BOSTON, May 21 (UPI) -- The defense in a former FBI agent's high-profile trial in Boston rested Tuesday without calling the defendant to rebut federal charges he took bribes to protect his gang-boss informants.
Retired Special Agent John J. Connolly Jr. is on trial in a U.S. District Court on charges of racketeering, bribery and obstruction of justice for allegedly tipping off the mobsters so they could flee.
In a surprise development, Connolly's defense wrapped up its presentation after less than a day in a trial that lasted only 10 days, but was expected to go on for months.
Connolly spoke briefly with a crush of media when he left the courthouse, saying the decision not to take the stand was made on the advice of his attorney.
"My family and I are very pleased this trial is over," Connolly told reporters. "I put my trust in the jury."
The jury will get the case on Thursday following closing arguments.
Connolly, once a rising star in the FBI for his efforts against the Italian Mafia in New England, is accused of warning South Boston-based Winter Hill Gang leaders James "Whitey" Bulger and Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi of impending indictments against them in 1995.
The government also alleged Connolly provided his long-time informants with information that resulted in the gangland slayings of three men.
According to prosecution testimony, Connolly took at least $15,000 in bribes and gifts from the gang leaders and looked the other way as they continued their criminal activities.
Connolly, 61, was the agency's handler of the gang leaders for more than two decades. He has said his relationship with the gangsters was sanctioned by supervisors in order to gather incriminating information against members of the rival Italian Mafia.
Federal prosecutors wrapped up their case on Monday after calling 26 witnesses over nine days, including admitted murderers, who testified for the government in exchange for lighter sentences for their crimes.
One of them, former Bulger associate Kevin Weeks, testified last week that Connolly warned him on Dec. 23, 1994, that Bulger and Flemmi should flee because they were to be arrested over the holidays on federal racketeering indictments. Flemmi was subsequently arrested but Bulger fled and is now on the FBI's Top Ten Most Wanted list.
Weeks said Connolly told him the information came from Dennis M. O'Callaghan, who was second in command of the Boston FBI office at the time.
O'Callaghan was the first witness called on Monday by defense attorney Tracy Miner.
O'Callaghan acknowledged that Connolly, who retired in 1990, frequently called him by telephone over the following several years looking for information about federal investigations of Bulger and Flemmi.
He denied, however, he had anything to do with warning the gang leaders to flee on the eve of the January 1995 indictments.
"Did you ever give Mr. Connolly any information about Mr. Bulger or Mr. Flemmi?" Miner asked.
"Absolutely not," O'Callaghan said.
