Westies Leader Jimmy Coonan asks for Prison Release!
The Westies are considered one of the most brutal gangs in the history of organized crime. Their leader, James “Jimmy” Coonan has filed a new court appeal. His Lawyers say he should be released from jail because he no longer commands a legion of Irish mobsters to run Manhattan's West side, once known as Hell’s Kitchen. Legend has it that the name came from a beat cop who said “this place is worse than the hottest sections of hell. The old Hell’s Kitchen has been gentrified out of existence, and this is another reason that Coonan’s lawyers’ site for his release. All the original members of the gang are in prison, dead or in witness protections so Coonan’s lawyers claim there is no one left to lead so Coonan is no longer a threat.
Prosecutors called Coonan "the personification of horror". His reign as Irish boss was extremely brutal and included many disappearances. The gang was known for what they called “doing the Houdini”, the disappearing act. Coonan would say “no body then no investigation. This was a reference to the gangs ritual of dismembering victims and throwing their body parts in the East River. Coonan also made an alliance with the Gambino Crime Family led by Paul “Big Paulie” Castellano. Coonan was very close to Gambino members Roy Demeo and John Gotti.
Coonan's lawyers said that he should be released to home confinement under the First Step Act signed into law by then-President Donald Trump in 2018. The appeal also stated a recent medical report describing Coonan as a senior citizen with a medical condition, including cataracts in both eyes, no teeth left, partial deafness, obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol that puts him at "very high risk for a heart attack or stroke." This picture is very different from the prison pics that have surfaced of Coonan over the years. Many of those pictures show Coonan to look in rather good health and with many mafia members and ex-associates. Some might say that Jimmy is still a shot caller and an absolute threat. Hell’s Kitchen is forever changed but the ghosts of the Westie’s many victims still haunt the West side of Manhattan.
We discussed Coonan and the Westies on an episode of Thats enough Outta You podcast. You can listen right here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1W0TVf_SO8&t=44s
