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Inmate sentenced to more than 4 years in prison killing of Boston gangster James ‘Whitey’ Bulger

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Inmate sentenced to more than 4 years in prison killing of Boston gangster James ‘Whitey’ Bulger


CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — An inmate was sentenced to more than four years Thursday for his role in the 2018 fatal bludgeoning of notorious Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger in a troubled West Virginia federal prison.

Massachusetts gangster Paul J. DeCologero was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to an assault charge. He could have faced up to 10 years in prison. DeCologero was already serving a 25-year sentence handed down in 2006 after he was convicted of buying heroin used to try to kill a teenage girl.

Prosecutors initially had said DeCologero and inmate Fotios “Freddy” Geas used a lock attached to a belt to repeatedly hit the 89-year-old Bulger in the head hours after he arrived at USP Hazelton from another lockup in Florida.

Paul J. DeCologero was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to an assault charge for the fatal bludgeoning of notorious Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger. Paul Decologero / Facebook

But on Thursday, both prosecutors and the defense said DeCologero only served as a lookout and had not physically assaulted Bulger.

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US District Judge Thomas Kleeh said the sentence was “fair, just and appropriate” and “strikes the balance the court is trying to seek.”

DeCologero, 50, declined to speak when given the opportunity to address the court. Defense attorney Patrick Nash began by conveying an apology from DeCologero to Bulger’s family as well as the inmate’s own relatives.

Nash described DeCologero as the victim of an “abusive and neglectful” upbringing.

“Paul has had an incredibly difficult life,” Nash said. “As a result of that, Paul is a person who is easily led. Anyone who shows him attention, he’s easily led.”

The FBI holds a news conference sharing the arrest of Boston crime boss James “Whitey” Bulger and his companion, Catherine Greig at the Los Angeles Federal Building on June 23, 2011, in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images

An uncle eventually took in DeCologero and made him part of a criminal organization, Nash said.

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In Bulger’s killing, “Paul was involved,” Nash said. “He is guilty. But his role was limited.”

Assistant US Attorney Brandon Flower declined to comment after the sentencing.

According to court records, inmates found out ahead of time that Bulger would be arriving at Hazelton. An inmate previously told a grand jury that DeCologero said to him that Bulger was a snitch and they planned to kill him as soon as he came into their unit.

James “Whitey” Bulger is escorted from a Coast Guard helicopter to a waiting vehicle at an airport in Plymouth, Mass., after attending hearings in federal court in Boston on June 30, 2011. AP
Bulger, who ran the largely Irish mob in Boston in the 1970s and ’80s, was also an FBI informant who provided the agency with information on the main rival to his gang. Reuters

Prosecutors have said DeCologero and Geas spent about seven minutes in Bulger’s cell. Geas hit Bulger, while DeCologero served as a lookout and helped cover Bulger’s body, Flower said Thursday. DeCologero’s DNA was found on two blankets, the prosecutor said.

Geas has been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, which carries up to a life sentence. His hearing is scheduled for Sept. 6. Last year, the Justice Department said it would not seek the death penalty.

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Another inmate, Sean McKinnon, pleaded guilty in June to lying to FBI special agents. McKinnon got credit for spending 22 months in custody after his 2022 indictment, was given no additional prison time and was returned to Florida to finish his supervised release. McKinnon had served out a sentence for stealing guns from a firearms dealer.

Sean McKinnon, an inmate charged in connection with Bulger’s jailhouse killing, appears in a booking photograph at the Marion County Jail in Ocala, Florida, on Aug. 18, 2022. via REUTERS

Plea deals for the three men were disclosed May 13. Geas and DeCologero were identified as suspects shortly after Bulger’s death, but they remained uncharged for years as the investigation dragged on.

Prior to Bulger’s death, employees at Hazelton had been sounding the alarm about violence and understaffing. After Bulger was killed, prison officials were criticized for placing him in the general population instead of more protective housing.

A Justice Department inspector general investigation found in 2022 that the killing was the result of multiple layers of management failures, widespread incompetence and flawed policies at the federal Bureau of Prisons.

Bulger and his long-time girlfriend, Catherine Greig are shown during a publicity campaign to locate the fugitive mobster. AP

The inspector general found no evidence of “malicious intent” by any bureau employees but said a series of bureaucratic blunders left Bulger at the mercy of rival gangsters.

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In July, the US Senate passed legislation to overhaul oversight and bring greater transparency to the Bureau of Prisons following reporting from The Associated Press that exposed systemic corruption in the federal prison system and increased congressional scrutiny.

Bulger, who ran the largely Irish mob in Boston in the 1970s and ’80s, was also an FBI informant who provided the agency with information on the main rival to his gang.

FBI agents stand in the ground floor parking garage of the apartment building in Santa Monica, Calif., where fugitive crime boss James “Whitey” Bulger. AP
The media stand outside the apartment where fugitive crime boss James “Whitey” Bulger on June 23, 2011. AP

He became one of the nation’s most wanted fugitives after fleeing Boston in 1994, thanks to a tip from his FBI handler that he was about to be indicted. He was captured at age 81 after more than 16 years on the run.

Bulger was convicted in 2013 in a string of 11 killings and dozens of other gangland crimes, many of them committed while he was said to be an FBI informant.

DeCologero, who was in a gang led by his uncle, was convicted of buying heroin that was used to try to kill a teenage girl because his uncle feared she would betray the crew to police. After the heroin did not kill her, another man broke her neck, dismembered her body and buried her remains in the woods, court records say.

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Geas was a close associate of the Mafia and acted as an enforcer but was not an official “made” member because he is Greek, not Italian.

He and his brother were sentenced to life in 2011 for their roles in several violent crimes, including the 2003 killing of Adolfo “Big Al” Bruno, a Genovese crime family boss in Springfield, Massachusetts. Another mobster ordered Bruno’s killing because he was upset that he had talked to the FBI, prosecutors said.



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NHL EDGE stats for Boston Bruins | NHL.com

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NHL EDGE stats for Boston Bruins | NHL.com


2. Center Elias Lindholm ranked in the 83rd percentile in high-danger shots on goal (60) last season with the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks but only the 59th percentile in high-danger goals and was below the 50th percentile in high-danger shooting percentage.

But Lindholm scored two goals on six high-danger shots on goal in the 2024 playoffs, a sign he could bounce back this season after signing a seven-year contract with Boston on July 1. He has a chance to be the No. 1 center and play with an elite linemate or two in wings David Pastrnak and/or Brad Marchand.

Lindholm had his best season for Calgary in 2021-22 (NHL career highs 42 goals, 82 points) as part of a potent line with wings Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau. He ranked among the best in shots on goal (92; 95th percentile) and goals (17; 92nd percentile) from high-danger areas that season.

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EMS calls increase as Boston heats up – The Boston Globe

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EMS calls increase as Boston heats up – The Boston Globe


Yun said that the department’s current system is unable to track what medical conditions are complicated by a heat related illness. However, emergency room doctors at hospitals in the greater Boston area told the Globe that the number of patients with heat-related complications rose during the heat waves this summer.

“The difference this year is that the heat wave has been earlier in the season,” said Scott Goldberg, director of EMS at Massachusetts General Brigham. “We’re generally not seeing this type of extreme heat for such a long period of time.”

A Globe analysis of EMS calls during the heat waves this summer shows that there were more calls when it was hotter outside. During the recent heat wave on the week of July 15, EMS calls were 6 percent to 21.6 percent above the daily call volume.

This was a consistent trend over the past four years. During a four-day heatwave that began on June 5, 2021, which EMS said was comparable to the one two weeks ago, calls were about 30 percent to 43 percent above the average daily volume.

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Center for Disease Control data also shows that emergency room admission for heat related illnesses picked up this summer compared to previous months this year.

According to the CDC Heat and Health tracker, a heat wave is defined as temperatures of 90 degrees and above each day for two days or more.

A threshold for declaring a heat emergency is a consecutive two days or more of 95 degree or higher heat index. The heat index takes into account both the temperature and relative humidity, which is a marker of how hot it feels outside. According to the National Weather Service, the heat index was 94 F at 12:45 p.m. on Thursday, the most current data available.

“When we’re hitting heat indexes above 90-95, it really does become dangerous,” said Yun.

The problem is poised to intensify.

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“Heat waves are unquestionably getting worse and will continue getting worse due to emissions,” said Mathew Barlow, a University of Massachusetts Lowell environmental Earth and atmospheric sciences professor.

Barlow says this heat is not a new normal, because we shouldn’t expect it to stay the same; instead, the next several years will be getting hotter.

Doctors are worried because the rising heat affects some of the region’s most vulnerable people such as the elderly and people with chronic medical conditions. Older people, who may have long term medical problems or take medications, need to be extra cautious with the intense heat, they said.

Some populations are at a higher risk of heat illness than others. There are those who are unable to limit their heat exposure such as outdoor workers, military personnel or unhoused people.

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A worker adjusts his helmet while working in temperatures above 90 degrees at a gas line work site, Thursday, June 20, 2024, on a street in Boston.Steven Senne/Associated Press

The lasting effects of heat are also known to impact those who do not have proper air conditioning, which represents about 5.5 percent of Boston households, according to a Boston Globe analysis of Census data.

Traditionally vulnerable low-income households are more affected by the heat waves because they often live in homes that are not energy-efficient and are expensive to cool. This “energy insecurity” makes it hard to stay comfortable and healthy during extreme heat, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Heat has been rising across the country in the past decades. Major cities have been encountering heat waves more frequently, according to the agency. The average amount of annual heat waves rose from two a year during the 1960s to six a year during the 2010s and 2020s.

As heat waves become more common due to climate change, Massachusetts sits in an uncomfortable position where days will continue to be over 90 F during the summer. The populated urban areas with little tree coverage and open green space makes the region feel hotter.

There are predictions by the Massachusetts Department of Health Bureau of Climate and Environmental Health that by 2050 there will be a 10 to 28 day increase in extreme heat.

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“I’m worried that 10 to 15 years from now, we might be looking back in 2024 and say this was actually one of the coolest summers,” said Yun.

Warmer temperatures lead to more hospitalizations for health issues such as heart disease and heat exhaustion. If heat exhaustion isn’t treated, it can turn into heat stroke, which can cause serious illness, brain damage and death.

In severe cases, the heat waves can cause deaths. Even heat-related deaths have been rising in the U.S., with about 1,602 in 2021, 1,722 in 2022, and 2,302 in 2023.

Dr. Tess Wiskel, an emergency physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, said the center saw more heat-related illnesses during the July 15 heat wave than in previous ones this summer.

“There’s no question that it’s adding to the burden of care that we need to give in the emergency department,” she said.

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Some doctors say they have experience with burnout and feeling stressed but not more than usual due to the ongoing issue of understaffing at ERs.

When temperatures reach high 80s and 90s, the Boston Public Health Commission recommends people to stay in air-conditioned spaces and limit outdoor activities.

“During heat emergencies, cooling centers are available for vulnerable residents. All Boston residents are encouraged to stay hydrated and check in on their neighbors,” said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission.


Rachel Umansky-Castro can be reached at rachel.umanskycastro@globe.com.

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Where to Eat in Greater Boston in August 2024

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Where to Eat in Greater Boston in August 2024


Guides

Nine places you need to try this month.


The pasteis de nata at Café Pastel. / Photo by Nathan Tavares

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1. Café Pastel

This European-style café by chef George Mendes (Amar at Raffles Boston) is the next best thing to a morning espresso in Lisbon. Snag one of his famed egg-custard tarts for a perfect pick-me-up to the day.

40 Trinity Place, Boston, raffles.com/boston.

Courtesy photo

2. Day & Night Cereal Bar

Go ahead and indulge those Saturday-morning cravings for sugary cereal at this new dessert bar: The concoctions of ice cream topped with Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Froot Loops, and more are sure to be a hit with kids of all ages.

6 Tremont St., Brighton, dayandnightcereal.com.

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Roasted, multi-colored carrots are plated elegantly over a thick orange hummus, with vegetable ribbon garnish.

Folio’s sumac-roasted carrots with carrot hummus, carrot radish ribbons, and tahini verde. / Photo by Samantha Barracca Photography

3. Folio

This long-awaited restaurant within the Boston Athenaeum is guaranteed to be a bestseller, thanks to elevated café fare from the Catered Affair, the team behind Boston Public Library’s Map Room Lounge.

14A Beacon St., Boston, thecateredaffair.com.

Courtesy Island Creek

4. Island Creek Oysters Farm Tours

It’s just not summer without oysters. For the bivalve curious, two-hour summer tours of Island Creek include a jaunt around the hatchery, a boat ride through Duxbury Bay, and a reserved table at the raw bar.

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Tours run every Wednesday-Sunday, through September 29. 403-9, Washington St., Duxbury, islandcreekoysters.com.

5. The Layover

This oasis on the roof of Cunard Tavern is sure to be Eastie’s new launch pad for carefree weekends. Take flight with chef Nate Carr’s duck spring rolls and crab rangoons, plus first-class tropical cocktails.

24 Orleans St., Boston, cunardtavern.com.

Photo by Alyssa Blumstein

6. Le Mari

What’s better than a restaurant with a patio? A restaurant with two patios. That’s what you’ll find at Fox & the Knife alum Leigh Whittaker’s new restaurant, which means “the husband” in French.

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259 Newbury St., Boston, lemarirestaurantboston.com.

Cocktails at Monteverdi, a new restaurant in the Royal Sonesta Boston hotel. / Courtesy

7. Monteverdi

The newest venture from Seth Greenberg, the Boston restaurateur behind Mistral and Serafina, is an “elevated Italian” restaurant that sits along the Charles River. The seven-section menu features flatbread pizzas, fresh pasta and “fun and bouncy” bucatini, in Chef Christian Ellis’s words, but one specialty is the roasted chicken—a tribute to the chicken served at the iconic South End French restaurant Hamersley’s Bistro.

40 Edwin H Land Blvd., Cambridge, 617-806-4100, monteverdirestaurant.com

Handrolled pasta at the Red Fox Restaurant. / Photo by Chris McIntosh

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8. The Red Fox Restaurant & Lounge

Summer-vacation hangouts in friends’ basements when you were a kid have nothing on the glammed-out subterranean spot from the crew behind Tony & Elaine’s. Burrow into plates of handrolled pasta and slip into the back bar for a sneaky martini, too.

326 Commercial St., Boston, redfoxnorthend.com.

9. Strega After Dark

Sleek Strega is fueling late summer nights with a new “after-dark” menu, served Wednesday to Saturday from 8 p.m. to midnight. The espresso martinis, in particular, promise to keep the party going.

1 Marina Park Dr., Boston and 64 Arlington St. at Park Plaza, Boston, stregaitaliano.com.

First published in the print edition of the August 2024 issue with the headline, “The Hot List.”

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