First Circuit's Besosa needs Boston tutorial

Quick somebody give federal appeals court Judge Francisco Besosa a copy of “Black Mass.”

The judge from Puerto Rico presiding on the three-member panel deciding whether to uphold a $3.1 million judgment against the Boston FBI doesn’t seem to know the back story of the FBI’s 40-year deal with murderous informants.

During a hearing this week, Judge Besos seemed shocked at the idea that former agent John Connolly was motivated by far more than bribes to protect Whitey Bulger and Steve Flemmi. While the rest of the panel appeared knowledgable, Besosa didn’t seem to grasp how Connolly’s entire squad waged war at any cost on LCN in those days and won praise from HQ.

“Are the bribes just gravy?” Judge Besos asked attorney William Christie, who represents the family of a Quincy fisherman whom Bulger killed after Connolly revealed he was cooperating with police.

The bribes were grease, not gravy. Like his predecessor H. Paul Rico, Connolly built a two-way street with his informants, stoking a relationship that served the bureau’s primary purpose.

Did the bureau's goals extend to the possibility that Connolly could actually pull the trigger himself on John McIntyre if necessary to protect Bulger? Christie told the panel, yes.

That seems way over the top. But then again, the bureau knowingly helped put four innocent men in prison for decades. (Three were supposed to get the electric chair. See Salvati-Limone saga below.) Does Judge Besosa know about that chapter of Boston history?