How It All Goes Down
Murder, Inc.
- Brian Halloran is meeting with John Callahan, an accountant for "a company called World Jai Alai that was a gambling cash cow" (2.10.3).
- They're on their way to see Bulger and Flemmi to discuss the assassination of Roger Wheeler, the new CEO of the World Jai Alai Company.
- Wheeler is digging a little too deep into Callahan's shady dealings with Bulger for Bulger's liking, so what's a violent gangster supposed to do?
- Halloran has killed people for Bulger before, but this is different. Wheeler's not some schmohawk from the streets: he's "a multimillionaire from Tulsa with seven corporations" to his name (2.10.11).
- Bulger ultimately chooses a different assassin—Johnny Martorano—to kill Wheeler. Martorano shoots the businessman in broad daylight as he exits his Tulsa country club.
- Although Halloran is relieved he wasn't chosen for the job, he knows that this puts him squarely on Bulger's bad side, which is not where you want to be.
- That, along with Halloran's increasing drug addiction, means that things aren't looking so good for him right now.
- He hits rock bottom in late 1981 when he brutally murders a drug dealer named George Pappas. After hiding out for a few weeks, he turns himself in and is released on bail.
- Of course, this only puts him even further on Bulger's bad side. Tough spot.
- Flemmi tells Connolly that the Mafia is thinking about killing Halloran, which really means that he and Bulger are planning on it. Because of course they are you dummies.
- Faced with serious jail time, Halloran decides to become an informant.
- This sparks an internal war within the FBI: some want to offer Halloran greater protection, while others, led by Connolly, see him as untrustworthy and unreliable.
- O'Sullivan is one of the key figures pushing back against efforts "to get the Winter Hill snitch safely off the streets" and into witness protection (2.10.35).
- While this is happening, Connolly gives Bulger frequent updates on the comings and goings of the investigation.
- What a good FBI agent he is.
- Robert Fitzpatrick, one of Halloran's chief defenders, even accuses Connolly of snooping through his files on Halloran to dig up dirt. Connolly just keeps getting shadier.
- In 1982, Halloran—who's been staying out of Southie to stay alive—returns home to meet his sister at a bar. Bulger finds out and immediately heads over with Patrick Nee and Kevin Weeks.
- The trio brutally murders Halloran in the middle of the street.
- Bulger is so thrilled by the experience that he's "unable to talk about anything else for days" (2.10.51).
- Although some suspicion is thrown Bulger's way after the killing, Connolly is able to deflect it like a pro. He deflects blame as well as Serena Williams plays tennis.
- Morris, on the other hand, is ashamed for his part in Halloran's grisly death.
- Meanwhile, the Tulsa police are investigating Roger Wheeler's death, and have figured out that John Callahan is involved. They order him to appear before a federal grand jury.
- Connolly informs Bulger of this, and Bulger has Callahan killed. They're not even subtle about it at this point, huh?