Crime & Safety
In Closing Arguments, Bulger's Lawyers Target Unsavory Witnesses
Closing arguments in the trial against James "Whitey" Bulger wrapped up Monday. The case goes before the jury Tuesday.
The three main witnesses against James "Whitey" Bulger are criminal, untrustworthy, and willing to say anything to strike a deal with prosecutors and save their own hides.
That, in essence, was the argument made by Bulger's attorneys in closing arguments Monday, according to media reports.
According to Boston.com, the gangster's defense team admitted, as they did perviously, that Bulger was a millionaire crime boss.
But as for murdering 19 people, the testimony from three major witnesses against Bulger can't be trusted, defense attorney's argued, the news website says.
WBUR reported some of the arguments made by J. W. Carney, Bulger's attorney: He called John Martorano a professional killer. He painted Kevin Week with the same brush, and he said Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi was a killer and sexual predator who abused and killed his own stepdaughter.
Meanwhile, all three men received deals from prosecutors in return for their testimony against Bulger, Carney argued, according to Boston.com and WBUR. Martorano and Weeks, having served time in prison, walk the streets as free men. Flemmi avoided the death penalty.
Carney said prosecutors paid those witnesses an obscene price for their testimony, considering their crimes—Martorano killed 20 people and served 12 years in prison—and he told the jury their testimony doesn't constitute evidence beyond a reasonable doubt.
Earlier in the day, however, Fred Wyshak, a federal prosecutor in the trial, said Bulger was "one of the most vicious, violent and calculating criminals ever to walk the streets of Boston," according to WHDH.
Wyshak, in his closing argument, outlined all 32 counts against Bulger, including 19 counts of murder, according to BostonHerald.com.
He said Bulger and former FBI Agent John Connolly were a "cancer" on Boston, the news website reported.
Federal Judge Denise Casper will give instructions to the jury Tuesday morning, according to Twitter posts from WBUR. After that, they jury will enter deliberations.
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