Posted on: December 7, 2022, 04:54h.
Final up to date on: December 7, 2022, 04:54h.
The brutal October 2018 killing of James “Whitey” Bulger, the infamous Boston crime boss turned FBI informant, got here as little shock to many prisoners contained in the West Virginia federal penitentiary the place the mobster’s life ended. That’s based on Michael Horowitz, the inspector normal for the US Division of Justice (DOJ) who printed his investigative findings at the moment concerning the dealing with of Bulger’s 2018 jail switch from Florida to West Virginia.
Whitey Bulger’s mugshot at Alcatraz in 1959 and his 2011 arrest picture. Bulger’s violent 2018 dying inside a federal jail has been scolded by the US Justice Division’s Workplace of Inspector Normal. (Picture: US Justice Division)
In what’s yet one more blow to the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) status, Horowitz mentioned the Justice Division’s exhaustive probe of Bulger’s homicide discovered quite a few administration shortcomings, flawed insurance policies, and administrative incompetence.
“In our view, no BOP inmate’s switch, whether or not they’re a infamous gangster or a nonviolent offender, needs to be dealt with like Bulger’s switch was dealt with on this occasion,” Horowitz wrote.
Bulger headed the Winter Hill Gang simply northwest of Boston within the early Seventies. Although he adamantly denied it, Bulger turned an FBI informant starting in 1975. In alternate for offering info on the interior dealings of the Patriarca crime household — Bulger’s main Italian-American Mafia rival — his FBI handler, John Connolly, agreed to steer federal legislation enforcement away from his Winter Hill Gang.
Bulger turned a fugitive in 1994 after he was tipped off by Connolly a few forthcoming RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) indictment. He wasn’t captured till June 2011 when he was arrested in a Santa Monica, Ca., residence with $822,000 in money hidden within the partitions.
Betting Bulger’s Bludgeoning
The inspector normal mentioned the Bureau of Prisons made it no secret in 2018 that Bulger was being transferred from the Federal Correctional Establishment in Coleman, Fl., to US Penitentiary Hazelton in West Virginia.
Although Horowitz didn’t uncover any felony violations or BOP workers appearing with “malicious intent” or “improper function,” the inspector normal mentioned the federal company ought to have stored Bulger’s switch underneath tighter wraps. As an alternative, Horowitz says greater than 100 BOP officers had been conscious of Bulger’s motion and federal jail staff at Hazelton “spoke overtly” in regards to the mobster-turned-informant’s imminent arrival.
Horowitz’s group found that inmates had been betting precise cash on how lengthy Bulger would final in his new house.
Inmates and workers had been speculating about — and inmates had been betting on — how lengthy Bulger would keep alive at Hazelton,” the 99-page report from the Justice Division’s inspector normal said.
“One inmate informed the Workplace of Inspector Normal that the complete jail knew Bulger was coming to Hazelton earlier than his arrival, and that a number of officers spoke overtly about Bulger coming to Hazelton as in the event that they had been ‘speaking a few soccer recreation,’” the inquiry added.
Horowitz made 11 suggestions to the BOP. The federal company says it has already begun implementing these strategies.
Property Declare Dismissed
Hazelton had lengthy been house to Fotios “Freddy” Geas, 55, one other ex-mobster serving a life sentence, who has a historical past of roughing up FBI snitches in jail. Geas, together with two different prisoners — Paul DeCologero, 48, and Sean McKinnon, 36 — have been charged with Bulger’s homicide. All three have pleaded not responsible within the ongoing case.
Federal prosecutors allege that Geas, DeCologero, and McKinnon beat the wheelchair-bound Bulger to dying on Oct. 30, 2018. The killing got here only a day after Bulger’s arrival. Bulger was 89.
In January 2022, a federal choose dismissed a wrongful dying lawsuit filed in opposition to the US authorities by Bulger’s property. US District Choose John Preston Bailey agreed to dismiss the lawsuit on grounds that federal legislation precludes the household’s means to sue to federal the BOP.
