The recent disclosure of plea deals in the case of notorious gangster James “Whitey” Bulger has shed new light on his brutal murder nearly six years ago. Bulger, an 89-year-old mobster who spent almost two decades on the run, was beaten to death in his cell at a troubled West Virginia prison.
Fotios “Freddy” Geas and Paul J. DeCologero were accused of repeatedly striking Bulger in the head, while Sean McKinnon served as a lookout during the fatal attack. An inmate witness revealed that DeCologero admitted to using a belt with a lock attached to it to beat Bulger to death.
Prosecutors have requested hearings to change the not-guilty pleas of the men and proceed with sentencing. The details of the plea agreements have not been made public yet.
Belinda Haynie, Geas’ attorney, declined to comment on the plea filing, while lawyers for the other defendants have not responded to requests for comment.
Bulger, who once ran the Irish mob in Boston and was an FBI informant, became a fugitive in 1994 after a tip-off from his handler. He was captured in 2011 and transferred to USP Hazelton in West Virginia, where he was killed shortly after being placed in the general population.
The Justice Department’s inspector general investigation found that Bulger’s murder was a result of management failures and flawed policies at the Bureau of Prisons. Despite the controversy surrounding his death, Bulger never admitted to working for the FBI.