose this on a need to know basis as defined by Retired FBI Agent Montinari when prosecutor Wyshak asked him what need to know meant.
Marla told me her source in the Underworld is a member of the Underworld Gangster Association and is one of six members on its Screening Committee. That committee is charged with preparing a ballot listing in alphabetical order the eligible candidates for the Underworld Hall of Fame. Her source told her that Whitey was deemed ineligible to go on the ballot.
He explained that although Whitey would otherwise have been on the ballot, and probably have gotten put into the Hall of Fame (called Hall of Shame by some) by a wrote of the gangsters in the Underworld on the first ballot, something rarely achieved other than by the greats like Professor Moriarity. He told her what kept him off the ballot was Rule 209 which makes those who were informants or Rule 302 who murdered women ineligible.
Marla said they conveyed that to Whitey who received it with great disappointment since all his life he has worked hard to achieve that distinction and thought the Screening Committee would know that as an Irishman he could not be an informant; and, that it would also know he’d never have harmed even a hair on the head hair of a woman except to sometimes cut a split end. Whitey was told the Screening Committee would put him on the ballot next year if the jury acquitted him of the murders of the two women and he convinced others he was not an informant.
So as far as Marla is concerned that’s what the trial is all about. She did mention that the Screening Committee has read my blog suggesting I believe Whitey was not an informant but they want a little more proof. I guess that’s what Whitey will be putting up in his defense.
Like with anything, I’m just reporting what Marla said. You have to make up your own minds. For me, it seems she is on the money.
Matt–
“Alfie” – nice touch! Hope others caught this, too!
JIMMM
I was going to put a picture of Alfie in the upper corner of the post but figured I’d see if you guys could get it without that. Good job.
Thank you Conde Nast
Dear Sirs,
He loved your magazine.
At night
it took him to places
where he could never go,
to warm and smiling lands,
to adventures in the paradise of his dreams.
He met happy friendly people,
who enjoyed life,
who had lives,
people who went
where they wanted
to do
what they pleased,
people who had no care
but for the next experience,
the ultimate daiquiri
the best bite of lobster,
who dealt with weighty questions
about
the marbling of steak,
the proper age of spring lamb,
the quality of truffles in Perigord.
He lay awake
at night
and wondered
about the snow depth in Aspen,
about climbing the Matterhorn,
about accommodations in Katmandu.
He imagined
Malay shadow play
on the ceiling of his house,
smiling Sherpas serving steaming tea
on the blue ice glaciers of Mt. Everest.
He dreamed
of
finger dancing in Chang Mai,
outrigger races in Tahiti,
a mysterious rendezvous
on the Orient Express,
lazy boat rides
on the Danube,
a visit
to Kafka’s house.
He loved your magazine.
He loved its’ breadth,
it’s many pages,
it’s thick cover.
He liked to tape it
to his chest
in the morning
when his house slammed open,
when he lockstepped to the yard.
He felt its comforting girth
a glossy pulp breastplate
armor for a paladin
in a savage island’s
waking nightmare
of
numbing terror,
grinding fear,
sudden death.
He strolled about the yard
in sunlight without warmth
nodding to devils he knew
ignoring the ones he didn’t
deflecting their knowing looks.
Defense was automatic:
prison is a universe of deceit,
lies are the coin of its realms,
in the market place of its interactions
charlatans abound and falsity reigns
undisturbed by facts or connection
to an outside world.
A man can be
whoever he chooses.
Behind the walls
it only requires
imagination.
The best liars
present a blank façade.
a conscious mirror reflects nothing.
it lies without effort.
But,
behind the reflection,
the liar dreads
front street’s abhorrent truths;
weaknesses revealed
raw nerves exposed
by
dueling tongues’escalation.
Under constant observation
in a search lit world
touche
means more than point.
Face is
the sole possession of the damned.
Loss of face is an injury to the soul.
Shame
triggers combat
mean street’s rock ‘n roll
the back alley ballet
injured egos’
minuet d’mort.
And so the duet began;
two bored men
picking at the scabs
of each others weaknesses
each wound answered with another.
Their hot blood’s impassioned words
attracted schooling convicts cruising the yard.
The observers circled ominously
the hint of murder
a carnal lure.
No one chose sides
it was a private affair.
Crocodilian eyes peered
out of the non-committal murk
awaiting a feast of suffering
reflexively prepared
to slide into the mix,
to make turbulent
the stagnant pool
of prison life.
Fury’s moment
relieves the boredom.
A crowd of cruel eyes
illumined the arena.
Fangs flashed
in their savage attentions’ glare.
Contending wills
weighed
by a deadly balance
clashed
with the gnash of steels.
Shanks fenced
point counterpoint.
A gladiator fell
his heart punctured
by a screwdriver blade.
The writhing form
grew still.
Life soaked the concrete.
Blood brought bedlam,
a contagious frothing madness,
goons, gunfire, and choking gas,
a grim entertainment’s finale.
Laughter and derisive shouts,
the demons’ choral refrain,
were funeral music
for a loser’s journey
on a gurney to the morgue,
and the pages
of a magazine
lay scarlet on the ground,
fantasies
trampled
under sullen jealous feet.
KHALID-That was deep, loved it. You should give us 1 a day.
Khalid:
I’m not much of a poetry person but I really enjoyed that. Thanks a bunch. Nice job.
Matt – thank you and I cant wait to read your tweets from the courtroom today with Stevie coming into town – this show down should be very interesting and just may be the dagger in Whitey’s heart – no pun intended! Stevie is going to bury this guy i think and that will be the end of Whitey’s rose colored views. Matt, hope you are staying cool up there!
Sjm1980
You can be sure that in a federal facility that you are paying big bucks to keep us all cool. In fact I have to bring in a sweater it gets so cold at times. It will be an interesting day. It’s hard to see how such a sordid man will change Whitey’s outlook. I don’t think he has any flawed view of what is ahead of him. He knows he will die in prison.
Nicely done Matt.
Afraid: thanks for this post.
Jon,
Thanks
Dear Doubting Thomas, When I sent the above it looked fine. Now I see inappropriate paragraph breaks. Also, quotation marks were put around “miscarriage of justice” because I though that phrase was used in the lawsuit. Now I realize “prevented from allowing justice to prevail” was used instead. But they mean the same thing. Sorry.
afraid- I would be honored to make an attempt to connect with you. Every message you leave me tells me something new every time and also leaves me desperate to know more. Do you have a tentative estimated time of arrival for your book? Also please do not lose touch with me ,your family story needs to be known EVERYWHERE! God Bless you and Your Family RIP STEPHEN RAKES
Dear Doubting Thomas, Steve Rakes is my friend. Like most Whitey victims filing a lawsuit, he was screwed the federal court. My lawsuit was filed within two years of Connolly’s 2005 indictment for conspiracy to murder. Before that indictment, no Boston FBI agents were indicted for murder or conspiracy to murder. Both the District Court and the Appeals Court ruled I filed the lawsuit too late, even though my appeal reply brief cited a 1st Circuit Court ruling that stated a victim wasn’t expected to know the criminal before the police. Clearly, the Appeals Court went against the rule of law.
My lawsuit mentioned Steve Rakes in two sections. Here’s the first mention:
“55. On or about May, 2006, Jon Stuen-Parker went to the Boston office of the Justice Department to obtain Jaime Parker’s May, 1982, Boston Police Incident Report. A Justice Department official informed Stuen-Parker that a Federal Seal was placed on the Police Incident Report by
Jaime Parker concerning the Michael Donahue and Brian Halloran murders. The Justice Department official gave Stuen-Parker three case citation numbers that were ‘related to the sealed information’. The case citation numbers revealed the Halloran, Donahue, and Rakes/Dammers civil lawsuits.”
My lawsuit later mentions how this federal seal created a “miscarriage of justice”:
“70. Among the numerous crimes perpetrated by the Bulger Group was to compel Stephen Rakes and Julie Rakes Dammers to sell them their liquor store.
71. ‘Rakes and Dammers brought suit against the United States under the Federal Torts Claims Act (FTCA). Because the extortion took place in 1984, and Rakes and Dammers did not file an administrative claim until May 11, 2001, the FTCA’s two year statue of limitations would bar this
action if the claim had accrued on the date of injury.’12
12Rakes v. U.S., 442 F. 3d 7, p. 2 (1st Cir. Mar. 23, 2006).
72. ‘The question on appeal was whether, under the discovery rule or under any tolling principle, the FTCA claim at issue accrued before or after May 11, 1999. Finding that the claim accrued more than two years before Rakes and Dammers filed their claims, and that the statue of limitations was not tolled on grounds of duress or fraudulent concealment, the court affirmed ‘the decision of the district court dismissing the case for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.’13
13Ibed, p. 3.
73. ‘We note that Dammers in fact argues two distinct tolling doctrines in support of her position. Specifically, she argues that she was delayed in filing her claim because 1) she was under duress as a result of being threatened by members of the Winter Hill Gang, and 2) the government fraudulently concealed or misrepresented information vital to her claim.’14
14Ibed, p. 35.
74. ‘The district court thought that, in order to find Dammers’ claim tolled on the ground of duress, it was necessary for Rakes and Dammers to allege sufficient facts to permit an inference that the United States ‘used coercive acts of [sic] threats against them.’ Rakes, 352 F. Supp. 2d at 81. This may overstate the rule, for we think that a claim of duress levied against the United States during the period in which Connolly was actively engaged in protecting Bulger and Flemmi from oversight by law enforcement might conceivably have been made out.’15
15Ibed, p. 36.
75. ‘In order to prevail under this rule, Dammers must be able to demonstrate duress caused by the government continually until May 11, 1999. By that date, however, Connolly had long been out of the business of partnering with Bulger. ‘Equitable tolling is based on concealment or other misconduct by the defendant.’ Crawford v. United States, 796 F. 2d 924, 926 (7th Cir. 1986). Once the misconduct ceased, and the United States began actively seeking to frustrate rather than further the Winter Hill Gang’s criminal activities, the government was, under the facts in this case, no longer responsible for ongoing threats made by members of the Winter Hill Gang. We therefore agree with the district
court that Dammers’ duress argument fails.’16
16Ibed.
76. Information concerning the Michael Donahue and Brian Halloran murders, information the Justice Department deemed was ‘related’ to the Rakes/Dammers civil lawsuit, was sealed by a federal judge. This Federal Seal has allowed Winter Hill gang member, Kevin Weeks, to avoid perjury prosecution for his under-oath testimony concerning the murders of Michael Donahue and Brian Halloran. Thus, the Federal Seal on information concerning the Michael Donahue and Brian Halloran murders helped further the Winter Hill Gang’s criminal activities.
77. The Boston Police Department Incident Report by Jaime Parker concerning the Michael Donahue and Brian Halloran murders, public information a federal judge cited a compelling government interest and good cause for secrecy, public information the Justice Department deemed
was ‘related’ to the Rakes/Dammers lawsuit, was sealed before Rakes v. U.S., 442 F. 3d 7 (1st Cir. March 23, 2006). Thus, the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals was prevented from allowing justice to prevail concerning the Rakes/Dammers civil case.”
Excellent, Matt. This one is a real work of art. I love it.
Tell Cathy he never hurts women… Ya right.
Anonymous:
What could he do to help Cathy? The federals wanted their pint of blood.
love it, good ole fashioned back at ya- ism is that a word? lol anyhoo well its getting closer and closer, will he get up there and spew, declning pensions of the laundry list of corrupt public servicemen and or woman of ye ole past?????
PAT2E:
Right now it’s a lock – it’s time to set the record straight – no question he testifies.
PAT2E:
That’s the right word – I like it – “back at ya-ism”