Last night Jerome wrote to me: “Whitey Bulger was moved to a Florida prison. Is it possible he will go on trial in that state and they will ask for the death penalty? “
Minutes later Jim wrote: “Looks like Jim Bulger got moved to a high security prison near orlando in florida, any reason to why this may have happened? Heard he was in the “no good unit:” I.E. with elizabeths smarts kidnatpper etc. Any idea why he got transferred?”
When I received these I must admit I was surprised that he had been moved. Whitey’s 85-years-old and moving him from Arizona to Florida was not because the feds want him to enjoy one of his last winters in nice weather. It also isn’t because they were unable to handle him in the Tuscon prison. Nor would it be just a routine matter. Remember it took a while for the Prisoner Minders to decide where to place him. He was in the federal facility in Brooklyn, New York; and then out to Oklahoma and finally to Tuscon which was to be his final resting place until he completed his sentence.
Now keep in mind he is in federal prison and the prison keepers are not nice people. In civilized countries when a person is sent to prison that is the punishment for his crime; in the federal system the prison keepers seem to get their kicks out of imposing other punishments on their wards like the bus ride where prisoners are buckled into seats for 12 to 14 hours at a time while the bus slowly moves from place to place. I see that Whitey left Tuscon on August 29 and had a layover in Oklahoma. Then he arrived in Florida. It seems he must have been on the bus so perhaps the trip was just a way some of the Prison Minders could add a little misery to the old man.
But I don’t think it could be that alone that caused him to be moved. Remember, in the minds of the federals Whitey was more than a person who committed horrible crimes he was one against whom some in the Justice Department had a personal hatred. I know the members of the Department of Justice are not supposed to be vindictive but I also know some are human and full of venom and when they get someone in their manacles they get a little thrill out of doing all the evil they can against the person. So keeping all that in mind, here is my conjecture on the situation.
The federals have persuaded the Florida authorities to activate the John Callahan murder case against Whitey which calls for the death penalty. It is not because they ever expect that he will be executed because if you project the time that would pass leading up to the trial, and if he were convicted, the time it would take for an appeal on a death case, and the additional time prior to the execution, one could not reasonably to believe Whitey would still be among us. And if he were, when was the last time a man in his 90s was executed?
So what’s behind it you may wonder. It seems to me it a federal tactic to put pressure on the Florida Appeals Court to keep John Connolly the FBI agent who was wrongfully convicted for murder in prison. Connolly’s been in prison since 2002 and many in the FBI and Department of Justice want to make sure he dies there. The Appeals Court is deciding his case now. They must believe that bringing the notoriety surrounding Whitey and his evil life will accomplish their ends. I can see no other reason.
It’s a sad commentary on the ethics of the federals that if I’m correct they would engage in this type activity. It shows you the malice in their hearts and that their interest is not justice but vengeance. It’s a warning to all of us that there are brutes in the prison system and in the justice system. One must always do his best to avoid them. Like the FBI, the Bureau of Prisons has no one supervising it.
According to the bureau’s inmate locater Whitey is at USP Coleman II, a high security U.S. penitentiary with 1,448 others.
Generally, rats get special treatment when they go out on writs. When they ‘re in population, they get the same as everyone else. Flemmi, and, Matorano, going to the movies, and, using the PX, is bullshit.
I watched Billy Swano (GAMBAT) go out on a writ. Four dark tinted Ford SUVs full of G-men came and picked him up. A few days later, they returned him. Bill looked a little plumper from the experience. It must have been all those government cheese snacks. Swano bunked with Sal Cataudella. Now, that’s what you call irony.
Out here things work different than back East. There’s no independent Irish thing. All the bog-hopper gangs were absorbed into the Outfit back in the way-back. Out here, its a cooperative multi-ethnic scene with the Wops on top, Jews, second, and, everyone else in third. Micks have the choice of being cops, or, crooks, sometimes, both, at the same time.
If you’re interested in Chi-town doings, watch the PK Crew case unfold. The Feds have their thumb on the scale. They want Albert, bad, worse than Sal. Cataudella vs. Vena will be an interesting power struggle. Long term parking at O’Hare is going to fill up. There’s trunk music in the air.
Matt thank you for acknowledging that I brought to your attention that Whitey was moved to Florida. The article you wrote is excellent. Do you think a Whitey trial in Florida would be televised? Also, how is it even possible that Steven Flemmi can not be located? I know I am about to state the obvious but its too bad that Whitey wont or cant write a book that reveals the truth. Why did he murder certain individuals and all the detailed thought processes that went into the way he conducted himself as a criminal. I am aware that Whitey Bulger has done some horrible and atrocious things but because he lived such a dark life it is fascinating to some to see into the mind of a psychopath.
Jerome:
Good point. They do use television in the court room so it may be televised. Stevie’s at some special camp run by the Department of Justice – I have no idea why all that is secret but I sometimes think he’s doing time like Martorano did where he lived in an open type campus near an airforce base and he could go over there to the PX or the movies or what have you whenever he wanted.
It would be nice that Whitey write the truth but unfortunately he doesn’t know what the truth is by now. But that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get a good glimpse of what makes the guy tick by what he does write. Basically he’ll put as much blame on others as he can, the truth will be lurking around the edges somewhere so looking for it will be a challenge.
Matt- Is it crime 101 that criminals, including the ones who have big egos and are psychopaths, to shift blame to everyone but themselves. I ask because Whitey has supposedly red a lot of war and military books. Wouldnt he then want to come across as the head guy in charge who was calling the shots and out manuevering everyone else. It would be fascinated to know what he was thinking/feeling when he was trying to avoid being killed during the Irish Gang War. Also why did he kill certain individuals like Bucky Barrett. He killed other criminals who certainly were not going to go to the police, no?
I still dont understand why he didnt murder Kevin Weeks and Steve Flemmi. Surely he knew that because they were around for some of his murders that they were potential liabilities once the indictments came down in 1995. Thats a head scratcher to me because if Whitey was only about Whitey wouldnt he have just murdered them and driven off into the sunset. As it stands Martarano and Weeks are walking free and out of jail while he is incarcerated. Yet he is the brilliant mastermind, no?
Jerome:
Whitey was in prison during the Irish gang war. He was in a South Boston Killeen/Mullins dispute where some Southie guys were murdered, 3 or 4. He was on the losing side and went to Howie Winter to bail him out. He did want to come across as the head guy and for many peope he was looked upon in that way. He clearly called the shots in a lot of the matters that came up.
Whitey killed guys who he thought would interfere with his business by going to the cops. He murdered Barrett after he had forced him into giving him all his assets because he thought he may go to the police, or, might come after Whitey later.
He didn’t murder Weeks or Flemmi because they were his guys. He figured he’d be able to use them as time went on. With Flemmi, the plan was to get out of town but Flemmi got nabbed in 1995 and has been in prison ever since so he had no chance to kill him; with Weeks he stayed in touch over the years. Weeks was not part of the racketeering indictment and couldn’t hurt Whitey on that. When he was indicted in the late 1990s or a litte later it was for drug stuff but Weeks coudn’t stand prison so he fipped.
I wouldn’t call Whitey the brilliant mastermind although he thinks he is something like that. He was of average intelligence, tough, junk yard dog mean, disciplined and cautious. He stayed smart and sober and measured in what he did. He did drive off into the sunset and spent 16 years somewhat free (I’m not so sure living like he did was really a nice life – he always feared capture)
Martorano is free; Weeks is free. They are because the government wanted Whitey above all others. There was no way anyone ever would have dealt with Whitey, except the FBI who used him as a source.
You wrote “There is no way anyone ever would have dealt with Whitey, except the FBI who used him as a source”. Could you expand on this statement because I am assuming you mean there was no agency (FBI/DEA/ATF) that would have cut a deal with Whitey once his gig was up in 1995?
Also, do you know the addresses of where Whitey lived in the 70s-90s? I read somewhere (your blog perhaps) that Steve Flemmi still owns a lot of property. Who gets the profits and how is it managed since he is in jail?
Mind boggling to say the least.
Whitey pops right up at his new home in Sumterville on B.O.P. Inmate Locater. Not so, Benji………..
Rather:
Benji is getting favored treatment somewhere. He may not even be doing time for all we know. It is amazing that his entry on the prison locator is: STEPHEN J FLEMMI
Register Number: 20431-038
Age: 80
Race: White
Sex: Male
NOT IN BOP CUSTODY
Release Date: UNKNOWN
Whitey’s is:
JAMES J BULGER
Register Number: 02182-748
Age: 85
Race: White
Sex: Male
Located at: Coleman II USP
Release Date: LIFE
Note Whitey’s release date is LIFE” Benji’s UNKNOWN
Hold your nose – something’s not right.
Whitey stated to me he’s going on trial in Florida because they want to give him the death penalty for Callahan, plus it lets wyshak put benji and murderman to work one more time
Jim:
I wouldn’t put it past them. Perhaps that’s why Flemmi hasn’t had the Rule 35 motion filed yet and he is still not in the Bureau of Prison custody.
Whitey stated to me he is going to face trial in Florida and OK, this could be a precursor to Callahan so wyshak can put matarano and flemmi to work one more time with cameras rolling
Jim:
All that if facing Whitey in Florida is Callahan – Wyshak made his bones on Whitey – this is just a another chance for the spin on the merry-go-round. It spells bad news for Connolly since it shows the feds are running the Florida system. By the way, when did Whitey say that and how did he know?
He said this around last september, I don’t know how he knew, but he knew he was going to be tried in Florida and Oklahoma. He also stated something about a “secret fed camp” in oklahoma where matorano and nee made their ‘blame it on whitey’ aka barboza playbook deals.
Jim:
So we don’t have any real idea what is going on. I guess Florida will take a run at him but it makes little sense. I was told when I wrote that Florida should prosecute Martorano for a hit that was made down there by some in Martorano’s crew who were working for Angiulo that the Florida courts are very busy and the DAs don’t like old cases. If Whitey is to be tried it’s only because Wyshak can’t let go of his hate.
Matt, regarding Whitey’s move to Florida: laconically, tersely I say, “I smell a rat; the rat is a who, a who-thing, it’s the delusional demonic demi-god, or demi-mini-god in the fbi/doj (or outside it at Harvard looking in) that is pulling fred the fed wyshak’s strings. Fred’s a rat, too, in my humble opinion.” Just saying so! Frankly speaking.
William:
I think we’ll know before BC wins its next football game. We should see some action in Florida by that time.
With all due respect, from my perspective and having read most of your posts over the last several years (has it been that long?),the John Luele alias is preposterous. I for one, a humble imperfectly informed but deeply interested student of all these matters give zero credence to your oft repeated concern. Please consider that you may be barking up the wrong tree! Also, always consider that I may be wrong, too.
William, since only John Connolly and John Iuele know for certain, I guess it’s up to John Connolly to confirm or deny…John Iuele does not exist anywhere else , and believe me I have searched…there is always the possibility that WB has a twin with the same belt buckle…but u may be right, I will never know…
I’d strike the word “preposterous” and insert “far-fetched.”
Anyone that sat through the trial would have said it the testimony that we hard with respect to the corruption of the Boston FBI back then was ‘far fetched’…yet some of the testimony came from a long serving secretary who was under oath…you tell me why former FBI agent John Connolly came into the dental practice where I was working at that time, and tell me he had been referred by John Iuele…what was his relationship with John Iuele? We know what his relationship was with WB…
I thought the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade case was a grotesque travesty of justice and it was until the US Supreme Court unanimously, 9-0, rebuked the entire Mass judiciary for acting “without lawful authority” in crushing the Free Speech rights of the South Boston Parade Organizers, Wacko Hurley and the SB Allied War Veterans Council. It was a travesty, but what happened to John Connolly both in Boston and Miami was a sadistic travesty of justice, worse than the Dreyfus case. The FEDs, the Boston Office of the DOJ, deliberately coldly calculatingly persecuted John Connolly and prosecuted him wrongfully, evilly, in my opinion. The FEDs are out of control and are repeatedly acting in flagrant violation of the constitutional rights of American citizens. The Boston Office of the DOJ should hang its head in shame!!!!
William:
It’s not only the Boston office, it’sthroughout the US. The criminal laws are so broad and punitive and the judges so willing to go along with the prosecutors that more and more acts normally not considered criminal are being deemed as such. Look at the guy who they arrested last week for sending out some pharmaceutical equipment which he represented as being sterile when it turned out it wasn’t. He was indicted for mail fraud which seems to have nothing to do with the real situation.
It’s intriguing trying to find out why they brought Whitey to Florida but the only reason I can see is to impact the Connolly appeal.
Matt, I agree on all points. Also, as soon as I got home from work Thursday night, I said,, “The Feds are bringing Whitey to Florida to try some devious evil ploy to keep JOHN CONNOLLY in prison and to further contaminate and corrupt the State Court system and proceedings down there.” words to that effect. If the rest of the nation is as bad as Boston, we need a revolution, big time, and fast. How do we citizens fix this broken federal government which persecutes the people? Which singles out some POOFs and convenient Scapegoats and defenseless Idiots and ordinary Joes of limited means and unfavored small businesses to politically Persecute and Prosecute (through the DOJ, IRS, etc?)
YOUR QUESTION: “First of all, O’Sullivan is supposed to be worried about being hit by the Mafia. Why would he go to Whitey…?”
YOUR ANSWER: “The Mafia used Winter Hill to do its hits.”
Patty:
Wrong: 1. O’Sullivan would not have known that.
2. Mafia never trusted Whitey
3. If Mafia were to do a hit on a fed it would be with an out of towner.
Federal Correctional Complex, Coleman, 50 miles northwest of Orlando:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Correctional_Complex,_Coleman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Penitentiary,_Coleman
http://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/clp/COX_CommList.pdf
Matt
javascript:;
When is the last time you saw Titicut Follies?
http://www.egtvonline.com/video/titicut-follies-mental-institution-documentary/
MS:
many, many years ago.
Matt,
Your last sentence reminds me of something. No one supervising but surely someone capable of influencing them? Could Whitey have another Hon. John W. McCormack up his sleeve to help him out?
Probably not this time.
More likely he wants to die before his appeal process is complete, thereby technically erasing all federal charges, and he would die with nothing on his record since the 50’s. Or he wants to go down in the chair. I bet he wants to at least make it until his book comes out.
Rather:
Whitey only clout is still Speaker McCormack but he’s been unable to help him recently so he is pretty much on his own. Whitey would be wise to die before his appeal is heard then he could go out not having been convicted since the 1950s as you point out. IF he wasn’t so eager to hang to his life for fear of meeting what lies beyond he’d be smart to get out of this life as soon as possible.
The DOJ is capable of influencing the Bureau of Prisons – look at how they had Martorano at camp cup cake during his time and how they are coddling Benji.
Even if Florida rushed with everything you are looking at five years or so before Whitey would be in danger of being fried. That give him plenty of time for his book but as you know whatever he writes is going to be nothing but lies. As Weeks said to be a criminal you got to be a good liar.
Matt,
I know in my heart his book will just be the written version of the same old street-spin I’ve been hearing my whole life, but at this point my interest is purely for entertainment purposes. We know that Whitey views himself through the proverbial rose-colored glasses. During and before trial, I had a desire to see the “manuscript” that was found in Santa Monica, and partially at Theresa’s. I guess I would still like to read it, but it’s significance to me has waned. On the subject of Whitey’s “gold-plated insurance” of which he spoke, maybe he should have opted for solid gold, because any idiot could see how preposterous that claim was. Just another version of the Tommy King/Buddy Leonard trick for Whitey…blame it on the dead guy. Jerry O’ Sullivan could not refute the supposed deal. Its believability is on par with the President hiring Whitey to be his personal bodyguard, or Whitey protecting the Pope when he comes to town. Just silly. But Whitey believes it. Lol.
If you ever heard Whitey on the Audio from Joe Berlingers documentary, I bet you would have laughed. Whitey says….”and the Boston FBI…No way….met John Connolly, was a Southie guy, Irish-Catholic like myself…you know it.. ahhh …the friendship…geez if I ever hear anything I’ll tip you off..give you a head’s up… an I told him alright John, I’d appreciate it..see ya. And that’s how it got started”
Fine example of a church-going, God-fearing, law-abiding Irish-Catholic.
I’m sure Whitey gets down on his creaky old knees to say the Rosary every night.
Rather:
Your right about his book. Perhaps the title should be “Jimmy’s Fairy Tale.”
I’d still like to see the manuscript; perhaps now that you remind me of it that is the reason Whitey did not want to testify. He’d probably been made to look very foolish if his writings in there are anything like his letters from prison. Do you ever think anyone will compare Whitey’s jail letters with Martin Luther King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”?
Had Whitey had a gold plated deal wouldn’t he have stayed around to collect on it? It’s obviously made up. Here’s why. Flemmi testified the deal was they could do anything but hit someone and said it came from Connolly. The Appeals Court said an FBI agent can’t give immunity deals, it has to come from the DOJ. So Whitey just upped it to O’Sullivan who, as you pointed out, was a dead guy.
You know part of Whitey’s statement could be correct. But he let out the other part of it. He said: “I’ll do that Jimmy on the condition you become one of my informants.” The idea that an FBI agent went around giving Irish-Caholic guys from Southie a pass is somewhat ridiculous. I’ve never known an Irish cop to pass on a pinch because the guy was Irish, if that were the case a lot of my friends never would have been arrested.
Matt,
I will go out on a short limb here. I suspect that if the manuscript ever becomes public, it will jell nicely as a prequel to the upcoming book, as well as Whitey’s decades-long public image campaign, pre-packaged and lawyer-approved quotes from the documentary, and letters from prison. He has nothing but spin left. Would serve his own legacy best if he croaked soon, wiping federal charges, and creating new fodder for continued discussion, then book comes out, maybe manuscript, and then old White dog leaves the table with the last word, probably just the way he wants it.
In the Irish-Catholic reference, I was pointing out the irony, hypocrisy, and ridiculousness of Whitey referring to himself as such, nothing to do with Connolly. Has Jim ever heard of the Ten Commandments?
In reality, what can I guy like Whitey do when he’s sitting across from US Attorney Head of Organized Crime Task Force Jeremiah T. O’Sullivan in an airport hotel room and he’s telling him, ok Whitey, we want the Mafia, but we don’t mind taking you down either, you may be a big guy in Southie but you either gotta shit or get off the pot here. You are either with us, or you become a target.(my words)
Whitey probably felt pretty small and mortal right about then. He possibly became an informant with his “friend” John by his side that rainy 80’s afternoon, encouraging him in front of his boss. Grudgingly, unwillingly, in denial of it from the start and to this day. He was a “liaison” , consultant, go-between, anything but a rat. He never admitted it to himself. They say he’s an informant, he doesn’t. He had to play ball to survive, was forced to. In Whitey’s head…I’m only gonna talk to Connolly, I’ll feed him bullshit. Just go along and play both sides…keep making money.
I am not familiar with Dr. King’s letter from jail in Birmingham, but I will be looking it up as soon as I’m done with this comment.
Exactly right about old-school Irish cops, would be more likely to give a young local Irish thug a few lumps and/or a pinch.
Rather:
Agree – nothing but spin left. We’ll soon be told he was someone to admire – a killer with a soft heart. I knew how you were using the reference to Irish-Catholic since he’s the furthest thing from both although in his mind he’s still one. Remember Murderman blamed the nuns for his many murders and then said God had forgiven him because he was a good man. Whitey must feel the same way.
O’Sulllivan never met with Whitey – he didn’t need him for anything – his big mistake was not indicting him in the race fixing case but that was because John Morris asked him not to do that telling him he needed him in the Angiulo tap which was a lied but Morris was nothing but lies. Only in the minds of these hoodlums do gangsters meet with prosecutors. Any experience prosecutor knows you can’t do it because the gangster will say you said X or Y even though you didn’t. Especially would they not meet one on one.
I pointed out Dr. King’s letter just to show how one guy is involved in a cause and the other himself.
Matt,
Excellent post. It raises a few questions. It may put pressure on Florida to keep Connolly locked up, but could it not be a way to put Whitey in the chair? Will traveling A-team appear in Florida court again this time to file for speedy execution after the speedy state trial? Maybe they let Connolly go after that. Hypothetical, but possible.
Rather:
Maybe like Elwood and Jake they’ll put the traveling A team back together again for one last tour. You never know.
They’ll never let Connolly go if they can help it.
Whitey’s too old to be juiced – if he’s around he’ll be in his 90s by the time his trial and appeal is finished.
Matt, I am surprised that I have not seen an analysis of WB Appeal from u, or perhaps I have missed it. I read the Appeal. I was wondering what u thought about the evidence from the MA State Trouper with respect to JM being back in the life and being protected and that fact was not allowed to be heard by the jury? Fla? Isn’t that where former FBI Agent Connolly is being held? And, hasn’t he filed for an Appeal? hmmmm…
Jean:
I haven’t analyzed the filings because I don’t believe there’s any chance for Whitey’s appeal to be successful. I fully agree that the idea he had permission to kill people granted to him by Jerry O’Sullivan is foolish. It is something that could never be relied upon nor could it be given by anyone, except perhaps the president and he could do that retroactively through his pardoning powers.
He says out of the blue O’Sullivan told him if he protected his life he would give him immunity for all his crimes. First of all, O’Sullivan is supposed to be worried about being hit by the Mafia. Why would he go to Whitey who has no clout with the Mafia. I suppose Whitey would say, like Murderman has said, the Mafia was afraid of the Winter Hill gang. But there is no evidence of this, in fact,it is just the opposite. The Mafia used Winter Hill to do its hits.
I’m sure Murderman is up to some of his old tricks. I’m not sure the trooper had the evidence of that. The issue was not really germaine to the Whitey prosecution. Yes, Connolly is in Florida but in a state prison; Whitey’s in the federal can. Connolly already won his appeal and should be out but the federals convinced the Florida to appeal some more.
Matt, I am a bit confused. I believe the Appeal claims that another grant of some immunity pre dated the Sullivan issue. And the Margolis Affidavit is being challenged as well…but the major legal issues rely upon the 5th and14th Amendents…and I am still looking for someone to either confirm or deny the John Iuele alias…
Jean:
The O’Sullivan immunity claim came up after Whitey’s arrest. Flemmi claimed immunity from some crimes given to him by Connolly but the Appeals Court said FBI agents can’t give immunity. Whitey knew this at the time of his capture so he had to find a dead AUSA to say made a deal with him.
Hi Jean,
His appeal is a formality. Not worth an itemized analysis by Matt. A gambit to buy time for his last chance to thumb his nose at the system by dying before due process is complete.
So, Whitey filed an appeal,…AND Connolly filed an appeal…and they are both in Florida now…..hmmmm you are right. Something is afoot.