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The Hartford Courant editorial staff has an interesting piece on its site Monday evening analyzing the relationship between Mobster James “Whitey” Bulger and the FBI and the sometimes blurry line between them.
There is no defending Bulger in the piece.
(But) his belated efforts to be Robin Hood have largely been dispelled by prosecutors and journalists: He is a sadistic racketeer who preyed on the old neighborhood and anything else he could get his hands on.
The Courant points out that Bulger allegedly tried to take control of a company that owned the former Hartford jai alai fronton, resulting in two shooting deaths. The FBI out of Boston failed to properly pursue the matter, a result of 18 agents becoming corrupted.
A corrupt FBI agent tipped Mr. Bulger to an imminent indictment in 1995, allowing him to flee. He managed to stay on the lam for 16 years, raising the question of whether he had more official help. He and his girlfriend were captured in Santa Monica, Calif., where they were living quietly in an apartment complex favored by senior citizens.
Finally, there remains the relationship between James Bulger and his brother William, one of the most powerful political figures in Massachusetts for decades. Was William his brother's keeper?
In all, a disturbing, but fascintating, chapter in New England criminal justice.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
