Death of & # 39; Whitey & # 39; Bulger: a murderer on a mafia-related detainee

A few hours after arriving in a federal prison in West Virginia, gangster James "Whitey" Bulger was beaten to death by detainees Tuesday as part of a bombing marking the last chapter of life. One of Boston's most notorious bad guys.

Two detainees were under investigation, including Fotios "Freddy" Geas, 51, a West Springfield mafia-struck man serving a life sentence for murder. Murder of the Genovese crime family leader in Springfield in 2003, according to several people. informed about the attack. According to one of the people, the men were captured by video surveillance in Bulger's cell around 6am.

About two hours later, Bulger was found beaten, eyes astray, according to the same source.

Bulger, 89, was convicted in 2013 of having participated in 11 murders while running a sprawling criminal organization in Boston from the 1970s to the 1990s.

The authorities provided little information on the murder or the reason why Bulger, who was serving a life sentence, had been transferred to Hazelton US, just a few weeks after Washington, a congressman had asked for the death penalty. opening of an investigation into conditions of detention at the prison, where two other detainees had been killed this year.

Hazelton is a high security prison located in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia, near the border with Maryland, where a large brown grbad grows beside the road. On Tuesday evening, six officers, all wearing helmets and bullet-proof vests, were standing in front of two gates that blocked the winding road leading to the establishment.

In a statement, the United States Prisons Office said Bulger was found insensitive to the prison at 8:20 am on Tuesday morning.

"The staff involved took immediate steps to save lives. Mr. Bulger was later declared dead by the Preston County Medical Examiner, "said the agency. No staff or other detainee was injured.

Bulger had a long history as an FBI informant who provided information about his mafia rivals in order to protect his own violent criminal enterprise. For many, the circumstances of his death raised suspicions.

"It is obviously very strange that he was transferred from one federal prison to another and that he was killed 24 hours after arriving at this prison," said Michael Von Zamft. , Miami-Dade state prosecutor's office attorney, team member sent Bulger's FBI manager to jail for murder.

He stated that the investigation by the federal authorities into Bulger's death will have to determine "whether it is a coincidence or whether there is something more".

By the end of Tuesday, no charges had been announced. According to a person familiar with the investigation, Geas and the other detainee had been placed in receivership pending the investigation.

Bulger had been sent to the West Virginia facility after a brief stop at the Oklahoma City transfer site. Previously, he had been incarcerated in a Florida jail for several years. His health had deteriorated, suggesting a transfer to a federal medical facility, according to someone close to his situation.

He was sent to USP Hazelton.

life imprisonment, but as a result of decisions of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, this sentence was changed to death sentence, "JW Carney Jr., Bulger's lawyer in his federal trial, said in a statement.

Brian T. Kelly, a former federal prosecutor who was part of the team charged with prosecuting Bulger, said that Bulger "was living in a violent life and that it was no wonder that He finally knows a violent death ".

"Prison is a violent place and informants are not very popular, so obviously these things can happen if proper precautions are not taken," he said. "It is absurd to suggest that it is a conspiracy by the government, he was in prison for seven years and it would be a slow conspiracy. "

Relatives of Bulger's victims expressed little sympathy for the Mafioso, and some said it was just that Bulger had died of a violent death.

"There is a scum less on this earth," said Patricia Donahue, whose husband, Michael, was shot down by Bulger along the Boston waterfront in 1982 while he was returning home to the target planned by the gangster, Brian Halloran.

"They say you die as you live, you know ? "Said Donahue." I'm glad he died and I'm glad he's there. " died as he did. "

Bulger was detained in the detention unit of the prison population, according to the union leader who represents the workers. in jail. Billy St. Cross, whose sister was killed by Bulger and St. Croix's father, Stephen Flemmi, is said to be surprised that the authorities are placing Bulger in the general population in a prison where members of the mafia and their badociates were incarcerated.

a lot of enemies, "he said. "I understand, but it does not comfort me, neither me nor my family. It will not bring back my sister. "

St. Cross said that he and his mother felt sorry for Bulger's family.

"I do not appreciate his death. Any. "

The prison has been under scrutiny in recent months. According to the Associated Press, one inmate was killed in a fight in September and another in a clash in April.

Richard Heldreth, president of Local 420 of the American Federation of Government Employees, who represents unionized workers at the prison, said that the number of murders committed is on average one murder per year, but that the problems worsen.

"This establishment is sorely lacking in staff," he said.

Earlier this month, District Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton called on Justice Inspector Michael Horowitz to investigate "the appalling conditions that the detainees may have suffered " in jail.

"Serious allegations have been made about the brutal treatment of detainees in the special housing unit," writes Norton in a letter to Horowitz. "On the basis of the evidence presented to my office, I believe that federal employees working in this institution have probably received inadequate training, are under-supported and are forced to perform duties beyond the scope of their positions. and their training, resulting in these horrible and totally unacceptable results. "

After being recognized by a federal jury sentenced by Bulger in 2013, he was sent to a high security penitentiary in Arizona, but soon encountered difficulties due to an inappropriate relationship with a police officer. psychologist who advised him. In 2014, he was transferred to Coleman II Penitentiary in Sumterville, Florida, where he stayed until last week, when recent transfers began.

It is unclear why he was moved. One person familiar with the situation said that Bulger's condition had declined, but another said he also had discipline problems in Florida. The West Virginia Prison is not a medical facility.

Bulger fled Boston shortly before his racketeering charge of January 1995 and was already on the list of the 10 most wanted by the FBI until his capture in Santa Monica, California, in 2011. He and his Catherine Greig, his girlfriend, had spent sixteen years posing as a retired couple and living in a rented apartment building at the beach.

Enrique Sanchez, maintenance supervisor at the Princess Eugenia complex where Bulger was working, said he was saddened by the announcement of Bulger's death.

"I feel bad," said Sanchez, 70, in Spanish. "I'm going to remember him as a friend because that's what he's always been for me. Everyone will remember him based on his experiences with him. Those who he [hurt] will be happy. But he has always been good to me. "

Sanchez stated that he had heard from Bulger when Bulger had written to him from prison in Arizona, claiming that he had been stabbed by other inmates, Sanchez said. [19659040] "I have to defend myself or they will kill me," recalls Sanchez. "I told him to take care of himself because there is no shortage of people who want to kill you."

Sanchez said he had tried to write it several times afterwards, but the letters were still coming back. On Tuesday, Sanchez learned from his son that Bulger was dead.

"This closes the chapter," said Sanchez. "It's the end of the novel."

Brian MacQuarrie, Maria Cramer, John R. Ellement, Travis Andersen, Emily Sweeney, Matt Rocheleau, Martin Finucane, and Jess Bidgood of the Globe staff contributed to this report . Shelley Murphy can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @shelleymurph . You can contact Kevin Cullen at [email protected].