A character in the film Goodfellas, James Jimmy Conway was a real-life mobster Jimmy Burke. He was first brought in the narration by Henry Hill. Originally from Ireland, Jimmy Conway was expected for a parole in 2004 when he died of lung cancer on April 13, 1996 at 64.
Commonly known by his nickname, “Jimmy the Gent”, Conway becomes buddy and partner-in-crime of Henry Hill along with renowned gangster Tommy DeVito, who was notorious hijacker of freeway trucks and a murderer.
Once Jimmy Conway and Henry Hill were detained for beating a man almost to his death but were soon out of jail due to lack of evidence then in 1980, Henry was arrested for drug smuggling and joined FBI as an informant to escape himself from a long sentence. Jimmy Conway was detention on April 1, 1980 on suspicion of several different crimes; in 1982 he was found guilty against the accusation of betting and setting up Boston College basketball games and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Jimmy Conway was a suspected to be involved in over 50 murders but was just convicted against one, he was charged of Richard Eaton’s murder on the basis of evidence provided by Henry Hill to the authorities.
During trial, Hill told the court that Burke himself had told him of Richard’s murder. He told the court that Burke said, he would give a lesion to tow other drug purchasers who had not yet paid Burke.
On the basis of these evidences, Burke was convicted and was given life sentence, he died from lung cancer in 1996 while in jail; he was supposed to be eligible for parole in 2000.
Jimmy Conway
Jimmy Conway
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