James "Whitey" Bulger Sentenced

Like with most Crime Bosses of this century, James "Whitey" Bulger found himself looking at an indictment that would threaten life in prison.


And on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013, Judge Denise Casper, took the pleasure of putting the crime boss away with a sentence of two consecutive life terms plus five years. Before the Judge handed down the sentence she expressed her displeasure, "The testimony of human suffering that you and your associates inflicted on others was at times agonizing to hear and painful to watch,"

The two life sentences came from an indictment of racketeering that included murder, extortion, money-laundering and weapons charges. Of 19 slayings the prosecution was accusing Whitey of, the jury found him guilty of 11. 

On Wednesday, the court got to hear from a dozen people with victim impact statements. Most were people that were directly affected by his criminal activities including family of slaying victims -- calling him a punk, a terrorist, a sociopath and even Satan. 

Whitey was a rare crime boss. He ran a criminal organization, but unlike most bosses he was hands on. He ordered and joined in on criminal activity on a regular basis including murder. Although Whitey thought of himself as a modern day Robbin Hood, his criminal activity effected all walks of life even the innocent. 

Much of the public never thought the FBI would ever catch up to the 84 year old, especially after making it on the lamb for 16 years before he was finally picked up. Just under Osama Bin Laden, Whitey spent many years on the FBI top ten most wanted list. In 2001, FBI found him in a Santa Monica, Cal. hideaway with his girlfriend.

Possibly what kept Whitey's rain of terror lasting for so long is his corrupt FBI handler, Former Boston FBI agent John Connolly Jr. So long as Whitey was informing on the New England mob, Whitey's rivals, Connolly Jr. would tip off Whitey anytime there was trouble coming his way to help him stay one step in front of the law and his rivals.  

There is still a lot of money missing that the authorities probably will never find. A gangster like Whitey, who after hearing all of the evidence against him still maintained his innocent and called the whole trail a shame, someone so true to his roots will die with his money.