One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Santa Monica Neighbors Recall Whitey Bulger, Say He Was a Pretty Nice Guy
This combo of headshots shown during a publicity campaign to locate the fugitive mobster James "Whitey" Bulger. (AP Photo/FBI)
As James "Whitey" Bulger faces trial in Boston on charges of racketeering, his west coast neighbors who had no idea that the "grandfatherly" man who lived next door was in fact a a known fugitive say he was beloved in the Santa Monica 'hood, friendly and even gentle.Fox 11 interviewed some of them, from a woman who cut his hair to a neighbor who says he came out of his apartment at night to hand her a flashlight. Here are some of their encounters:
FAHIMEH/HAIR STYLIST "Very friendly, very sweet, very gentle." SHE SAYS HE NEVER HAD AN APPOINTMENT. HE JUST WALKED IN THE DOOR, REFUSED A SENIORS DISCOUNT, AND ALWAYS LEFT A 100-DOLLAR TIP.
CYNTHIA BERG/NEIGHBOR
"One time he came out and went across the street, and it was dark, and he brought me a flashlight and just said, 'You've got to be really careful around here.'"
SHE SAYS HE WAS A TOUGH GUY WITH AN EASTERN ACCENT AND STRONG OPINIONS. THAT HE SWORE A LOT AND HAD NO TOLERANCE FOR LOWLIFE'S AND TRANSIENTS.
Anyway, those stories are all well and good but this one is by far our favorite:
MIKE RAINE/NEIGHBOR "He absolutely adored animals." MIKE RAINE RECALLS AN INCIDENT WHERE HE SAW A LADY DISCIPLINING HER DOG.
MIKE RAINE/NEIGHBOR
"She slapped the dog a little bit. And he became very very upset and he says, 'I know where you live. If I ever see you do that again I will be there, ya know.'"
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
