Appeals Court to Re-Hear Case of Ex-FBI Agent Turned Mobster

MIAMI (Associated Press) — A Florida appeals court in February will reconsider its decision to toss the murder conviction and prison sentence for a former FBI agent in a mob-style killing linked to jailed Boston mobster James “Whitey” Bulger.

The 3rd District Court of Appeal set oral arguments Feb. 12 in the case of ex-agent John Connolly. A three-judge panel of the court ruled in May that Connolly’s second-degree murder conviction was barred by the statute of limitations because a firearms enhancement was improperly applied.

Miami-Dade County prosecutors say the appeals decision was wrong and sought a rehearing by the full court.

Connolly is serving 40 years in the 1982 slaying of Miami gambling executive John Callahan. Although a hit man shot Callahan, testimony showed Connolly fed information to Bulger leading to his killing.