Newly discovered Whitey Bulger writings show former FBI agent was
framed, lawyers allege
[March 19, 2026]
By FREIDA FRISARO and LEAH WILLINGHAM
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Attorneys are drawing on statements from a
handwritten manuscript by the late mobster James “Whitey” Bulger in an
effort to overturn a former FBI agent's murder conviction, saying the
crime boss’s own words show that the agent was framed.
Lawyers for former FBI agent John Connolly filed a motion in Miami-Dade
Circuit Court on Monday seeking to vacate his conviction, citing what
they describe as newly discovered evidence that prosecutors failed to
disclose for years.
The material includes FBI reports documenting Bulger’s statements and
the unfinished handwritten manuscript the FBI seized during a search of
Bulger’s apartment after his 2011 arrest.
In their filing, Connolly's lawyers say Bulger, who led Boston’s Winter
Hill Gang, asserted in the documents that Connolly didn't leak
information to him that was used in the 1982 killing of businessman John
Callahan in Miami, contradicting the prosecution’s case against
Connolly. Instead, Bulger identified another FBI agent, John Morris, as
his mole, and described Connolly as a “sacrificial lamb,” according to
the filing.
Connolly, now 85, was convicted in Florida of second-degree murder and
racketeering.
What is the new evidence?
In the manuscript, Bulger wrote that he was a “criminal almost all of my
life," and described using inside tips to stay ahead of the law.
“I never thought the day would come that I’d be writing a story about my
criminal activity,” Bulger wrote.
The attorneys claim Bulger was writing the manuscript to help clear
Connolly's name.
They also say Bulger's writings and FBI statements made after the
mobster's arrest weren't previously disclosed to the defense.
The material came to light after a longtime prosecutor involved in the
Connolly case resigned from the Miami-Dade state attorney's office
following reports of misconduct that included granting favors to
witnesses and coordinating witness testimony.
In 2024, Connolly's lawyers received a letter from Miami-Dade Chief
Assistant State Attorney Jose Arrojo informing them that a sealed
envelope labeled “confidential” contained the Bulger manuscript and his
statements to the FBI.
In their filing, Connolly's lawyers accuse prosecutors of a general
pattern of misconduct, arguing that they withheld evidence favorable to
the defense in violation of constitutional requirements. Courts have
previously found that some evidence in the case was improperly withheld,
though they ruled it was not material enough to overturn the conviction.
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This booking photo provided by the U.S. Marshals Service shows
James "Whitey" Bulger on June 23, 2011. (U.S. Marshals Service via
AP, File)
Connolly’s attorneys say the newly surfaced material goes further,
creating reasonable doubt about his guilt.
Connolly, who had been serving a 40-year sentence, was granted
compassionate release in 2021 after a judge cited his terminal
illness and the risks of COVID-19.
Why was Connolly implicated?
Connolly was a special agent with the FBI in Boston in July 1982
when mob hitman John Martorano shot Callahan in the back of the head
and left his body in the trunk of a car at Miami International
Airport.
Connolly was indicted on a first-degree murder charge 21 years
later. At the time, prosecutors claimed Bulger and Stephen Flemmi
ordered Callahan's killing after Connolly told them the FBI was
investigating Callahan's ties to Bulger and his gang for the 1981
killing of Roger Wheeler, who owned World Jai Alai.
But in the manuscript and post-arrest FBI statements, Connolly's
lawyers claim Bulger stated that Connolly was framed by Morris, who
was Connolly's FBI supervisor.
“I am sure everyone close to me thought all the information I had
came from (Connolly), Bulger wrote. “I didn’t discourage that
thought — sadly for Connolly, he took the heat for warning me to
take off and other things that had come from (Morris).”
Bulger accused Morris of becoming a “star witness” against Connolly
to save himself. Morris testified against Connolly as part of a
cooperation agreement that granted him immunity from prosecution.
While leading his gang, Bulger, who inspired Jack Nicholson’s
character in the 2006 Martin Scorsese movie “The Departed” and was
portrayed by Johnny Depp in the 2015 gangster drama “Black Mass,”
also served as an FBI informant against the Mafia. Bulger denied
that claim.
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Willingham reported from Boston. Associated Press reporter Michael
Casey in Boston contributed to this report.
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