Reaction to the ‘Whitey’ Bulger trial verdict
Aug 12, 2013, 8:49 PM
BOSTON (AP) – A sampling of reaction to Monday’s verdicts against James “Whitey” Bulger:
“Mr. Bulger knew as soon as he was arrested that he was going to die behind the walls of a prison or on a gurney and injected with chemicals that would kill him. This trial has never been about Jim Bulger being set free.”
_ J.W. Carney Jr., Bulger defense attorney
“It’s very bittersweet. There’s other families that didn’t get closure that we’re looking for, and that’s the same pain we’ve been feeling.”
_ Thomas Donahue, who was 8 when his father, Michael Donahue, was killed. Jurors found prosecutors proved Bulger was involved in the killings of Donahue and 10 others, but they found prosecutors had not proved he was involved in seven other killings. They were unable to agree on a 19th.
“Today is a day that many in this city thought would never come. … This day of reckoning has been a long time in coming.”
_ U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz
“I’m still stuck in the middle like I have been for 32 years. Who’s winning here? I lost my sister. All these people lost family members. He’s losing his freedom. What do you really win here?”
_ Steve Davis, brother of Debra Davis. Jurors could not agree whether Bulger was involved in her killing.
“You can’t blame the jury. They heard from some really incredible and creepy witnesses. The three star witnesses for the government were proven liars and people who had cut deals with the government.”
_ Suffolk University law professor Chris Dearborn, who said it was not a surprise jurors found the government had not proved Bulger’s involvement in some of the crimes of which he was accused.
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