Summary: James “Whitey” Bulger offers surprising advice to high schoolers.
James “Whitey” Bulger, the former Boston crime boss who, after 16 years as a fugitive, was caught in 2011, and convicted in 2013 on racketeering charges, including his part in 11 murders, has some advice to give. In response to a letter from three 17-year-old girls from Apponequet Regional High School in Lakeville, who reached out the the imprisoned 85-year-old for a high school history project, he did not so much as respond to their questions as give some general advice on whether crime pays. And his estimate in this is simply that it doesn’t.
“My life was wasted and spent foolishly, brought shame and suffering on my parents and siblings and will end soon,” said Bulger.
And as to the burning question on crime life, he said, “Advice is a cheap commodity some seek it from me about crime – I know only one thing for sure – If you want to make crime pay – ‘Go to Law School.’”
Whether this means lawyers benefit from bringing justice upon criminals, or whether lawyers are the true crime lords, is open to interpretation, but Bulger’s lawyer, for one, declined to comment on the letter.
“It wasn’t what we were expecting at all,” said one of the students, Brittany Tainsh. “He did not really reply to any of our actual questions. He was very apologetic.”
The former crime lord also claimed he was “a myth created by the media,” as if that were not the main and abiding activity of media in general, and further claimed he was used to hurt his brother William, former president of the state Senate and of the University of Massachusetts, who was “A better man than I,” according to Bulger.
Patricia Donahue, widow of one of Bulger’s victims, noted that the letter expressed no remorse for his victims. “I don’t think he’s changed at all,” she said.
News Source: Philly