20 Facts About Mickey Featherstone

Francis Thomas "Mickey" Featherstone was born on September 2,1948 and is an American former mobster and the second in command of the Westies, an organized crime syndicate from Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan in New York City, led by James Coonan.

Mickey Featherstone was born on West 43rd St, the youngest of nine children.

Mickey Featherstone's mother helped with the Veterans of Foreign Wars and his father was a United States Customs Service officer.

Mickey Featherstone had blond hair and was often said to be baby-faced.

Mickey Featherstone served in the Vietnam War as member of the Green Berets aged just 17 after lying about his age.

Mickey Featherstone was involved in criminal mischief with his friends and was disciplined for many drunken pranks.

Mickey Featherstone received a medical discharge in 1967 after just a year, claiming to have hallucinations.

Mickey Featherstone returned with a rifle and shot one of the brothers John Riley in the arm, for which he was arrested and probationed.

Mickey Featherstone spent time in a series of mental hospitals, being released in 1975.

Mickey Featherstone acted out frequently while in the hospitals, leading to him being restrained and injected with thorazine.

Mickey Featherstone began spending time in saloons like Club 596 and Sunbrite that were hangouts for the Westies.

Mickey Featherstone 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.

Mickey Featherstone was traced because the girl remembered seeing his name tattooed on his forearm.

Mickey Featherstone did time in the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield Missouri on the psychiatric ward in 1982.

Mickey Featherstone 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 Mickey Featherstone working on the ward, out of General Population, for his own safety.

Mickey 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.

Mickey Featherstone was shocked at receiving his sentence of 25 years in prison, and concluded that he had been framed by his own gang.

Mickey Featherstone pleaded guilty to a racketeering charge and received a suspended sentence of five years' probation from Judge Robert W Sweet due to his cooperation with the authorities.

Mickey Featherstone was freed in December 1988 and went into a witness protection program.