John Connolly, who now faces life in prison, was the handler of two New England mobsters, James "Whitey" Bulger and Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi.

John Connolly, who now faces life in prison, was the handler of two New England mobsters, James "Whitey" Bulger and Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi, who were FBI informants for three decades. The scandal, in which Connolly protected them from prosecution for alleged murder and numerous other crimes in return for $235,000 (£150,000) in bribes, was considered one of the worst failures in the FBI's history.John Callahan, a casino executive with links to organised crime, was shot dead in 1982 after John Connolly warned Boston mobsters he might implicate them in other killings. It spawned several books and inspired the main characters in the Oscar-winning Martin Scorsese film The Departed, in which Matt Damon played a corrupt Connolly-like police officer and Jack Nicholson was a Boston mobster modelled on Bulger, currently the FBI's second most wanted man. The film also echoed the Connolly affair in the character of an undercover policeman, played by Leonardo diCaprio, who joined Bulger's gang. However, in real life, the officer became a criminal and was jailed for 10 years. Jurors deliberated for less than three days before delivering their verdict on Connolly following a two-month trial. He was acquitted of first degree murder and conspiracy, and will be sentenced in December.
Connolly, now 68, was already in jail after being convicted of racketeering charges. The court heard how the bullet-ridden body of Mr Callahan, an accountant, was found in the boot of his Cadillac at Miami airport. Defence lawyers had argued that the mobsters had already decided to kill Callahan and that Connolly was "caught in the middle" and simply did his job as an FBI handler. "Him and other agents like him were the tip of the spear in the fight against the mafia," said Manuel Casabielle, defending. But various convicted mobsters including Flemmi and John Martorano, a hitman who killed Callahan, testified that Connolly went much further than his FBI role required. They said he repeatedly tipped them off about possible "rats" in their own ranks that needed elimination. Prosecutors said at least two other men who were FBI informants died violently because of Connolly's leaks. The court heard that Callahan died after Connolly learnt his FBI colleagues were to question him. Connolly feared Callahan might reveal how he had persuaded the mobsters to kill a business rival, who they shot dead with a bullet between the eyes at a golf club.
"This wasn't a mistake," said Michael Von Zamft, prosecuting. Connolly "knew what he was doing each and every time he gave out information and somebody died," he said.
A Connolly tip-off also helped Bulger escape arrest in 1995. A suspect in 19 murders, he is still on the run and the FBI recently increased its reward for him to $2 million. He was last seen in Piccadilly Circus, London, in September 2002.

Posted in: in September 2002.,London,Piccadilly Circus