Infamous South Boston mob boss James ‘Whitey’ Bulger could find out his fate this week. Credit: Billy Becerra, Metro illustration
After weeks of testimony, scores of witnesses and hundreds of evidence exhibits, the trial of James “Whitey” Bulger is coming to a close.
Lawyers representing the mobster and the government will give their closing arguments to the jury today.
Bulger on Friday opted not to take the witness stand, but spoke in court, calling the proceedings a “sham” and saying he was forced into silence by the judge’s ruling that prevented him from raising an immunity defense during the trial.
Jurors today will first hear from Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Wyshak, who said he plans to use nearly three hours to tell the jury why the weeks of testimony and evidence should lead them to find Bulger guilty of crimes including racketeering, extortion and 19 murders.
Bulger’s lawyers J. W. Carney Jr. and Hank Brennan will then split their three hours of closing arguments.
The defense rested on Friday after calling multiple former FBI agents and even confessed killer and Winter Hill Gang member John Martorano. Carney questioned Martorano about how fellow mobster Stephen Flemmi told Martorano that he killed Debra Davis. Her murder is one that Bulger is charged with committing.
After the defense closing arguments, Wyshak will have a brief rebuttal argument before the end of the day.
On Tuesday, Judge Denise Casper will then give the 18 jurors their instructions, which she said should take about 90 minutes, before allowing them to begin their deliberations.
While the trial days have mostly lasted until 1 p.m., the jury will deliberate for full days until they return a verdict.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Carney said he and Brennan would be working throughout the weekend to prepare for today.
“Attorney Brennan and I are likely to spend virtually all our waking moments from now until Monday morning at nine o’clock focusing on our closing argument trying to marshall the evidence to show the jury as best we can what our view of the case is,” Carney said.
