Whitey Bulger's Manuscript Fuels Bid to Overturn Ex-FBI Agent's Murder Conviction
Attorneys are leveraging statements from a handwritten manuscript by the late mobster James "Whitey" Bulger in a concerted effort to overturn the murder conviction of a former FBI agent, asserting that the crime boss's own words demonstrate the agent was framed. Lawyers for former FBI agent John Connolly filed a motion in Miami-Dade Circuit Court on Monday seeking to vacate his conviction, citing what they describe as newly discovered evidence that prosecutors failed to disclose for years.
New Evidence Unveiled
The material includes FBI reports documenting Bulger's statements and an unfinished handwritten manuscript seized by the FBI during a search of Bulger's apartment after his 2011 arrest. In their filing, Connolly's lawyers argue that Bulger, who led Boston's Winter Hill Gang, asserted in these documents that Connolly did not leak information used in the 1982 killing of businessman John Callahan in Miami, directly contradicting the prosecution's case. Instead, Bulger identified another FBI agent, John Morris, as his mole and described Connolly as a "sacrificial lamb."
In the manuscript, Bulger wrote, "I never thought the day would come that I'd be writing a story about my criminal activity," and described using inside tips to evade law enforcement. The attorneys claim Bulger was writing the manuscript to help clear Connolly's name, and they allege that Bulger's writings and FBI statements made after his arrest were not previously disclosed to the defense.
Prosecutorial Misconduct Alleged
The material came to light after a longtime prosecutor involved in the Connolly case resigned from the Miami-Dade state attorney's office following reports of misconduct, including granting favors to witnesses and coordinating testimony. In 2024, Connolly's lawyers received a letter from Miami-Dade Chief Assistant State Attorney Jose Arrojo informing them that a sealed envelope labeled "confidential" contained the Bulger manuscript and his statements to the FBI.
In their filing, Connolly's lawyers accuse prosecutors of a general pattern of misconduct, arguing they withheld evidence favorable to the defense in violation of constitutional requirements. While courts have previously found that some evidence was improperly withheld, they ruled it was not material enough to overturn the conviction. Connolly's attorneys contend that the newly surfaced material goes further, creating reasonable doubt about his guilt.
Background of the Case
Connolly, now 85, was convicted in Florida of second-degree murder and racketeering. He had been serving a 40-year sentence but was granted compassionate release in 2021 after a judge cited his terminal illness and the risks of COVID-19. The case dates back to July 1982, when mob hitman John Martorano shot Callahan in the back of the head and left his body in the trunk of a car at Miami International Airport.
Connolly was indicted on a first-degree murder charge 21 years later. Prosecutors initially claimed Bulger and Stephen Flemmi ordered Callahan's killing after Connolly told them the FBI was investigating Callahan's ties to Bulger's gang for the 1981 killing of Roger Wheeler, owner of World Jai Alai. However, in the manuscript and post-arrest FBI statements, Connolly's lawyers claim Bulger stated that Connolly was framed by Morris, who was Connolly's FBI supervisor.
Bulger wrote, "I am sure everyone close to me thought all the information I had came from (Connolly). I didn't discourage that thought — sadly for Connolly, he took the heat for warning me to take off and other things that had come from (Morris)." Bulger accused Morris of becoming a "star witness" against Connolly to save himself; Morris testified against Connolly as part of a cooperation agreement that granted him immunity from prosecution.
While leading his gang, Bulger, who inspired Jack Nicholson's character in the 2006 Martin Scorsese movie "The Departed" and was portrayed by Johnny Depp in the 2015 gangster drama "Black Mass," also served as an FBI informant against the Mafia, though Bulger denied that claim.
