‘Serious’ prison failures led to Whitey Bulger’s murder, bombshell DOJ report finds

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A damning report from the Justice Department watchdog has revealed that “serious” failures from prison officials ultimately led to the murder of high-profile mob boss James “Whitey” Bulger just 12 hours after he was moved to a notoriously dangerous jail infamously dubbed “misery mountain”. One inmate told DOJ investigators that both inmates and staff were speculating “how long Bulger would stay alive at Hazelton” and that some inmates were even taking bets on the matter. “He responded that he assumed that multiple inmates would try to kill Bulger due to Bulger’s notoriety as a former government witness,” the report says. In 2020, Bulger’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Federal Bureau of Prisons and 30 prison employees, saying that he was “deliberately placed in harm’s way”.