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psychiatric ward in 1982. He was a model prisoner, seen daily picking fine lint off of his perfectly made bunk to pass inspection, and starting arguments with others for not polishing their door frame brass. The institution kept
Featherstone working on the ward, out of General Population, for his own safety.
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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. He was shocked at receiving his sentence of 25 years in prison, and concluded
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In
February 1982, he was convicted after using counterfeit currency at a massage parlor. He was traced because the girl remembered seeing his name tattooed on his forearm. He was sentenced to six years. Featherstone did time in the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield Missouri on the
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When a group from New Jersey, called the Riley brothers, entered Hell's
Kitchen a fight started with the outsiders. Featherstone returned with a rifle and shot one of the brothers John Riley in the arm, for which he was arrested and probationed. After borrowing Coonan's gun, he shot dead Linwood
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295:, the mob leader in Hell's Kitchen at the time, was shot five times outside his apartment in Woodside Queens in August 1977. Featherstone was arrested but acquitted for his killing. The police suspected him of a series of mob
232:. Featherstone committed several mob killings before he was convicted in 1986 of a murder he had not committed. Facing almost 25 years in jail, he became an informant and brought down Coonan's gang.
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trial during 1987–88 helped to bring down Coonan's gang. He pleaded guilty to a racketeering charge and received a suspended sentence of five years' probation from Judge
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To his disappointment, he was pulled from combat duty. He was involved in criminal mischief with his friends and was disciplined for many drunken pranks. He received a
299:. He went on trial with Coonan for the killing of a barman, but they were acquitted in December 1979 after one witness killed himself and another refused to testify.
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that he had been framed by his own gang. Rather than serving his sentence he instead told prosecutors that Bokun had committed the murder, and he became an
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323:. His wife Sissy co-operated with the District Attorney's office to tape incriminating conversations with gang members, including Bokun.
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Featherstone's penchant for violence and intimidation caught the eye of Coonan and
Featherstone became Coonan's right-hand man by 1976.
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In
September 1986, Judge Alvin Schlesinger overturned Featherstone's conviction. His testimony at Coonan's
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283:. He began spending time in saloons like Club 596 and Sunbrite that were hangouts for the Westies.
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aged just 17 after lying about his age. He served in heavy combat and then as a stock clerk.
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due to his cooperation with the authorities. He was freed in
December 1988 and went into a
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Willis in a confrontation outside a bar in 1971. He was found not guilty due to insanity.
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Featherstone was born on West 43rd St., one of nine children. His mother helped with the
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208:(born September 2, 1948) is an American former mobster and the second in command of
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officer. He had blond hair and was often said to be baby-faced. He served in the
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Featherstone and Coonan had a falling out over Coonan's alliance with the
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People who entered the United States
Federal Witness Protection Program
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450:"Books of The Times; The Rise and Fall of a Thoroughly Vicious Gang"
568:
Paddy
Whacked: The Untold Story of the Irish American Gangster
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Mafia
Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the Gambino Crime Family
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in 1967 after just a year, claiming to have hallucinations.
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570:. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 2005.
613:United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War
516:"Admitted Westies Killer Who Informed Is Free"
419:Daly, Michael; John Hamill (April 12, 1982).
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643:Overturned convictions in the United States
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483:"New York Stories: Hell's Kitchen Killers"
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633:People acquitted by reason of insanity
514:Lubasch, Arnold H. (January 1, 1989).
618:People from Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan
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481:Bain, David Haward (April 8, 1990).
608:American gangsters of Irish descent
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556:. St. Martin's Paperbacks, 1991.
547:. New York: HarperCollins, 1993.
448:Raab, Selwyn (April 16, 1990).
421:"The Ghosts of Hell's Kitchen"
376:Traub, James (April 5, 1987).
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378:"The Lords of Hell's Kitchen"
275:He spent time in a series of
246:United States Customs Service
658:Gangsters from New York City
648:United States Army soldiers
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628:People with schizophrenia
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653:Criminals from Manhattan
267:Return to Hell's Kitchen
242:Veterans of Foreign Wars
623:Westies (New York gang)
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244:and his father was a
144:Five years' probation
308:Gambino crime family
155:Span of crimes
25:Mickey Featherstone
584:. Onyx Books, 1993
520:The New York Times
487:The New York Times
454:The New York Times
336:witness protection
425:New York Magazine
297:contract killings
261:medical discharge
252:as member of the
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41:September 2, 1948
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580:Mustaine, Gene.
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214:organized crime
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127:Criminal charge
121:Organized crime
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523:. Retrieved
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328:racketeering
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254:Green Berets
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230:James Coonan
206:Featherstone
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135:racketeering
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598:1947 births
554:The Westies
430:January 11,
287:The Westies
250:Vietnam War
210:the Westies
67:Nationality
592:Categories
342:References
236:Early life
198:Francis T.
107:Allegiance
83:Occupation
37:1948-09-02
525:March 31,
492:March 31,
459:March 31,
387:March 31,
338:program.
321:informant
281:thorazine
228:, led by
222:Manhattan
159:1971–1986
48:Manhattan
177:New York
173:State(s)
70:American
56:New York
566:_____.
164:Country
149:Details
141:Penalty
111:Westies
97:Paroled
87:Mobster
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202:Mickey
131:Murder
117:Motive
78:Mickey
212:, an
572:ISBN
558:ISBN
527:2021
494:2021
461:2021
432:2011
389:2021
187:1986
60:U.S.
31:Born
224:in
167:USA
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