He had his wife Sissy record some conversations with Westie Billy Bokun, brother of John, in which he admitted to killing Holly. (Video) Mickey Featherstone - 60 Minutes Interview TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. After deciding to cooperate with the authorities, Mr. Featherstone pleaded guilty to a Federal racketeering charge, admitting his participation in four murders, five murder conspiracies and additional acts of loan-sharking, drug dealing and other crimes. NEW YORK -- The wife of a reputed West Side mobster and three members of his Irish gang were indicted Wednesday in the killing of a loanshark, and the Manhattan prosecutor said the gang was responsible for 28 murders. [2] He had blond hair and was often said to be baby-faced. We welcome new information from any source about exonerations already on our list and about cases not in the Registry that might be exonerations. The Westies by T. J. English - Audiobook - Audible.com Judge Sweet, noting that Mr. Featherstone had already served the equivalent of a five-year sentence on a murder charge that was later dismissed, said the probation on the racketeering charge included conditions that the defendant take part in counseling and rehabilitation programs. His maniacal behavior also saw Featherstone spending parts of the early 1970s in various mental hospitals. Mr. Featherstone also provided information in other investigations, and testified in the continuing trial of several men accused of committing murders and other racketeering acts as part of the Gambino crime family. He was circumcised. Mickey nolonger has bad nightmares and is FULLY RECOVERED and states his past is a blur. Then in 1985, Coonan, fearing a power grab by Featherstone, set him up to take a fall for murder. Facing almost 25 years in jail, he became an informant and brought down Coonan's gang. Kevin Kelly (Westies), Anthony Senter (DeMeo crew), Carmine "The Snake" Persico (Boss of the Colombo Crime Family) Michael "Mickey Boy" Paradiso ( Gambino Crime Family Capo). . Dose anyone know what Micky looks like now? Mickey Featherstones Oldest Son Was in Kuwait before 9/11 and is now married to a School Teacher, His 2nd son Just received a Medal of Bravery from the armey his oldest daughter is married and has her own business and his youngest daughter is in college on a Athletic Schollarship. In the mid-1970s, these two longtime friends take the reins of New York's Irish mob, using brute force to give it hitherto unthinkable power. In March 1986, Featherstone was found guilty, and faced a sentence of 25 years to life. Despite a notably sweet and boyish face, Mickey Featherstone, a Vietnam veteran who had talked his way into the Green Berets at just seventeen years old, was known as one of the most vicious and ruthless members of the gang. Mickey Featherstone is an American Criminal. Grow up. It finally happened folks and it was a blast! [1] His testimony at Coonan's racketeering trial during 198788 helped to bring down Coonan's gang. It's men like Jimmy Coonan and Mickey Featherstone who gave Hell's Kitchen its name. He never saw combat. The Registry also maintains a more limited database of known exonerations prior to 1989. Kevin Kelly effectively took over the day to day running of the Westies when Jimmy Coonan moved to New Jersey. gb1993 2 yr. ago Put this image on your website to promote the show -, Report inappropriate content or request to remove this page. [5], "Books of The Times; The Rise and Fall of a Thoroughly Vicious Gang", "New York Stories: Hell's Kitchen Killers", "Admitted Westies Killer Who Informed Is Free", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mickey_Featherstone&oldid=1082198232, This page was last edited on 11 April 2022, at 21:33. Mickey Featherstone - Wikipedia We have no records . Mickey Featherstone, The Hitman Who Took Down The Westies Law enforcement attributed at least 30 unsolved murders to the gang and the innocuous-looking Mickey Featherstone was recognized as one of their most vicious members. Mickey knew he'd been framed, and was able to convince the police to let him prove it. Anonymous. [1][5] His wife Sissy co-operated with the District Attorney's office to tape incriminating conversations with gang members, including Bokun. He is famous for Irish American mobster and Vietnam Vet. From a New York Times-bestselling author: A true story of Irish gangsters in Manhattan"A harrowing account of big city crime" (Library Journal). In the mid-1970s, these two longtime friends take the reins of New York's Irish mob, using brute force to give it hitherto unthinkable power. These convictions marked the demise of the reign of the Westies. From a New York Times-bestselling author: A true story of Irish gangsters in Manhattan--"A harrowing account of big city crime" (Library Journal). Mickey Featherstone girlfriend, wife list. Meet Mickey Featherstone, The Deranged Hitman Who Turned Informant And Helped Bring Down The Westies. Public DomainGambino boss Paul Castellano. By the late 1970s, the Westies had also become an enforcement arm of the equally feared Gambino family, carrying out assigned executions and sharing in weekly profits. New York law enforcement attributed at least thirty unsolved murders to the Westies in the 1970s and 1980s, and they were known as an extremely violent group, even by gang standards. Meanwhile, the District Attorneys office agreed to work with Featherstones wife to obtain evidence confirming Featherstones claims. The Westies: Inside New York's Irish Mob - Goodreads She was arrested Wednesday in her home in Hazlet, N.J. Three other members of the Irish gang were charged with carrying out the killing of Vincent Leone, 47, the recording secretary of Local 1909 of the International Longshoremen's Association. [1][2] He began spending time in saloons like Club 596 and Sunbrite that were hangouts for the Westies.[2]. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod. Contract murders are a relatively new enterprise, they said. Nebraska students toss water balloons for Guinness World Record. How feared was Mickey Featherstonereally? His biological father is Jewish and mother Catholic. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Mickey Featherstone is a member of the following lists: People from Manhattan, 1947 births and American military personnel of the Vietnam War. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. According to The National Registry of Exonerations, Francis "Mickey" Featherstone was a member of the violent Irish organized crime gang known as the Westies, who sought power in the underworld of New York City's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood from the 1960s to the late '80s. April 28 (UPI) -- A South Carolina woman won a $300,000 prize from a scratch-off lottery ticket just three years after winning a $250,000 lottery jackpot. [4], Featherstone was convicted in March 1986 for the April 1985 murder of Michael Holly, despite being innocent of this particular murder, which was a revenge attack probably carried out by another of the Westies, Billy Bokun. Sissy Featherstone had regular interactions with Billy Bokun, and she was able to record Bokun describing the shooting of Michael Holly while wearing a wig, as well as expressing his belief that Kevin Kelly had asked him to wear the wig in order to eliminate Featherstone as a competitor for power within the Westies. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Seems like a quiet shy guy but in reality he's a stone cold killer. Disney sues Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over control of Reedy Creek Francis T. "Mickey" Featherstone (born September 2, 1948) is a former Irish American mobster and member of the Westies, an organized crime syndicate from Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan in New York City, led by James Coonan. In late November, McElroy and Kelly also paid a visit to their leader, Morgenthau said. On this installment we will discuss what caused the rift between, This week we are getting even deeper into Hell's Kitchen. He would act out frequently while in the hospitals, leading to him being restrained and injected with thorazine. ''And he's in a pickle now where he has to lie.'' Mr. Moresco's own life is deeply enmeshed in that of the Hell's Kitchen where he grew up in. All these years later, the legend of the wild, wild Westies -- the Gaelic gangsters of the '80s and '90s, led by the likes of Jimmy Coonan and Mickey Featherstone -- lives on. Free Podcast Hosting with custom domain. Is he still alive? Admitted Westies Killer Who Informed Is Free - New York Times All NRE reports represent a moment in time. Featherstone was convicted in 1986, but his conviction was reversed later that year when the actual shooter was identified. He volunteered for combat in Vietnam and would claim he spent time killing with the Special Forces. Law enforcement attributed at least 30 unsolved murders to the gang and the innocuous-looking Mickey Featherstone was recognized as one of their most vicious members. Featherstone committed several mob killings before he was convicted in 1986 of a murder he had not committed. Mickey, whose memories of Vietnam torture him daily, is his enforcer. According to our records, Mickey Featherstone is possibly single. She said the Government explained the scope and value of his cooperation, along with the severity of his offense. Tucker Carlson out at Fox News: What it took to topple Tucker. He could have been sentenced to a maximum of 20 years for racketeering. There where a series of gruesome murders taking place in the neighborhood and Jimmy Coonan and, This week we are starting a multi-part series with Justin Rimmel of the Mysterious Circumstances Podcast to talk about one of the most violent, brutal crime organizations in New York City from the 60's-80's The Westies. But the Westies eventual downfall would come thanks to Mickey Featherstone himself, after he was framed for the murder of Michael Holly by Coonan in 1985. Lol. He had been discharged from the army in 1967, suffering from hallucinations, and spent years in and out of a mental hospital. The District Attorneys office agreed to work with Featherstones wife, Sissy Featherstone, to see if they could obtain evidence confirming Featherstones claims. The Westies, now officially on record with the Italian American mob, were allowed to use the Gambino name and reputation, and construction profits would be shared, including those from the forthcoming Jacob Javits Convention Center. Judge Sweet said at the sentencing of Mr. Featherstone that the sentence involved an effort to balance ''a violent past, a redemptive present and an uncertain future. The Westies: Inside the Hell's Kitchen Irish Mob - amazon.com He is also working with Movie Director Sheridan on a movie about the Westies called Emerald City that will be out in 2008 He expects to make some fierce funds from this. Yeah, Featherstone is a strange character. The Wild Westies' last stand? - IrishCentral.com Relationships. DeSantis amid feud over self-governing privileges. Featherstone had served in the Vietnam War, but was discharged in 1967 after hallucinations landed him in a mental hospital. For example, Featherstone got probation for shooting a man in the arm, and when he killed a man outside a bar in 1971, Featherstone beat the rap with an insanity plea. 'That's the way they get the message out.'. Feb 13, 2011 #28. 1 killed in shooting at Massachusetts house party, Heavy shelling in Kherson, Kharkiv destroys residences, Cuba postpones International Workers' Day parade over fuel shortages, Democrats, Republicans remain split on debt ceiling plan, SpaceX Falcon Heavy launches following aborted mission, delays. Scan this QR code to download the app now. Who's Online Now: 1 registered members (1 invisible), 74 guests, and 3 spiders. ''These conditions are imposed to protect you from a psychiatric breakdown and any resulting harm to the community in which you will live. Alleged Westie's boss Jimmy Coonan, taken in 2015 in prison. Led by Jimmy Coonan and, From an introduction made by his long time friend Tom Sheer, Joe Poletto was introduced to Art Ruffles, special agent in charge of the FBIs organized crime unit in charge of the Gambino, DeMeo and Westies cases. on our list, Other Featherstone was born on West 43rd St.,[1] one of nine children. Mr. Featherstone and his family are now in the Government's witness protection program, which provides for relocating them under a new name. After weaseling out of three murder charges, and most likely being responsible for countless others, an internal dispute within the Westies would result in Featherstone finally and ironically going to prison for a murder he didn't really commit. Connect any celebrity with Mickey Featherstone to see how closely they are linked romantically! Neil Patmore is a former police officer, and private investigator. Federal officials said Friday that Mr. Featherstone was released from custody on Dec. 23, two days after he was given probation on a racketeering charge involving the Westies, a gang that terrorized an area of Manhattan west of Eighth Avenue between 42d and 57th Streets. us about an exoneration that we may have missed, Correct an error or add information about an exoneration [4] Mickey Spillane, the mob leader in Hell's Kitchen at the time, was shot five times outside his apartment in August 1977, and Featherstone was arrested but acquitted for his killing. After learning about Mickey Featherstone, read how Irish mobster Danny Greene took on the Cleveland Mafia or learn about mobster Frank The Irishman Sheeran. In April 1986, Featherstone was convicted of Hollys murder and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Alligator removed from South Carolina resident's garage. Francis "Mickey" Featherstone, a leader of New York City's Irish organized crime gang known as the Westies, was set up by other members of the gang to take the fall for the 1985 murder of Michael Holly. Featherstone was linked by two eyewitnesses, as well as circumstantial evidence, as the car driven by the shooter was traced to the trucking company where Featherstone was employed. Support The National Registry of Exonerations , The Contribution of Forensic and Expert Evidence to DNA Exoneration Cases, Race and Wrongful Convictions in the United States, 2022, Government Misconduct and Convicting the Innocent, Witness Recantations: Preliminary Findings, May 2013, Exonerations in the United States: 1989 - 2012, Tell us about an Exoneration that we missed, Tell An unhinged man with a hot temper and a hair trigger, Mickey Featherstone was known to kill for little to no reason at all. Facing almost 25 years in jail, he became an informant and brought down Coonan's gang. In the late 1970s, the Westies began collaborating with the Gambino family and its notorious Mafia, with the Westies functioning as an enforcer arm of the Gambino ring carrying out assigned executions and sharing in weekly profits. Well never sell your personal information. [1] He served in heavy combat and then as a stock clerk. Mickey Featherstone: The Dangerous Hitman Currently Free In - Grunge On Dec. 21, he received a suspended sentence with five years of probation after Federal and state authorities sent letters commending his cooperation to Judge Robert W. Sweet, who sentenced him in Federal District Court in Manhattan. Mickey, whose memories of Vietnam torture him daily, is his enforcer. [5] He was freed in December 1988[5] and went into a witness protection program. After his conviction was overturned, he struck a deal with the authorities to inform on his own organization. #opensource #serverless. McElroy and Bokun are in jail charged with other killings. Featherstone contacted prosecutors from his trial and convinced them that the shooter may have been Billy Bokun, wearing a wig to look like Featherstone. Who is he dating right now? Released to the streets of Hells Kitchen in 1975, Featherstone formed an association with another feared gangster, Jimmy Coonan, a stone-cold killer with a fierce reputation. Courtroom. The following day, Featherstone was arrested and eventually charged with Hollys murder one of the few murders he, ironically, didnt commit. Books of The Times; The Rise and Fall of a Thoroughly Vicious Gang The man the gang judged responsible for the murder, Michael Holly, skipped town to escape the heat, but returned a few years later. Ron DeSantis and other officials . The car driven by the shooter had been abandoned on the street, and it was traced to the trucking company where Featherstone was employed at that time. According to our records, Mickey Featherstone is possibly single. Anyone can read what you share. Morgethau said the gang began as gamblers and loansharks but have committed 28 murders, five of which have been solved. Left to Right. As a freelance writer, he spends his time writing about true crime. Featherstone and the other Westies became known as ruthless killers who enjoyed near complete impunity due to the fear they struck in potential witnesses. He was born on the upper West Side and his mother worked with the VFW and his father was a U. S. Customs officer. He had been informed by Westies member Kevin Kelly the night before Hollys murder that Holly was going to be killed. April 28 (UPI) -- A lost dog in Northern Ireland was found 26 days later after walking more than 40 miles to the home of his former owners. Rich and Shefsky, joined by show favorite Jeremiah Watkins, took over the Bel, 12 Angry Menis a 1957 Americancourtroom drama filmdirected bySidney Lumet, adapted from ateleplay of the same namebyReginald Rose. Mickey Featherstone interview at 29 mins. : r/Mafia - Reddit Chastising them for murdering two important Mafia loan sharks in Manhattan, Castellano told Coonan the Westies should pay the family 10 percent from all of their illegal proceeds and in turn, the Gambinos would finance the Westies loansharking operation. Defense Lawyers' Complaints. Cookie Notice On April 25, 1985, 41-year-old Holly was walking down a New York street when a man stepped out of a car and shot him five times, using a gun with a silencer. The three, James McElroy, 36, William Bokun, 29, and Kevin Kelly, 31, allegedly killed Leone in Guttenberg, N.J., on Feb. 11, 1984. After his conviction, Featherstone quickly concluded that Westies members and Kenneth Aronson had colluded to set him up to take the fall for Hollys murder. I wonder how much of it was drugs. They said that over the years it has been steeped in gambling and loansharking. Stranded bear rescued from Nevada tree using tranquilizer, tarp. Public DomainJimmy Coonan, the ruthless leader of the Westies in the 1970s. #7 Convicted ''One of your trademarks was the murder and dismemberment of your victims in order to terrorize and avoid detection,'' the judge said, adding that Mr. Featherstone had been ''hospitalized for alcoholic addiction and psychiatric problems.''. But now, Coonan realized he could kill two birds with one stone. There were witnesses to the shooting, all of whom described the shooter as a man fitting Featherstones description. We start getting into the deep water on talking about the Westies and their activities in the late 1970's early 1980's. In the mid-1970s, these two longtime friends take the reins of New York's Irish mob, using brute force to give it hitherto unthinkable power. The shooter, Featherstone learned, was Billy Bokun. 2 mo. District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said the gang was linked with the Gambino crime family, New York's strongest Mafia group, and served as 'hired guns' for the Gambinos, whose reputed leader, John Gotti, is standing trial in Brooklyn. Mickey Featherstone dating history - Who's Dated Who? Mickey Featherstone - Top podcast episodes - Listen Notes With the new information provided by Featherstone in 1986, prosecutors were able to obtain indictments against eight members of the Westies, including leader Jimmy Coonan, and all but one were convicted. [3][4] He received a medical discharge in 1967 after just a year, claiming to have hallucinations. Help us build our profile of Mickey Featherstone! April 28 (UPI) -- An isolated private island off the coast of Scotland is for sale with an asking price of about $188,000. She was able to record Bokun describing the shooting of Michael Holly while wearing a wig as Featherstone. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. After effectively destroying the Irish mob in Manhattan, 38-year-old Mickey Featherstone entered the witness protection program and has lived under the radar ever since. Those who knew him in the neighborhood often crossed the street when they saw him coming their way. Brisman Craigslist Murder Phillip Markoff was born 1986. Morgenthau said the gang thought Leone 'manipulated the reporting of sports bets and deprived the Westies and the Gambinos of their share in the proceeds.'. 229. Jimmy on the left & Larry Sessa, alleged Colombo Crime Family mobster. The wife of a reputed West Side mobster and - UPI Archives ''At least for the time being,'' the judge said, ''the Westies have been broken as an organization, largely as a result of your cooperation.''. This dichotomy was Mickey in essence. After providing the necessary information about the crimes of his fellow Westies, 38-year-old Francis Mickey Featherstone entered the federal witness protection program. In part one we are covering the backstory of the main characters, Jimmy Coonan , CRiiiME LiiiVE! On April 25, 1985, Billy Bokun (John Bokuns brother), wearing a wig to look like Featherstone, approached Holly on a crowded street and killed him, firing five bullets into his back. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Francis T. "Mickey" Featherstone (born September 2, 1948) is a former Irish American mobster and member of the Westies, an organized crime syndicate from Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan in New York City, led by James Coonan. In the criminal underworld, trust is a slippery commodity. Featherstone's penchant for violence and intimidation caught the eye of Coonan and Featherstone became Coonan's right-hand man by 1976. In the mid-1970s, these two longtime friends take the reins of New York's Irish mob, using brute force to give it hitherto unthinkable power. Kelly is a fugitive who has been indicted for the attempted murder of a carpenter's union official. Feather stone was CONVICTED of murder in 86 so he was off the street minimum in 1985 in which Alite was 23 a steroid pimple faced wannabee in Queens and mixing with guys in Manhattans Hell's Kitchen? Coonan's former underling, Francis 'Mickey' Featherstone, has pleaded guilty to a federal racketeering charge and is cooperating with authorities, leading to the recent spate of arrests. ''Mickey has always lied,'' Mr. Moresco said. THE LORD'S OF HELL'S KITCHEN - The New York Times en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_Featherstone, This week we finish up our series with Justin Rimmel from Mysterious Circumstances talking about the downfall of one of the most violent gangs in the history of NYC. Can you list the top facts and stats about Mickey Featherstone? Privacy Policy. ago. It's men like Jimmy Coonan and Mickey Featherstone who gave Hell's Kitchen its name. When Steins torso washed up a few days later, a member of the gang was overheard saying we should have cut the lungs open according to the Associated Press. Inside The Murder Of Actress Lana Clarkson And Her Heartbreaking Final Hours, This Medieval Warrior Died During The Battle Of Visby And Scientists Just Recreated His Wound In All Its Gory Glory, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch.
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