Closing arguments delivered in Connolly murder trial
By Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff
MIAMI -- Retired FBI agent John J. Connolly Jr. did not pull the trigger, and was not even in Florida in the summer of 1982 when an admitted hitman shot Boston business consultant John B. Callahan in the back of the head and dumped his body in the trunk of a Cadillac at Miami International Airport.
 John J. Connolly |
But, during closing arguments in Connolly's murder trial, a prosecutor told jurors that the former agent signed Callahan's death warrant when he warned longtime FBI informants James "Whitey" Bulger and Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi that the FBI planned to question the businessman about a murder and he'd probably implicate the two gangsters.
Leaking that information was "like throwing red meat to a lion, it was like waving a red flag in front of a bull," Fred Wyshak, a federal prosecutor from Boston who is assisting in the state murder prosecution told jurors. "He knew what was going to happen.''
Flemmi testified that Connolly never actually told them to kill Callahan, but he said the agent knew that his tip would prompt them to kill the businessman because the agent had leaked information to Bulger and Flemmi in the past that caused them to kill two FBI informants -- one in 1976 and another in 1982.
Sixty-eight-year-old Connolly, a gray-haired man dressed in a dark suit jacket, tan pants, white shirt and red tie, sat beside his lawyers, taking notes on a legal pad and occasionally looking up and scanning the faces of the jury that will decide his fate.
He is accused of conspiracy to commit murder and murder, which carry a life prison sentence.
If jurors find Connolly leaked information to Bulger and Flemmi, knowing that they would have Callahan murdered, then the retired agent is equally responsible for the murder, Wyshak said.
"It's sort of like the three Musketeers,'' said Wyshak, "One for all and all for one. That's the nature of conspiracies.''
Though Connolly is only charged with murder, the judge has allowed prosecutors to present evidence dating back to the 1970s in an effort to show that Connolly had a corrupt relationship with Bulger and Flemmi for years.
After the trial began in mid-September, Flemmi testified that Connolly was like another member of their gang, that they paid him $235,000 in bribes and he routinely leaked them information.
"Mr. Connolly's day job was as an FBI agent," Wyshak said. "His real job was moonlighting for Whitey Bulger.''
The defense began its closing argument this afternoon by challenging the credibility of the state's key witnesses and urging jurors to focus on the murder charges and not the avalanche of other evidence presented during seven weeks of trial.
"We have experienced what I call the mud theory of prosecution," Connolly's lawyer, Manuel L. Casabielle told jurors. "In other words you throw mud at the wall and hope it sticks."
Casabielle said much of the state's case hinges on Flemmi, who is the only witness who claims to have had direct contact with Connolly about Callahan's slaying. The actual triggerman, John Martorano, merely recounts that Bulger and Flemmi told him Connolly had warned them that Callahan was a threat.
"Mr. Flemmi, in addition to being a serial killer is a pathologica liar,'' Casabielle said. "And he admits it. Maybe the only time he tells the truth is when he says he lies."
The defense has portrayed Connolly as an honest agent who was given promotions and bonuses by the FBI for using Bulger and Flemmi as informants against the Mafia -- which was the FBI's top priority nationwide in the 1970s and 1980s.
Connolly, who retired from the FBI in 1990 after 22 years, was credited with getting information from Bulger and Flemmi, and other criminal informants, to help the FBI build several high-profile cases in the 1980s that helped decimate the New England Mafia.
The defense has stated Connolly was an agent who was caught in the middle between an FBI policy that required its agents to recruit known killers as informants, and rules that prohibited agents from using informants who committed crimes.
But, Wyshak argued that Connolly exaggerated the value of Bulger and Flemmi, and flagrantly violated FBI rules to protect the pair.
"There's absolutely no justification to endanger the lives of other people, to tip off your informants to the identities of other informants, to reveal to them sensitive information,'' Wyshak said. "In this case Mr. Connolly intentionally violated the rules because he was trying to protect Mr. Bulger and Mr. Flemmi."
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I hope they convict this scumbag!!!!
i hope he is pronounce not guilty.
The truth will out.
Hey he dismantled the mafia, and to do it he had to use bulger and flemmi. It was the primary goal of the FBI, and he did it. So in my mind the end justifies the means
to ckjake you don't even know him He didn't do anything wrong at all.
I hope he is found not guilty.
it's about time this has been going on far too long,the court system should do that to quite a few of them,civillans play two ends against the middle and thier
lives are gone.this is an adventure for a lot of these dea,atf.wake up america.
Hope they find if NOT Guilty
If Connolly is convicted - and admitted murderers are given immunity - the system is flawed. They are simply looking for a scapegoat to and Connolly will likely be that scapegoat.
Martin Scorsese should get his hands on this script. Oh, wait...
Great to hear from the John Connolly apologists. Thanks for the perspective. The $235K end justified the means too...right? I suppose Billy Bulger was above it all as well.
He is just as guilty as the rest of them. He absolutely knew his actions would result in Whitey and gang doing what they did not only to this man but all the others that were killed because of tips from Connelly. He should be shot.
How can ANYONE with a brain think this guy is not guilty...he's a corrupt Agent through and through...like more than half of them...I hope he gets what's coming to him.....LIFE
It's unlikely that jury will find Connolly not guilty. As far as "ends justifying means", I am reminded of what Nietzche said:
"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself."
Connolly went too far in that he offered one life to destroy others - who in all liklihood should have been destroyed. If the Tribe (i.e. FBI) wanted their agents to recruit murderers to help them in their mission so be it. But if the Tribe wanted its agents to make murderers - that price is too high.
Anyone with a brain KNOWS this guy is guilty....This guy was a corrupt Agent through and through...just like more than half of them...I hope he gets what's coming to him...LIFE
Connolly went too way too far with his protection of Bulger and Flemmi and innocent victims resulted. Consider the liquor store owners who were extorted out of their own hard work and initiative. Bulger was "allowed" to do this by the FBI.
How about the real estate agent who was extorted out of $25K because he made money in South Boston.
Anything Bulger and Flemmi did was ok to the FBI as long as they didn't "clip anybody."
It got way out of hand with Connolly.
He doesn't deserve life imprisonment.
He did have the ultimate motive of decimating the Boston/Providence Mafia.
H
The guy who committed the murder is walking the streets, the FBI can't find Whitey, and they're relying on a liar & killer for credible testimony? Gimme a break! NOT GUILTY
Why is it that most of the posters on this blog who support Connolly can't complete a sentence? I hope your not also registered voters!
It's really this simple...it was highly likely that Connolly knew what would happen to John Callahan once he dropped a dime and as such he is an accomplice to murder.
Rick B. Has some good points!
Everyone that works has a job description. The FBI gave John Connolly his documented work description with 'directives' on dealing with those types of people. Dealing with those types of criminals takes a certain confidence level type of relationship to prove your 'metal' with them with tips, info, heresay etc.
fully approved by his superiors at the FBI. Only Connolly himself knows if he knew a hit on Callahan would take place and that is speculation and circumstantial. Not guity of murder!!!
Not guilty...are you serious???
This guy is as crooked as they come...he knew exactly what would happen once he divulged this information to jim and stevie...based on the information I've read, this seems an obvious case of conspiracy.
Now that the mafia has been shut down (or given seats in the senate), what say we find a way to do away with these Black and Latino gangs? Think the FBI should be called in to help this situation?
Why didn't the defense put Connolly on the stand to deny the allegations? Connolly knew Whitey from the "get go" and he created a cash cow to the tune of $235K (plus who knows how much more he really stole over the years). How did Connolly end up with a job at Boston Edison for $120K per year with absolutely no experience in nuclear plant security? Billy Bulger is the guy. He and his family have a lot of blood on their hands over the many years he and Whitey were in power. Diane Wilkerson is a piker compared to these guys. Sal DiMasi is a little bit more clever but he's in hot water. ibid: Tom Finneran
John Connolly is an innocent man, who is being made the scapegoat for all of the FBI's policy errors with regard to organized crime. Years ago, the decision was made in Washington, at the highest levels of the FBI, to target the Italian Mafia in Boston, and to use whatever means necessary to bring them down. The relationship with the Irish mob was already in place when Agent Connolly became the handler of Whitey Bulger. One cannot get important information about criminal activities from solid citizens, and law enforcement at every level, in every state uses criminals as informants. When it became apparent after John Connolly retired, that Bulger and his associates had crossed the line while they were under FBI influence, highly placed FBI executives, the policy makers, began looking for a scapegoat. Management level participants were given immunity, and it became clear that Agent Connolly was to become the fall guy. I knew that Agent Connolly was being made the sacrificial lamb when I saw the newly appointed Special Agent In Charge of the Boston FBI office on television, spouting the new party line ..." That was the OLD FBI...THIS is the NEW FBI"
I hope that the good citizens of Miami, who are sitting on the jury, will see through the government's subterfuge and find Agent Connolly "not guilty", which is the only fair verdict.
John Connolly is an innocent man, who is being made the scapegoat for all of the FBI's policy errors with regard to organized crime. Years ago, the decision was made in Washington, at the highest levels of the FBI, to target the Italian Mafia in Boston, and to use whatever means necessary to bring them down. The relationship with the Irish mob was already in place when Agent Connolly became the handler of Whitey Bulger. One cannot get important information about criminal activities from solid citizens, and law enforcement at every level, in every state uses criminals as informants. When it became apparent after John Connolly retired, that Bulger and his associates had crossed the line while they were under FBI influence, highly placed FBI executives, the policy makers, began looking for a scapegoat. Management level participants were given immunity, and it became clear that Agent Connolly was to become the fall guy. I knew that Agent Connolly was being made the sacrificial lamb when I saw the newly appointed Special Agent In Charge of the Boston FBI office on television, spouting the new party line ..." That was the OLD FBI...THIS is the NEW FBI"
I hope that the good citizens of Miami, who are sitting on the jury, will see through the government's subterfuge and find Agent Connolly "not guilty", which is the only fair verdict.
John Connolly is an innocent man, who is being made the scapegoat for all of the FBI's policy errors with regard to organized crime. Years ago, the decision was made in Washington, at the highest levels of the FBI, to target the Italian Mafia in Boston, and to use whatever means necessary to bring them down. The relationship with the Irish mob was already in place when Agent Connolly became the handler of Whitey Bulger. One cannot get important information about criminal activities from solid citizens, and law enforcement at every level, in every state uses criminals as informants. When it became apparent after John Connolly retired, that Bulger and his associates had crossed the line while they were under FBI influence, highly placed FBI executives, the policy makers, began looking for a scapegoat. Management level participants were given immunity, and it became clear that Agent Connolly was to become the fall guy. I knew that Agent Connolly was being made the sacrificial lamb when I saw the newly appointed Special Agent In Charge of the Boston FBI office on television, spouting the new party line ..." That was the OLD FBI...THIS is the NEW FBI"
I hope that the good citizens of Miami, who are sitting on the jury, will see through the government's subterfuge and find Agent Connolly "not guilty", which is the only fair verdict.
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
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