Whitey Bulger Writings Suggest Former FBI Agent Was Framed, Lawyers Claim

Newly discovered manuscript and FBI statements by the late mobster contradict the prosecution's case against ex-agent John Connolly.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 2:18am

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Attorneys for former FBI agent John Connolly are seeking to overturn his murder conviction, citing a handwritten manuscript by the late mobster James 'Whitey' Bulger that they say shows Connolly was framed. The lawyers claim Bulger's writings and FBI statements made after his 2011 arrest, which were not previously disclosed to the defense, identify another FBI agent, John Morris, as Bulger's mole and describe Connolly as a 'sacrificial lamb'.

Why it matters

This case has long been controversial, with questions about the relationship between Bulger and the FBI and allegations of prosecutorial misconduct. If the new evidence from Bulger's own writings is found to be credible, it could lead to Connolly's conviction being overturned and raise further doubts about the integrity of the original prosecution.

The details

Connolly was convicted in 2002 of second-degree murder and racketeering for his role in the 1982 killing of businessman John Callahan in Miami. Prosecutors claimed Bulger and Stephen Flemmi ordered the hit after Connolly tipped them off that the FBI was investigating Callahan's ties to Bulger's gang. However, Bulger's manuscript and post-arrest statements, which were only recently disclosed, allegedly state that another FBI agent, John Morris, was the real mole and that Connolly was framed.

  • Connolly was convicted in 2002.
  • Bulger was arrested in 2011.
  • Connolly's lawyers received the new evidence from the Miami-Dade state attorney's office in 2024.
  • Connolly was granted compassionate release in 2021 due to terminal illness and COVID-19 risks.

The players

John Connolly

A former FBI agent who was convicted of second-degree murder and racketeering for his role in the 1982 killing of businessman John Callahan in Miami.

James 'Whitey' Bulger

The late mobster who led Boston's Winter Hill Gang and served as an FBI informant, though he denied this claim. Bulger wrote a handwritten manuscript that is now being used to try to overturn Connolly's conviction.

John Morris

Another FBI agent who Bulger allegedly identified as his real mole, according to the newly disclosed evidence.

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What they’re saying

“I never thought the day would come that I'd be writing a story about my criminal activity.”

— James 'Whitey' Bulger

“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).'”

— James 'Whitey' Bulger

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide whether to vacate Connolly's conviction based on the new evidence from Bulger's writings and statements.

The takeaway

This case highlights the complex and often murky relationship between the FBI and organized crime figures like Bulger, as well as concerns about potential prosecutorial misconduct and the withholding of exculpatory evidence from defendants. The new revelations from Bulger's own words could lead to a significant reversal of Connolly's conviction if the court finds the evidence credible.