News


Westies thug ‘Jimmy Mac’ McElroy dies in prison

Dies during 60-year stint


‘Jimmy Mac’ McElroy
‘Jimmy Mac’ McElroy

Guinness PubFinder Ad

One of the last surviving members of the Manhattan’s notorious Westies gang has died in a Californian prison.

James "Jimmy Mac" McElroy was serving a 60-year sentence for racketeering when he passed away last week, sources told the New York Post.

The 60-year-old was most well known as the key witness in one of the many failed prosecutions against John "Teflon Don" Gotti.

The crime lord took stage at Gotti’s 1990 trial for allegedly the assassination of a union official, testifying that the man the Westues boss had asked him to take the man out at Gotti’s request.

"Jimmy [Coonan] said they wanted someone whacked," McElroy testified, explaining that when he asked who "they" was, Coonan said, "John Gotti."

The hit failed when McElroy and three other union officials shot union official John O’Connor four times in the buttocks and legs.

After his testimony, McElroy remained behind bars for his 1986 racketeering conviction.


Nster.com


7 Comments

See all comments

Now it makes more sense. The crime lord took stage at Gotti’s 1990 trial for the alleged assassination of a union official, testifying that the Westies boss had asked him to take the man out at Gotti’s request.
Nothing to be proud of
buh!!
Yes, the fourth sentence doesn't make sense.
One of the last surviving Westies? I don't think so. Coonan, though in the can for life, is still alive. Featherstone, still in witness relocation, Billy Bokun, Kevin Kelly, and Bill Beattie are all still alive. Also,Manhattan--Mad Dog Sullivan was not in the Westies. He was a freelance shooter for the Genovese Family.
I could never understand how the Westie's could kill another Irishmen for the Italian mob. Mad dog Sullivan killed more Irishmen then you can imagine and it all on orders from the Mafia. My relatives were the old time Irish gangsters in the 30's and 40's. No angels were they but the Westies of the McElroys would be totally looked down on by them. In the old days it was poverty that drove them. In the 60's it was the pure thrill of committing crime and don't forget the drugs.
The forth sentence was hard to read!
 




Log into IrishCentral with your Facebook account


or sign-in directly

E-Mail:
Password:
 Remember me Forgot my password
Not a member? Register Now!
print this article Print
email this articleE-mail