World Jai-Alai murders, Roger Wheeler/Brian Callahan, Update! - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

kadrmas15 · 09-08-2008, 11:29 AM

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/09/05/....ap/index.html

mphs95 · 09-08-2008, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kadrmas15

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/09/05/....ap/index.html

This sure isn't J. Edgar Hoover's FBI no more......Where's a good cross dresser when you need one?

yuppielawyer · 11-07-2008, 01:43 AM

FBI agent John Connolly was convicted of 2nd degree murder in the death of Callahan.

crystaldawn · 11-07-2008, 10:32 AM

I think that is totally outrageous that John Martorano admits to murdering 20 people in a deal, spends only 12 years in prison and is given $20,000 to start a new life!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Martorano

mike890 · 11-07-2008, 11:19 AM

I realize authorities must make deals in order to get the bigger fish but the only deal a murderer of 20 people should get is life without parole instead of death. 12 years is a joke. $20,000 to start a new life is simply unbelievable.

yuppielawyer · 11-15-2008, 10:21 PM

I don't think any prosecutor makes a deal like that with a hitman lightly. I think it is only done when the only way they believe they can bring the big fish pulling all the strings to justice. Heck, at least that guy served 12 hard years. Sammy "The Bull" Gravano didn't do any for all his murders carried out on behalf of John Gotti. But, without him, Gotti never would have been convicted, and Gotti was responsible for many, many murders; not to mention all the bribery, drug dealing, and extortion.

I hope Connolly does a lot of hard time and dies in prison. Not only did he allow Bulger & Flemmi to continue all their organized crime activity, including multiple murders, while he was their handler, he also allowed innocent people to be railroaded and sent to prison for years in order to protect the real perpetrators--Bulger and his crew. To top it off, he tipped Bulger off that he was about to be indicted, allowing him to flee, and he has never been captured.

Matorano murdered Roger Wheeler, a complete innocent. He executed him on orders from Bulger. He certainly deserves to be punished for that. But, so do the people who ordered the hit. And, sadly, without Matorano's testimony, the authorities would not have been able to get Flemmi or Bulger for the murder.

kadrmas15 · 11-18-2008, 07:34 PM

Why do people rush for the death penalty? Will never figure that one out. In any event, yeah it was a bad deal, but had it not been done, other people would not have been caught. The world of plea deals and prosecution are not perfect and deals have to be made to catch others. However if the FBI would just give up on getting Bulger than Matorano would be in prison for life if not death row. So if you want to blame anyone, blame law enforcement. There was some justice here and some is better than none. I would hope we could all agree on that point. Connolly was convicted of murder 2 as well all know, however the murder of Callahan was committed in 1982 I believe. Florida laws were not changed until the mid 1990's regarding crimes with firearms. Before that time you could off with a very small penalty for 2nd degree murder. My guess is, Connolly will be sentenced based under 1982 law where he could get anywhere from a few years in prison to life with the possibility of parole in prison. Parole was abolished for 2nd degree murder in 1983 but oddly was not abolished for first degree murder until 1995.

killgas20 · 05-29-2014, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yuppielawyer

FBI agent John Connolly was convicted of 2nd degree murder in the death of Callahan.

Murder conviction voided.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/201...99H/story.html

09-08-2008, 11:29 AM	#1
kadrmas15 Retired from Board 03/03/11 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 11, 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,910	World Jai-Alai murders, Roger Wheeler/Brian Callahan, Update! http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/09/05/....ap/index.html

11-07-2008, 01:43 AM	#3
yuppielawyer Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 06, 2008 Posts: 184	FBI agent John Connolly was convicted of 2nd degree murder in the death of Callahan.

11-07-2008, 10:32 AM	#4
crystaldawn Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 17, 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,261	I think that is totally outrageous that John Martorano admits to murdering 20 people in a deal, spends only 12 years in prison and is given $20,000 to start a new life!!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Martorano

11-07-2008, 11:19 AM	#5
mike890 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 07, 2003 Posts: 46	I realize authorities must make deals in order to get the bigger fish but the only deal a murderer of 20 people should get is life without parole instead of death. 12 years is a joke. $20,000 to start a new life is simply unbelievable.

11-15-2008, 10:21 PM	#6
yuppielawyer Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 06, 2008 Posts: 184	I don't think any prosecutor makes a deal like that with a hitman lightly. I think it is only done when the only way they believe they can bring the big fish pulling all the strings to justice. Heck, at least that guy served 12 hard years. Sammy "The Bull" Gravano didn't do any for all his murders carried out on behalf of John Gotti. But, without him, Gotti never would have been convicted, and Gotti was responsible for many, many murders; not to mention all the bribery, drug dealing, and extortion. I hope Connolly does a lot of hard time and dies in prison. Not only did he allow Bulger & Flemmi to continue all their organized crime activity, including multiple murders, while he was their handler, he also allowed innocent people to be railroaded and sent to prison for years in order to protect the real perpetrators--Bulger and his crew. To top it off, he tipped Bulger off that he was about to be indicted, allowing him to flee, and he has never been captured. Matorano murdered Roger Wheeler, a complete innocent. He executed him on orders from Bulger. He certainly deserves to be punished for that. But, so do the people who ordered the hit. And, sadly, without Matorano's testimony, the authorities would not have been able to get Flemmi or Bulger for the murder.

11-18-2008, 07:34 PM	#7
kadrmas15 Retired from Board 03/03/11 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 11, 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,910	Why do people rush for the death penalty? Will never figure that one out. In any event, yeah it was a bad deal, but had it not been done, other people would not have been caught. The world of plea deals and prosecution are not perfect and deals have to be made to catch others. However if the FBI would just give up on getting Bulger than Matorano would be in prison for life if not death row. So if you want to blame anyone, blame law enforcement. There was some justice here and some is better than none. I would hope we could all agree on that point. Connolly was convicted of murder 2 as well all know, however the murder of Callahan was committed in 1982 I believe. Florida laws were not changed until the mid 1990's regarding crimes with firearms. Before that time you could off with a very small penalty for 2nd degree murder. My guess is, Connolly will be sentenced based under 1982 law where he could get anywhere from a few years in prison to life with the possibility of parole in prison. Parole was abolished for 2nd degree murder in 1983 but oddly was not abolished for first degree murder until 1995.