Massachusetts State Police Chief criticizes FBI about Whitey Bulger case in new book

Col. Thomas J. Foley holds nothing back on FBI’s handling of the case

By

KERRY O'SHEA,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Larger Text

Print

E-mail

5 Comments

‘Whitey’ Bulger arriving home to Boston

Photo by Stuart Cahill

Tweet

In a new book that chronicles his time building a case against the notorious Whitey Bulger, former Massachusetts state police chief Col. Thomas J. Foley held nothing back regarding his feelings about the FBI’s handling of the case.

Boston.com reports on Foley’s new book, “Most Wanted: Pursuing Whitey Bulger, the Murderous Mob Chief the FBI Secretly Protected” which will be released on May 8. The book is a culmination of Foley’s many years of hard work and frustration of trying to build a case against Boston Irish gangster Whitey Bulger, and the pushback he encountered from the FBI.

“I couldn’t believe how the good guys were bad guys," Foley said in a recent interview.

Col. Foley, 57, retired from the force in 2004, but only after spending 20 years building a case against Bulger. Prior to his arrest last June, Bulger had been on the run for sixteen years after being tipped off by FBI agent John J. Connolly Jr. that indictment was near.

Connolly is now serving 40 years in jail in Miami for second-degree murder and racketeering. The information that he provided to his informants allowed them to kill men who he feared could put them all in prison.

Of his new book, Col. Foley says, “It is one side of the story that has never been told. This is the real story of how the investigation was conducted. It should expose the need for change, and that change has never come.”

“It was more than chasing Bulger. The system needed to be changed,’’ Foley said. “A lot of that hasn’t happened. We exposed the glaring issues with how this whole thing was handled.’’

In addition to frustration with the FBI, Col. Foley also expressed similar sentiment with the justice department, who he believes didn’t treat Bulger’s victims’ families properly. He does, however, hope that Bulger’s arrest provides the families with some satisfaction.

Bulger’s case is still ongoing in a Massachusetts court where he faces a long list of charges, including drug trafficking, murder and racketeering. In the wake of Osama bin Laden’s death last year, Bulger in fact landed in the top spot briefly on the FBI’s top ten most wanted list.

On Bulger’s ultimate arrest in Santa Monica, California, Col. Foley said, “I thought it was going to come a lot sooner. The evidence is mounds and mounds and piles against him. The guy is never going to see the light of day as it is.’’

Print

E-mail

Tweet