Boston Herald

Whitey’s FBI insider won’t be getting out

For burned Hub cop, no glee

- Peter GELZINIS — peter.gelzinis@bostonhera­ld.com

Zip got zapped. After spending the past 15 years behind bars, Whitey Bulger’s FBI manservant, John “Zip” Connolly, was hoping that maybe justice would be merciful and he’d win parole by the midterm elections in 2020.

But the 77-year-old fallen G-man learned yesterday that he might not be vertical when his parole comes through … in 2039. But then, who’s to say? John could very well be a spry 98 by then.

I called Frank Dewan, a dear friend and former sergeant detective with the Boston police. Dewan had become such a dogged nemesis to both Whitey and the disgracefu­l FBI agent he had in his pocket, that Connolly decided to send a three-page anonymous letter sliming Dewan to a federal judge in the hopes it would end Dewan’s career.

Ultimately, it did. But it was Dewan who would enjoy the sweet revenge of seeing Connolly convicted of obstructio­n of justice for composing that letter. And that was just part of a 40year prison sentence that included orchestrat­ing a murder in Florida.

“It looks like the only way John’s leaving jail now is feet-first,” Frank Dewan told me yesterday.

There was a distinct lack of glee in my friend’s voice. To be honest, what I heard was a lot closer to empathy from a proud ex-cop who, along with his partners, Kenny Beers and Jim Carr, refused to look the other way when it came to confrontin­g South Boston’s paternal racketeer, who had enjoyed the protection of the FBI for years.

“Tell you the truth, I’m surprised that John’s going to be in for that long,” Dewan said. “I really thought they’d show him some compassion and he’d be out in two or maybe four years.

“After all, he’s been in for 15 years already,” he added. “He’s lost a ton. His children have grown up without him. The older you get, the more you think about these things. Sure, I suppose I have all kinds of reasons to nurse a grudge and be glad he’s going to stay in for another 20 years. But hey, my life is good, God bless.

“I don’t want to spend the rest of it gloating — I really don’t. If you told me John was getting out in two or three or four years, I would have been OK with that, too.”

I asked Frank Dewan if he thought Donald J. Trump, the man he helped put in the White House, might be persuaded to come across with a presidenti­al pardon for this fallen son of J. Edgar Hoover.

“Well, I suppose his lawyers will try that, sure. It’s part of pulling out all the stops, right? In that case, it’s possible that I just might want to let Donald know about the connection this supporter once had with Mr. Connolly. But I really don’t think it’s going to happen.”

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 ?? COURTESY PHOTO, ABOVE; AP FILE PHOTO, RIGHT ?? ‘HE’S LOST A TON’: Former Boston police Sgt. Detective Frank Dewan, above right with fellow cops Jimmy Carr, left, and Kenny Beers, takes little joy from yesterday’s parole ruling on fallen Fed John Connolly, right.
COURTESY PHOTO, ABOVE; AP FILE PHOTO, RIGHT ‘HE’S LOST A TON’: Former Boston police Sgt. Detective Frank Dewan, above right with fellow cops Jimmy Carr, left, and Kenny Beers, takes little joy from yesterday’s parole ruling on fallen Fed John Connolly, right.
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