Bulger’s letters tell of failing health

Boston — Jailhouse letters from the late Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger appear to contradict federal officials who said his health had dramatically improved, making him eligible for a transfer to the West Virginia prison where he was killed.

The letters provided to The Boston Globe by a California woman he corresponded with highlight a will to live despite deteriorating health, including eight heart attacks.

Bulger was 89 when he was fatally beaten in October. Two other inmates are under suspicion, although no charges have been filed.

Bulger was killed just hours after arriving at the West Virginia prison from a Florida facility and placed in the general population.

In one letter dated February 2018, Bulger wrote, “Dont worry about me. Im too mean to die . ... ”

Officials at the Florida prison had requested that Bulger be transferred to a federal medical center, but in April 2018 the Bureau of Prisons rejected the request. In one letter, Bulger appears to expect a transfer to a medical center, saying he was looking forward to “sun sky + fresh air.”

Authorities at the time said Bulger’s health had improved enough since his conviction in 2013 for his role in the deaths of 11 people.

The Bureau of Prisons declined to comment on its handling of Bulger when asked by the Globe, saying in a statement that it wanted to protect the integrity of an ongoing investigation into his death.