Original Gangsters Podcast · Original Gangsters, a True Crime Talk Podcast

The Westies: Inside the New York Irish Mob with Author and Expert T.J. English

·40 min·1 clip

The dismemberment thing became a bonding thing—how far are you willing to go with me?

This episode features author T.J. English discussing his definitive book on the Westies, the Irish American gang that ruled Hell's Kitchen in the 1970s and 80s. Host Scott Bernstein interviews English, a leading chronicler of organized crime whose work inspired Bernstein's own career. English explains his research process for his first book, which relied on securing access to key criminal sources. He connected with Mickey Featherstone, the gang's number two who turned informant, who provided crucial insight into the gang's mentality and operations. English details the gang's notorious method of dismembering bodies to avoid prosecution, a tactic championed by leader Jimmy Coonan under the philosophy "no corpus delicti, no investigation." The alliance between Coonan's Westies and the Italian Mafia, particularly the Gambino family, was driven by economics, specifically control over lucrative contracts at the Jacob Javits Convention Center construction site. English describes the violent coup where Coonan, with Gambino assistance, overthrew the previous "gentleman gangster" boss of Hell's Kitchen, Mickey Spillane. The author clarifies that Coonan wasn't seduced by the Mafia but was a savvy strategist seeking expansion for the gang's survival. He contrasts Coonan's more controlled demeanor with Featherstone's wilder, substance-abusing personality, noting Featherstone was a troubled Vietnam veteran. English debunks a prosecutorial narrative that gangster Bosco Radonjic inherited the Westies, calling it a fabrication. He also shares anecdotes about freelance hitman Joseph "Mad Dog" Sullivan, who worked for the Genovese crime family. A fascinating dynamic involved the gang members' wives, like Edna Coonan and Sissy Featherstone, who took over criminal operations like collections when their husbands were imprisoned. English states the original gang was dismantled by the late 1980s through prosecutions and informants, and the neighborhood culture that sustained it vanished. He speculates that while relatives of original members might trade on the name for minor crimes today, no formal organization exists. English reveals Coonan is now in his 70s, eligible for parole but repeatedly denied, and assesses the difficulty of his release given his extreme criminal history. The conversation concludes with English's sharp critique of the 1990 film *State of Grace*, which he feels presents a bogus version of the story and hampered adaptation of his own book. The tone is deeply conversational and educational, driven by Bernstein's fan-like questions and English's authoritative, anecdote-rich expertise. True crime enthusiasts and history buffs interested in New York's underworld will love this detailed, source-driven account. Listeners seeking a fast-paced narrative or discussion of modern gangland might find the historical focus less engaging.

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