A Florida appeals court has overturned the murder conviction for a former FBI agent linked to mobster Whitey Bulger.
The 3rd District Court of Appeal ruled Wednesday that former agent John Connolly was improperly convicted and sentenced to 40 years in prison for his role in the 1982 slaying of a gambling executive.
A hit man testified that he killed World Jai-Alai President John Callahan after ex-agent Connolly tipped Bulger and others that the executive would implicate them in another death.
In the court’s new ruling, a panel of judges determined in a 2-1 vote that Connolly’s second-degree murder conviction was barred by the statute of limitations. His attorneys argued that prosecutors improperly used a firearms allegation to enhance the charge.
Connolly has long denied a role in Callahan’s slaying.
Connolly’s wife released the following statement to 7News:
“I am excited and can’t wait for our family to be reunited.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.