3 years after Bulger's killing: No charges, still questions

3 years ago 218

BOSTON – He was 1 of the astir infamous criminals to ever beryllium killed down bars. And investigators narrowed successful connected suspects instantly aft his shocking slaying successful a West Virginia prison.

Yet 3 years later, nary 1 has been charged successful the beating decease of murderous Boston transgression brag James “Whitey” Bulger. Questions specified arsenic wherefore the well-known FBI informant was enactment successful the troubled lockup's wide colonisation alongside different New England gangsters — alternatively of much protective lodging — stay unanswered.

Federal officials volition accidental lone that his decease remains nether investigation. Meanwhile, the deficiency of answers has lone fueled rumors and spurred claims by Bulger's household that the frail 89-year-old was “deliberately sent to his death” astatine the penitentiary nicknamed “Misery Mountain.”

“This was truly a dereliction of duty," said Joe Rojas, a national typical for the correctional unit astatine the Florida situation wherever Bulger was held earlier being transferred to USP Hazelton successful Bruceton Mills, West Virginia. “There's nary mode helium should person been enactment successful that institution.”

Bulger was recovered dormant connected Oct. 30, 2018, hours aft arriving astatine Hazelton from the Coleman situation successful Florida, wherever helium was serving a beingness condemnation for participating successful 11 killings. The ruthless gangster who spent 16 years connected the lam earlier being captured successful 2011 was assaulted and died of blunt unit injuries to the head, according to his decease certificate.

Federal officials person ne'er officially publically identified immoderate suspects and person said lone that they are investigating his decease arsenic a homicide.

But soon aft the killing, a erstwhile national researcher and a instrumentality enforcement authoritative who insisted connected anonymity due to the fact that of the ongoing probe identified 2 Massachusetts organized transgression figures arsenic suspects: Fotios “Freddy” Geas and Paul J. DeCologero.

Geas, a Mafia hitman serving beingness down bars for his relation successful the sidesplitting of a Genovese transgression household brag and different convulsive crimes, has been successful a restricted portion astatine the West Virginia situation since Bulger’s sidesplitting adjacent though nary charges person been filed, said his lawyer, Daniel Kelly.

Kelly says Geas hasn’t been provided regular reviews to spot if helium tin beryllium released from the portion but has petitioned to beryllium returned to the wide situation population, wherever he’d bask much freedoms, including the quality to telephone his household much often.

“He’s remaining affirmative and upbeat, but it's a punitive measure,” Kelly said. “It's a situation wrong a prison.”

DeCologero, meanwhile, was moved earlier this twelvemonth to different high-security penitentiary successful Virginia. A subordinate of a Massachusetts pack led by his uncle, DeCologero was convicted successful 2006 of racketeering and witnesser tampering for a fig of crimes and is scheduled to beryllium released successful 2026.

Brian Kelly, 1 of the national prosecutors successful Bulger's 2013 execution proceedings successful Boston, said the delays whitethorn bespeak situation officials don’t person immoderate witnesses oregon video grounds to enactment charges.

“In a situation situation they are going to person a pugnacious clip uncovering immoderate witnesses to attest arsenic to who did it,” said Kelly, present a defence attorney.

A spokesperson for the national prosecutors’ bureau successful West Virginia that’s investigating Bulger’s sidesplitting on with the FBI confirmed this period that the probe remains open. The spokesperson, Stacy Bishop, refused to reply further questions, saying doing truthful could jeopardize the probe.

Bulger's transportation to Hazelton — where workers had already been sounding the alarm astir unit and understaffing — and placement wrong the wide colonisation contempt his notoriety was wide criticized by observers aft his killing.

A national instrumentality enforcement authoritative told the AP successful 2018 that Bulger had been transferred to Hazelton because of disciplinary issues. Months earlier helium was moved, Bulger threatened an adjunct supervisor astatine Coleman, telling her “your time of reckoning is coming,” and received 30 days successful disciplinary detention.

Some answers whitethorn travel successful a national suit filed successful West Virginia by Bulger's family. A proceedings has been acceptable for February successful the case, wherever prison strategy officials are accused of failing to support Bulger from different inmates.

The suit — filed connected the 2 twelvemonth day of his sidesplitting against the erstwhile manager of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the erstwhile Hazelton warden and others — says situation strategy officials were good alert that Bulger had been labeled a “snitch” and that his beingness was astatine heightened hazard down bars. Bulger powerfully denied ever being an informant.

“USP Hazelton by each accounts was not an due placement of James Bulger and was, successful fact, recognized arsenic truthful inappropriate, the quality is that helium was deliberately sent to his death” by the defendants, the suit says.

The household is seeking damages for Bulger’s carnal and affectional symptom and suffering, arsenic good arsenic for wrongful death. Lawyers representing the household declined to remark and calls to William Bulger, a erstwhile Massachusetts Senate president and president of the University of Massachusetts who administers his precocious brother's estate, went unreturned this week.

Justice Department lawyers urged the justice successful tribunal documents filed this period to disregard the claim, saying Bulger's household “cannot allege that BOP skipped immoderate mandatory, procedural directive” successful transferring him to Hazelton oregon putting him successful the wide population.

Attorneys for the idiosyncratic defendants said successful different ineligible filing that the suit “makes nary notation of Bulger objecting to his transfer” oregon “ever requesting protective custody oregon expressing interest for his safety” upon arriving astatine Hazelton.

Justice Department lawyers pointed to a declaration from an enforcement adjunct astatine Hazelton that says unit interviewed Bulger the nighttime of his accomplishment and reviewed different records to find if determination were non-medical reasons for keeping Bulger retired of the wide population.

An intake screening signifier signed by Bulger that was filed successful tribunal says that helium was asked specified questions as: “Do you cognize of immoderate crushed that you should not beryllium placed successful wide population?” and “have you assisted instrumentality enforcement agents successful immoderate way?” Both questions were marked “NO.”

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