(US Marshals)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- The mother of James 'Whitey' Bulger's child is wondering how the infamous criminal's murder was allowed to take place while he was in federal custody.
The 89-year-old mobster had just been sent to the facility on Monday, and was in general population, something that bothers Lindsay Cyr. Cyr told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Ben Parker she had a long-time relationship with Bulger in the 1960s and 70s, and was the mother of his son.
"Jimmy and I have never had any ill feelings or any problems," she said. "We had a child together in '67 who he worshipped, and most of the time when I read things about him in the paper, I'm struck by the fact that I don't know this person."
Apparently, the attack on James 'Whitey' Bulger at US Penitentiary Hazelton was very brutal--reportedly so severe that the infamous Boston criminal was unrecognizable when found. Citing a federal law enforcement official, CNN said Bulger's killers tried to remove his tongue; The Boston Globe said his eyes were nearly gouged out. Cyr said his death was wrong.
"To me, it's shocking, because I've worked in law since 1963, and I always thought we played better than this," she said. "I thought he was very well protected, and nobody had a shot at doing this to him."
She said her first thought upon hearing of his death was that his health must have been worse than first believed--but now that she's learned about Hazelton's reputation for low staffing levels and prisoner homicides, she's in disbelief.
"He's been in failing health, enough so that they shifted him to their transfer facility in Oklahoma to evaluate his health, and then they shipped him to this prison that has a terrible reputation and is understaffed," she said. "He's been in solitary for seven years, and they put him in general population when he's not well?"
Investigators believe the attack was carried out by more than one person. One of them, the Boston Globe said, is suspected to be Freddy Geas, a mafia hitman from West Springfield. Geas's attorney told Parker earlier this week that he also wondered why Bulger was in general population.
Cyr thinks that someone should be punished for Bulger's death.
"You have to stop and think about what life is like in prison," she said. "You're absolutely helpless. So for them to have allowed him into general pop, somebody should go to jail for that."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Ben Parker (@radiobenparker) reports