Whitey Bulger's "shocking" letter to high schoolers
Three Massachusetts teens are holding onto a piece of "most wanted" history from legendary crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger.
The girls wrote to him looking for his take on leadership as part of a school project -- and he wrote back, expressing regret for a life he called "wasted," reports CBS News correspondent Elaine Quijano.
"It was definitely shocking to see a letter from, basically, a serial killer, in your mailbox," Brittany Tanish said.
Bulger never testified during his trial, so the letter is a rare look at his life in his own words.
The one-page handwritten note was sent from a high-security federal penitentiary in Florida.
In it, 85-year-old Bulger wrote: "There are many people more deserving of your time and interests... Don't waste your time on such as I. We are society's lower, best forgotten, not looked to for advice on 'leadership'... I'm a 9th grade dropout from school and took the wrong road."
"I think that he was very remorseful and regretful, and kind of trying to stray us away from choosing him for a project," Mollykate Rodenbush said.
The three young women, now entering their senior year of high school, were working on a National History Day project about leadership and legacy.
"He was a primary source. Why not ask the source himself what he thought his legacy was?" Michaela Arguin said. "Even though he didn't directly answer it, what he did say was a lot different from what people think, like, he really is all about."
Bulger was captured in Santa Monica, California, in 2011 after 16 years on the run.
He was convicted in 2013 and sentenced to two life terms plus five years for his role in 11 murders, federal racketeering, extortion and conspiracy.
"It seemed pretty genuine to us. I mean, he still did it and he's still a horrible guy, but it was definitely a different side," Brittany said.
At the end of the letter, time-stamped by the prisoner at 1:10 a.m, Bulger said:
"My life was wasted and spent foolishly, brought shame and suffering on my parents and siblings and will end soon. Advice is a cheap commodity; some seek it from me about crime. If you want to make crime, pay 'go to law school'... best of luck in the future... sincerely James Bulger."
Bulger's lawyers said he didn't get a fair trial and a federal appeals court is scheduled to hear a request to have his 2013 conviction overturned. He is not expected to attend the arguments in Boston next month.