May 20, 2010: Whitey Bulger's secret child

>> Emily: TONIGHT ON "GREATER
BOSTON" UNRAVELING A SECRET IN
THE LIFE OF WHITEY BULGER.
THE WOMAN WHO GAVE BIRTH TO THE
GANGSTER'S CHILD.
AND PLUS THE JOBS REBOUND IN
MASSACHUSETTS AND WHAT IT MEANS
FOR THE GOVERNOR'S RACE.
AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE ART OF
THE DANCE.
JARED BOWEN ON BOSTON'S "BLACK
AND WHITE."
Closed Captioning
brought to you by AFLAC:
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>> Emily: GOOD EVENING.
WE THOUGHT WE KNEW EVERYTHING
ABOUT WHITEY BULGER, BUT NOW NEW
DETAILS ARE EMERGING ABOUT THE
PRIVATE LIFE OF THE NOTORIOUS
BOSTON MOBSTER.
A WEYMOUTH WOMAN CLAIMS SHE AND
BULGER HAD A SON IN 1967 AND
THAT HE WAS THE DOTING FATHER
UNTIL THE CHILD'S UNTIMELY
DEATH.
15 YEARS AFTER HE WENT ON THE
LAM, WHITEY BULGER IS STILL
WANTED FOR 19 COUNTS OF MURDER.
AND HE'S STILL MAKING NEWS.
THE FBI IS ASKING PLASTIC
SURGEONS AROUND THE COUNTRY IF
THEY'D TREATED BULGER'S

GIRLFRIEND, AND THEY'RE
APPEALING A WRONGFUL DEATH AWARD
TO THE TWO OF BULGER'S VICTIMS.
AND NOW LINDSEY CYR IS OFFERING
AN UNEXPECTED TAKE ON THE SOUTH
BOSTON GANGSTER, DISCUSSING THE
RELATIONSHIP, THE SON THEY HAD
TOGETHER, AND THE WAY BULGER
CHANGED AFTER THEIR SON'S DEATH.
JOINING ME NOW IS LINDSEY CYR
WHO HAD A SON WITH WHITEY BULGER
IN 1967.
QUITE A STORY.
>> HE WOULD BE 43 ON SATURDAY.
>> Emily: HE WOULD BE 43 --
>> DOUGLAS WOULD BE 43 ON
SATURDAY.
>> Emily: WOW.
A LONG TIME AGO.
HOW DID YOU FIRST MEET WHITEY
BULGER?
>> ACTUALLY, I WAS A LEGAL
SECRETARY AND WORKING TO MAKE
EXTRA MONEY FROM 5:00 TO 9:00 IN
THE MORNING.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN A BIG SLEEPER,
AT A SMALL RESTAURANT RIGHT IN
NORTH QUINCY CENTER BECAUSE I
WORKED FOR THOMAS ENSBERG, JR.,
IN THOSE DAYS.
HE WAS WORKING CONSTRUCTION,
PUTTING -- PUTTING AN ADDITION
ON THE QUINCY SAVINGS BANK
BUILDING.
>> Emily: SO HE HAD A LEGITIMATE
JOB BACK THEN?
>> HE WAS RUNNING A JACKHAMMER.
>> Emily: HE CAUGHT YOUR EYE AND
YOU STARTED DATING.
>> HE CAME IN ONE MORNING FOR
BREAKFAST.
HE TALKED, HE WAS VERY GENTLE,
QUIET.
>> Emily: DID HE HAVE ANOTHER
GIRLFRIEND?
>> I DIDN'T THINK SO.
I DIDN'T WANT TO BE A GIRLFRIEND
FOR ANYBODY.
FINALLY, HE TALKED ME INTO A
COOKOUT, EXPLAINED TO ME IF IT
WAS A DAYTIME IT WASN'T REALLY A
DATE.
DATES WERE IN THE DARK.
BUT WE PROBABLY TALKED TO EACH
OTHER FOR TWO MONTHS IN THE
MORNING AT BREAKFAST.
AND HE RESCUED ME ONE MORNING
FROM AN UNPLEASANT SCENE.
HE WAS ALWAYS THERE.
VERY NICE, VERY GENTLEMANLY.
VERY WELL READ.
AND VERY KIND.
>> Emily: DID YOU KNOW ANYTHING
ABOUT HIM, HIS FAMILY?
>> ACTUALLY, I NEW BILLY BECAUSE
HE -- MY BOSS WAS A BIG-TIME
DEMOCRAT.
AND HE WAS AN ATTORNEY AND I WAS
THE LEGAL SECRETARY, SO I KNEW
OF HIM.
AND HE -- I THINK HE AND TOMMY
HAD HAD A COUPLE OF THINGS
TOGETHER.
AND PAST THAT, I KNEW NOTHING
ABOUT HIM.
ACTUALLY, I THINK WE HAVE THIS
SORT OF -- WE HAVE TO THINK
ABOUT THE TIMES BECAUSE I
REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME THAT HE
ASKED ME OUT TO GO TO THE PARKER
HOUSE DANCING ON A FRIDAY
NIGHT --
>> Emily: A MORE SERIOUS DATE.
>> WELL, THAT WAS WHEN WE
GRADUATED IN THE DARK.
AND TOMMY SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW,
BILLY'S GOT A REALLY BIG FAMILY.
THERE ARE A BUNCH OF GIRLS AND
SOME BROTHERS, ONE OF THEM IS A
REAL BAD ACTOR.
AND MY IMPRESSION OF COURSE WAS
IT COULDN'T POSSIBLY BE HIM.
I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY SIX
MONTHS OR EIGHT MONTHS BEFORE I
MET JACKIE, AND I KNEW THERE
WERE FIVE SISTERS BY THAT POINT.
SO I JUST -- I NEVER REALLY
ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
>> Emily: SO HOW MANY YEARS HAD
YOU BEEN DATING BY THE TIME YOU
HAD THE CHILD?
>> ABOUT A YEAR.
A YEAR AND A HALF.
AND WE -- UNTIL OUR RELATIONSHIP
BECAME SERIOUS, AND HE THEN --
THEN HE SAID TO ME WE REALLY
HAVE TO TALK.
I SAID, OKAY, FINE.
HE SAID, YOUR CHOICE IS PEER
FOUR OR JIMMY'S HARBORSIDE.
I PICKED JIMMY'S HARBORSIDE AND
HE BEGAN TO TELL ME THE STORY OF
HIS LIFE.
I WAS SHOCKED.
>> Emily: WHAT DID HE TELL YOU?
>> HE TOLD ME HE HAD ROBBED
BANKS YEARS BEFORE.
THAT HE HAD SPENT A YEAR ON THE
FBI'S TEN MOST WANTED LIST.
AND THAT HE HAD DONE 9 1/2 YEARS
OF A 20-YEAR LIFE BIT.
AND THAT HE HAD BEEN IN ALCATRAZ
AND THAT HE NEVER INTENDED TO GO
BACK TO JAIL AGAIN.
>> Emily: DID HE TELL YOU HE WAS
CLEAN AT THE TIME THEN?
>> I -- I DON'T THINK THAT WAS
PART OF THE DISCUSSION, BUT HE
WAS STILL WORKING -- HE WAS
STILL WORKING CONSTRUCTION SO I
ASSUMED HE WAS.
AND I ASSUMED WHEN HE SAID HE'D
NEVER GO BACK TO JAIL THAT HE
WASN'T DOING ANYTHING THAT WOULD
PUT HIM THERE.
>> Emily: ALL RIGHT.
SO WHAT DID HE -- HOW DID HE
REACT WHEN YOU TOLD HIM YOU WERE
PREGNANT?
>> UM, I'VE ALWAYS SAID JIMMY
CAN DO SILENCE BETTER THAN
ANYONE IN THE WORLD OTHER THAN
MY STEPFATHER.
HE WAS TOTALLY SILENT AND HE
LOOKED AT ME AND HE SAID, IT'S
TOO DANGEROUS.
I AT THE TIME WAS ALL OF 21, HE
WAS 16 YEARS OLDER THAN I.
I SAID TO HIM, I'M SURE I'LL BE
FINE.
NO, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, HE
SAID.
HE SAID, I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT
THIS.
AND I -- I MEAN, TO ME, AT THE
POINT WHERE SOMEONE SAYS YOU'RE
PREGNANT, YOU'RE DONE.
THERE'S NOT MUCH TO THINK ABOUT.
BUT HE SAID I'LL GET BACK TO
YOU.
AND I SAID -- SO HE TOOK ME HOME
AND HE CALLED ME THE NEXT DAY
AND HE SAID WE HAVE TO SERIOUSLY
TALK.
HE SAID, THIS IS DANGEROUS.
IT'S DANGEROUS FOR YOU.
IT'S DANGEROUS FOR THE BABY.
AND IT'S VERY DANGEROUS FOR ME.
AND -- SO HE SAT DOWN AND HE
EXPLAINED TO ME THAT HE WAS NOT
WORKING CONSTRUCTION ANYMORE.
AND -- BECAUSE I WAS WORKING
EVERY DAY.
I HAD NO IDEA WHAT HE DID.
HE LIVED WITH HIS MOTHER.
>> Emily: YEAH.
>> AND I SAID, OKAY.
AND HE SAID THIS IS TOO
DANGEROUS.
>> Emily: BECAUSE HE FEARED THE
CHILD WOULD BE TARGETED IN SOME
WAY?
>> EXACTLY.
THERE ARE FOUR PEOPLE I WILL
TURN UP ON THE STREET CORNER FOR
YOU.
YOU, MY MOTHER, AND THE CHILD.
>> Emily: DID HE WANT YOU TO
HAVE AN ABORTION?
>> NO.
I DIDN'T BELIEVE IN ABORTION.
I BELIEVED IT SHOULD BE
AVAILABLE.
>> Emily: WHEN HE TOLD YOU IT
WAS TOO DANGEROUS, WHAT DID HE
WANT YOU TO DO?
GET OUT OF DODGE?
>> NO.
I THINK IT WAS SUCH A SHOCK TO
HIM.
I THINK HE WAS KIND OF DUMB
STRUCK, IF YOU WILL, AND HE WAS
TRYING TO FIGURE -- AND IT
JUST -- I THINK IT WAS THE WORST
POSSIBLE SCENARIO FOR HIM.
>> Emily: NOW, HOW WAS HE AROUND
THE BABY?
>> HE WAS WONDERFUL.
>> Emily: REALLY?
>> YEAH, HE REALLY WAS.
I HAD A REALLY HARD TIME AND
ENDED UP IN INTENSIVE CARE.
AND I WOKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE NIGHT AND HE WAS SITTING
NEXT TO ME AND HE SAID YOU WILL
NEVER DO THIS AGAIN.
AND I LOOKED AT HIM AND HE SAID,
YOU ALMOST DIED, DO YOU KNOW HOW
CLOSE YOU CAME?
WELL, I'M STILL BREATHING NOW, I
THINK.
BECAUSE I WAS A LITTLE HAZY.
HE SAID, YOU'RE FINE, BUT YOU
WILL NEVER DO THIS AGAIN.
I SAID, HOW'S THE BABY?
HE SAID HE'S GORGEOUS.
AND HE'S DEFINITELY A BULGER.
I SAID, REALLY?
>> Emily: HOW MUCH TIME DID HE
SPEND WITH HIM OVER -- THE BABY
WAS ONLY 5 1/2 OR 6 WHEN HE
DIED?
>> 6 1/2.
HE BECAME ILL ON A FRIDAY AND HE
WAS DEAD ON MONDAY NIGHT.
JIMMY WAS ALWAYS IN AND OUT OF
THE HOUSE, AROUND THE HOUSE.
HE WAS THERE AT LEAST THREE OR
FOUR NIGHTS A WEEK.
WE DID THINGS TOGETHER.
WE WENT AWAY ON TRIPS, THE THREE
OF US.
I WORKED, HE'D TURN UP AT THE
OFFICE OR I PARKED AT HIS HOUSE
BECAUSE HE LIVED WITH HIS MOTHER
AND TOOK THE SUBWAY TO WORK.
AND WE ALWAYS WENT OUT ON
WEEKENDS.
HE WAS VERY MUCH A PART OF OUR
LIVES.
>> Emily: AND WHAT HAPPENED TO
THE BABY?
HE GOT REY SYNDROME, WHICH IS
STILL A PHENOMENON TODAY.
DID HE GET SICK FIRST AND YOU
GAVE HIMS A RUN?
>> YES.
HE STARTED THE SECOND GRADE.
THEY THINK HE HAD CHICKENPOX
INTERNALLY.
HE HAD BEEN HOME SICK ALL WEEK.
IT JUST SO HAPPENED I WASN'T
WORKING.
I WAS ON UNEMPLOYMENT AT THE
TIME.
YOU KNOW, I TOOK HIM TO THE
DOCTOR'S AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
ON WEDNESDAY, HE SEEMED BETTER,
ON THURSDAY I THOUGHT HE WAS
REALLY GOOD AND WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT HE COULD GO
TO SCHOOL, BECAUSE THEY HAD
HAD -- HE HAD HAD PERFECT
ATTENDANCE ALL THE WAY THROUGH
THE FIRST GRADE.
HE WAS UPSET HE HAD LOST PERFECT
ATTENDANCE.
I SAID TO JIMMY THURSDAY NIGHT,
I THINK HE'S GOING TO SCHOOL
TOMORROW.
JIMMY SAID SOMETHING ABOUT --
IT'S FRIDAY.
WHY BOTHER, SEND HIM MONDAY.
AND FRIDAY HE WAS SICKER.
SO I TOOK HIM TO THE DOCTOR'S,
IN THE AFTERNOON.
AND HE WAS VOMITING AGAIN AND HE
WAS JUST MISERABLE.
AND THE DOCTORS GAVE ME
MEDICATION FOR THE VOMITING
WHICH I GAVE HIM ABOUT 5:00 WHEN
WE GOT HOME, AND IT DIDN'T SEEM
TO MAKE HIM BETTER.
I GAVE HIM A BATH TO MAKE HIM
MORE COMFORTABLE, AND JIM CALLED
AS HE ALWAYS DID.
HE SAID, HOW'S IT GOING?
I SAID, HE'S SICKER.
AND MY PEDIATRICIAN WAS ACTUALLY
OUT OF TOWN, SO I HAD GONE TO
THE COVERING PEDIATRICIAN.
BAD THINGS ALWAYS HAPPEN WHEN
YOU'RE DEALING WITH A STRANGER.
AND HE TOLD ME TO TAKE HIM TO
THE EXETER ROOM IF I WAS THAT
CONCERNED.
IN THE '60'S OR '70'S, THAT WAS
SOMETHING THEY SAID TO YOU TO
MAKE YOU STAY HOME.
SO I WAS TALKING TO HIM ON THE
PHONE AND I SAID, HE REALLY --
HE JUST ISN'T RIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW WHY.
AND HE SAID TO ME, WELL, YOU'RE
THE BEST MOTHER I HAVE EVER SEEN
IN MY LIFE, SO IF YOU THINK
THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG, TAKE
HIM TO THE EXETER ROOM.
WELL, I GOT UP TO GET HIS BATH
ROBE TO GO, BECAUSE TO PUT A
BATH ROBE ON HIM.
AND I GRABBED THE BLANKET
THANKFULLY OFF THE BED IN HIS
ROOM AS I WALKED BACK INTO MY
ROOM.
HE LOOKED UP AT ME AND HE SAID,
I LOVE YOU, MOMMY, AND HE BECAME
VIOLENT.
I COULD NOT CONTROL HIM.
SO I THREW THE BLANKET OVER HIM
AND DIVED ON TO HIM.
WRAPPED HIM, GRABBED HIM,
GRABBED THE CAR KEYS AND THE
MEDICATIONS THAT THE DOCTOR HAD
GIVEN ME IN CASE IT WAS WRONG
AND HEADED FOR THE HOSPITAL.
AND TRUTHFULLY, I FORGOT TO CALL
JIMMY, SO THEY FINALLY ABOUT --
I GUESS IT WAS ABOUT 1:00 IN THE
MORNING THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD
TO GO HOME.
AND SO -- I HAD NOT FILLED THE
CAR WITH GAS AS I USUALLY DID ON
FRIDAY AND I RAN IT OUT OF GAS
AND I WALKED HOME.
AND THEY CALLED ABOUT 4:00 IN
THE MORNING AND THEY -- I HAD
NOT GIVEN THEM PERMISSION TO
TRANSPORT, SO I SAID, WELL, I
DON'T KNOW HOW QUICKLY I CAN GET
THERE.
HE SAID, MASS GENERAL HAD AGREED
TO TAKE HIM.
I SAID, BUT PUT A WITNESS ON THE
PHONE, I'LL GIVE YOU A VERBAL
PERMISSION TO TRANSPORT.
AND I DID -- I DID THAT AND THEN
I CALLED MY FATHER TO COME AND
GET ME AND TAKE ME.
WE MADE IT UP TO THE HOSPITAL
BEFORE THEY MOVED HIM.
AND HE HAD HAD THREE CARDIAC
ARRESTS BY THEM.
>> Emily: OH.
>> AND IT WAS THE -- THE NIGHT
MARE WAS ON.
>> Emily: I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE.
WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT?
YOU WERE TOGETHER 12 YEARS.
>> YES.
>> Emily: DID HE DRIFT OFF AFTER
THAT?
>> WELL, HE CHANGED.
FIRST OF ALL, I BECAME VERY
INVOLVED WITH A GROUP OF PARENTS
IN THE NATIONAL REY SYNDROME
FOUNDATION.
WE WERE TRYING TO GET IT
REPORTABLE IN ALL 50 STATES, SO
THERE WAS A LOT OF TRAVELING AND
PUBLIC SPEAKING AND THINGS OF
THAT NATURE.
AND WE WERE REALLY BEING
HAMPERED BY VARIOUS AND SUNDRY
THINGS INCLUDING JOHNSON &
JOHNSON BECAUSE TYLENOL WASN'T
READY YET.
>> Emily: EXACTLY.
FAST FORWARDING A BIT NOW.
HE STAYED IN YOUR LIFE ON AND
OFF.
ALWAYS A GIRLFRIEND.
>> ALWAYS --
>> Emily: WHEN HE LEFT HERE IN
1995, YOU HAVE REPORTED YOU TOLD
"THE BOSTON GLOBE" AND THE FBI,
THAT YOU TALKED TO HIM TWICE.
ONCE IN '95 AND ONCE IN '02 OR
'03, YOU CAN'T REMEMBER.
WHAT DID HE SAY?
>> IN '05, THE PHONE RANG, IT
WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT,
AS WAS FREQUENTLY THE CASE.
I GRABBED IT AND HE -- YOU KNOW,
I SAID HELLO.
I WAS ASLEEP.
HE SAID IT'S ME.
AND I SAID, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?
BECAUSE THERE WAS NO REASON FOR
HIM TO BE CALLING ME AT 3:00 IN
THE MORNING.
HE SAID, I'M FINE.
BUT THERE'S TROUBLE.
AND HE SAID, YOU'LL HEAR A LOT
OF NONSENSE, DON'T WORRY ABOUT
IT.
I'M FINE.
AND I HAVE INSURANCE AND IT'S
GOLD PLATED.
AND I SAID, I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
AND HE SAID YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
HE SAID, BUT I'M GOING TO HAVE
TO GO AWAY FOR A WHILE, AND I
SAID LIECHTENSTEIN?
AND HE SAID, WHAT ARE YOU
TALKING ABOUT?
I SAID, WE DON'T HAVE AN
EXTRADITION TREATY WITH THEM.
AND THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER RICH
EXPATRIATES THERE.
>> Emily: DID HE EVER GIVE YOU
AN INDICATION OF WHERE HE WAS OR
WHERE HE HAD BEEN?
>> NO.
>> Emily: DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA?
>> NO.
I WOULD THINK EUROPE.
>> Emily: ARE YOU CONVINCED HE'S
STILL ALIVE?
>> YES.
>> Emily: IS HE STILL WITH
KATHERINE, DO YOU THINK?
>> YEAH.
>> Emily: DID YOU EVER MEET HER?
>> NO.
ALTHOUGH MANY THINK SHE LOOKS
LIKE ME.
A YOUNG ME.
>> Emily: DO YOU THINK THE FBI
WILL EVER GET HIM?
>> I DON'T THINK THEY'RE TRYING.
>> Emily: BECAUSE OF?
>> BECAUSE THE THINGS THEY SEEM
TO BE DOING TO CATCH HIM, TO GO
TO VANCOUVER TO A BOOKSTORE TO
LOOK FOR HIM.
HE TALKED TO ME ABOUT WHEN HE
WAS ON THE RUN FROM THE YEAR
BEFORE, YOU DON'T DO THINGS LIKE
THAT.
AS WELL AS I KNOW JIMMY, I DOUBT
THAT HE'S BEING A NURSE MAID TO
ANYBODY IF THEY HAVE HEALTH
PROBLEMS.
>> Emily: GOT IT.
>> I WENT THROUGH BREAST CANCER
THREE TIMES AND NEVER MENTIONED
IT TO HIM.
SO I DON'T -- THAT'S NOT HIS
SCENE.
I DON'T BELIEVE --
>> Emily: YOU DON'T THINK THE
FBI WILL EVER GET HIM?
>> NO.
NO.
I THINK ABOUT THE ONLY THING
THAT -- IF HE -- I THINK IF HE
KNEW HE WOULD DIE TOMORROW HE'D
COME BACK.
>> Emily: WOULD HE CALL YOU?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
I'D HELP HIM IF I COULD.
>> Emily: REALLY?
>> IF HE WANTED TO SURRENDER
OR --
>> Emily: DO YOU THINK HE SHOULD
PAY FOR HIS PREVIOUS CRIMES, THE
19 MURDERS?
>> I DON'T KNOW IF HE KILLED 19
PEOPLE.
A PLEA BARGAIN DOESN'T IMPRESS
ME.
IF PEOPLE GOT LIGHTER SENSE
TENSES TO BLAME SOMETHING ON
ANOTHER PARTY, I WANT TO BE
SURE.
DO I THINK HE WAS VERY INVOLVED
IN THE UNDERWORLD?
ABSOLUTELY.
WAS I SURPRISED ABOUT THE FBI
CONNECTION?
YES, I WAS.
BUT IN ANOTHER WAY VERY MUCH
LIKE HIM BECAUSE HE MAKE
MACHIAVELLI LOOK LIKE A --
>> Emily: WELL, A FANTASTIC
STORY.
REALLY, IT'S WONDERFUL.
>> NOT ONE I EVER PLANNED ON
TELLING.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU.
>> Emily: I'M SURE.
YOU WEREN'T DYING TO, BUT YOU
HAVE NOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Emily: THANK YOU FOR TELLING
IT TO US.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Emily: ALL RIGHT.
UNEMPLOYMENT IS DOWN, SO WHO'S
UP IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE?