In Norfolk Superior Court, Judge Patrick F. Brady has ordered Boston mobsters James “Whitey” Bulger and Stephen “The Rifleman” Flemmi to pay $30 million for the Massachusetts wrongful death of Debra Davis. Flemmi, who was the 26-year-old woman’s boyfriend, testified of his reluctance to kill her. He said that Bulger demanded that she die because she knew too much about their connection to the FBI as informants.
Flemmi, who is in prison for life for 10 murders, has also been ordered to pay $3 million for molesting Davis’s younger sister, Michelle, as well as $500,000 for the intentional emotional trauma inflicted on Davis’s mother, Olga. Michelle and Olga are both dead so any compensation that is collected would go to their estates. Bulger continues to remain in hiding.
A federal judge has yet to issue its final ruling on whether the government should be held liable for Davis’s murder as well as for the killings of Louis Litif and Deborah Hussey. Last July, US District Judge William G. Young said that the government was liable and that the families of the three victims should each receive $350,000 for pain and suffering. The judge said that he didn’t think he was going to order the government to pay the mothers of Davis and Hussey damages for their losses of companionship and support because the victims were adults when they died.
The Massachusetts wrongful death lawyer representing Davis’s family, however, asked that the judge reconsider-especially as the two mobsters have each been ordered to pay Olga $5 million for loss of companionship.
Last June, Young ordered the federal government to pay Richard J Castucci’s family $6.25 million for his wrongful death. Former hit man John Martorano shot him in the head after Bulger and Flemmi found out he was an informant.
In May, the government was told to pay $8.25 million to the families of Edward Halloran and Michael Donahue for their Boston wrongful deaths. Bulger killed the two men.
In 2006, a judge told the FBI to pay the mother and brother of Quincy fisherman John McIntyre $3.1 million for his mob murder.
Judge orders mobsters to pay $30m to victim’s family, Boston.com, September 18, 2009
US ordered to pay $6.25m to family in 1976 mob killing, Boston.com, June 12, 2009
Families Of ‘Whitey’ Bulger Victims Awarded $8.5 Million, WBUR.org/AP, May 1, 2009
Related Web Resources:
Stepping up hunt for Whitey Bulger, FBI
Notorious Boston crime boss turns 80 as a fugitive, Boston.com, September 3, 2009