'Frank wanted to kill him': Boston mobsters square off in federal court

BOSTON — Two former gangsters squared off in court Thursday.

Stephen Flemmi -- former associate of Whitey Bulger -- was back on the witness stand in the murder trial of New England mob boss Frank Salemme.

Flemmi had a relationship with Frank Salemme that went back decades. In federal court Thursday, he testified that he was standing next to Salemme in a kitchen when Steven DiSarro was murdered in 1993.

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Flemmi told the jury “Cadillac” Frank Salemme wanted DiSarro dead. In his second day of testimony, Flemmi said point blank, “Frank wanted to kill him.”

The former associate of Whitey Bulger said Salemme killed DiSarro in 1993 because he believed he was cooperating with federal investigators.

Prosecutors showed the kitchen where Flemmi said he witnessed Salemme and a group of men strangle the Boston night club owner. Flemmi then said DiSarro’s body was taken to a Rhode Island construction site and buried 20 feet in the ground.

During cross examination, Salemme’s attorney attacked Flemmi’s credibility, portraying Flemmi as a deceptive killer who waited years to tell police about DiSarro’s murder despite working as an FBI informant.

“You just have to go to the source. You think that’s a credible source in there?” attorney Steven Boozang said.

Flemmi, who turns 84 on Saturday, was convicted for ten murders and admitted he participated or knew about dozens of others. He’s expected to be back on the stand Friday for day three of testimony.

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