In the coming months I will be writing a series of articles relating to the upcoming trial of mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger for Newsweek magazine (http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek.html). The first of those article, WHITEY'S PAYBACK, appeared in the September 19, 2011 issue, and is also posted on the Daily Beast website.
Bulger has been indicted on 19 counts of murder, and in his 20 years as the boss of the Boston underworld, he destroyed many lives, especially in the neighborhood of South Boston, or "Southie," which served as his base of operation. In 1995, he was tipped off by friends in law enforcement that he was about to be indicted on federal racketeering charges. He went on the run and remained on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List for 16 years, until he was apprehended last June 2011.
Bulger is now 82 years old. Whether or not he receives the level of justice that is commensurate with his crimes remains to be seen.
In WHITEY'S PAYBACK, I interviewed a family member of one of Bulger's murder victims, a few of his former criminal associates, retired FBI agents, criminal defense attorneys, and journalists, all in attempt to get a sense of how Bulger's prosecution might play out.
Stay tuned for further posting on the Bulger saga as it unfolds, and check in with the Daily Beast/Newsweek website to keep up with the latest.
