Whitey Bulger Trial: Jury asks to see gun introduced into evidence
(CBS) BOSTON - The jury in the racketeering trial of reputed mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger has asked to see one of the guns introduced into evidence at his trial on Thursday, WBZ Boston reports via Twitter.
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The 9mm German MP-40 submachine gun was sent back to the deliberation room, where a panel of 12 was still deliberating Bulger's fate, shortly before 2 p.m. Thursday, reports the station. The alleged former leader of South Boston's notorious Winter Hill crime gang is charged in a broad 32-count indictment that accuses him of raking in millions from drug trafficking and extortion. One of the counts, a federal racketeering charge, covers 33 criminal acts including 19 murders, six extortions, and conspiracy to sell drugs, Boston.com reported.
Weapons offenses are also included on the indictment. The last count accuses Bulger of possessing weapons with obliterated serial numbers, which the submachine gun has, reports the station. The weapon is not loaded, so jurors can handle it without supervision, WBZ reports via Twitter.
The jury has been deliberating since Tuesday morning.
Bulger is charged with orchestrating or committing the killings during the 1970s and '80s while he allegedly led the notorious Winter Hill Gang, a crew of mostly Irish-American gangsters.
Bulger was one of the nation's most wanted fugitives after he fled Boston in 1994 ahead of an indictment. During his 16 years on the run, his secret relationship with the FBI as an informant was revealed, embarrassing the FBI and exposing corruption within the bureau.
Bulger, now 83, was finally captured in Santa Monica, Calif., in 2011, where he had been living in a rent-controlled apartment near the beach with his longtime girlfriend.
In the racketeering indictment, Bulger is accused of being a hands-on boss who killed anyone he saw as a potential rival or danger to the gang. He is accused of shooting or strangling some of the victims himself. In other cases, he allegedly ordered the slayings, or participated in some other way.
He is also accused of making millions by extorting drug dealers, bookmakers and legitimate businessmen by threatening to hurt or kill them or their families.
Bulger's lawyers strongly denied that Bulger was ever an informant and told jurors the government's three main witnesses - all once-loyal Bulger cohorts - were pathological liars who blamed Bulger for crimes they committed so they could get reduced sentences.
Complete coverage of the Whitey Bulger case on Crimesider
