Prosecution rests in Connolly's Florida murder trial

October 8, 2008 04:47 PM Email| Comments (0)| Text size – +

By Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff

After calling 19 witnesses -- including a trio of killers and a disgraced FBI supervisor -- over the past month, the prosecution rested its case today in the Miami murder trial of retired FBI agent John J. Connolly Jr., who is accused of plotting with longtime informants James "Whitey" Bulger and Stephen "The Rifleman'' Flemmi to kill a Boston business consultant in 1982.

The defense will start calling witnesses Tuesday, when jurors return to the Miami-Dade courthouse after a five-day break. The defense has about 30 witnesses on its list, but it's unclear whether all of them will be called. Those scheduled to take the stand next week include US District Court Senior Judge Edward F. Harrington, a former federal prosecutor who worked with Connolly on organized crime cases; former US Attorney Donald K. Stern, who prosecuted Bulger and Flemmi; and a number of retired FBI agents.

The 68-year-old Connolly, who retired from the FBI in 1990 after 22 years, is accused of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the slaying of John B. Callahan. Flemmi, who is serving a life sentence for 10 murders, testified last month that Connolly warned him and Bulger that Callahan was being sought for questioning by the FBI and likely "wouldn't hold up'' and would implicate the gangsters in the 1981 slaying of a Tulsa businessman.

Hitman-turned-government witness John Martorano testified that he lured Callahan to Florida and shot him at Bulger's and Flemmi's request. Callahan's bullet-riddled body was found Aug. 2, 1982, in the trunk of his Cadillac at Miami International Airport.

Miami attorney Manuel L. Casabielle, who represents Connolly, said no decision has been made about whether Connolly will testify.

Connolly, once a highly decorated agent in the FBI's Boston office, is already serving 10 years in prison for his 2002 federal racketeering conviction for protecting Bulger and Flemmi from prosecution and warning them to flee just before their indictment in 1995.

Flemmi told jurors that he "procrastinated'' and was arrested before he could leave town. Bulger slipped away and has evaded capture. He's wanted for 19 murders and is one of the FBI's 10 Most Wanted, with a $2 million reward being offered for his capture.

Connolly could face life in prison if convicted of murder by the Florida jury.