Massachusetts Author Gets Inside The Mind Of Whitey Bulger

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Karen Mills, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

Boston native Alison McLennan put her background in behavioral science to use, analyzing infamous criminal Whitey Bulger for her recent novel, Falling for Johnny.

As the ongoing trial of James "Whitey" Bulger draws headlines in Boston, Massachusetts native Alison McLennan is no stranger to the workings of the infamous mobster's criminal mind. The author made Bulger the fictional main character of her recent novel, Falling for Johnny.

McLennan’s insight into Bulger’s criminal mind is a fascinating look at the man who is once more in Boston’s spotlight. “I’m not talking about my opinion of his actions, but how he thought about them,” says McLennan. “I’ve tried to get into his head and see how he views the world.”

For years, Bulger has sometimes been portrayed as a Robin Hood- type of criminal, while others know him as a dangerous gangster. With her background in behavioral science, McLennan weighs in on the debate.

“I wouldn’t say either or, I would say both,” says McLennan. “Some people call him a monster or a psychopath, but those insinuate creatures that destroy everything. Bulger, however, was very calculating. He decided on crime as a career. He’s totally okay with killing people, which is completely outside of what’s acceptable. However, he has another side. He is very protective to people, and even animals, who are vulnerable and are no threat to him. This is not consistent with psychopathic behavior. He’s also calculating and not compulsive, which is not consistent with sociopathic behavior. Ted Bundy couldn’t maintain relationships, but Bulger could. He’s not that kind of killer.”

McLennan points out another reason why Bulger cannot be accurately described as a psychopath. “The FBI was not able to capture him for 16 years. He is incredibly disciplined. Serial killers have an obsessive compulsion, but Bulger is a career criminal. When he didn’t want to be found, he changed his behavior and was able to blend into society. He’s in complete control of his behavior, although he does have a temper.”

Breaking into the mind of the criminal requires a look at what made the person into a criminal in the first place. Bulger’s past holds some clues.

“He grew up really poor, in the projects in Southie,” says McLennan. “His father was disabled. He was the oldest of four, so Bulger had lots of responsibility, but he felt powerless. He was intelligent, but without discipline. Early on, he turned to petty crime through street gangs. He felt an incredible need for power and wealth.”

McLennan explains that Bulger’s past is part of the reason why he turned into a career criminal. “He was definitely motivated by a need for security and power. In his apartment building, they found $800,000 in cash. The stockpile of money and weapons are a security measure.”

A question that always surfaces is how the criminal felt about his victims. McLennan’s analysis has come up with an answer.

“He claims that he didn’t kill the two women,” says McLennan. “Even if he didn’t physically kill them, he was definitely at the scene with Stephen Flemmi and never stopped him. I think he regrets being involved in the murder of those two women. He’s self-deluded: he wants to think of himself as a hero. Killing women brings you down, even in the criminal world.”

However, Bulger is less remorseful in the cases of his other victims. “With the other murders, he rationalizes killing those men. It’s just a part of being in the underworld. They were threats. It is as soldiers think of casualties in a war.”

The world has been fascinated with Bulger for years. He is the basis for the 2006 movie The Departed and there are discussions of other Bulger-inspired Hollywood films in the works. McLennan’s novel revolves around a character that is heavily influenced by Bulger, and she spent hours analyzing him for an accurate portrayal.

“When I was writing the novel, I listened to FBI videos online of how he talked,” says McLennan. “How he spoke, his body language, the kind of words he used—that is how I created a character that was as authentic as possible.”

McLennan’s behavioral analysis of Bulger’s character was unexpectedly confirmed in 2011 when Bulger was captured.

“When he was arrested, I was surprised: I didn’t think he would come back up in the news, as I thought he was either missing or dead,” says McLennan. “I sent him a letter in prison, and he personally responded. He sent me that first letter and I was really excited to get it. The most amazing thing about his letter was that the tone of it captured how I imagined his character to be.”

Now, McLennan is most curious about how Bulger would react to his portrayal in her novel, and wonders if he has read it.

“I did send him a copy of it (the book). I explained that it is fiction—that I took nuggets of the truth, then dramatized and took a lot of creative license. I would love to find out what he thought about it. I think he might be mad—there are a lot of scenes that make the character based on him look bad.”

McLennan’s novel, Falling for Johnny, is available on Amazon.com.