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IRISH-AMERICAN MOBSTER JAMES ‘Whitey’ Bulger has been found guilty of 11 murders, as well as a number of charges of racketeering and conspiracy.
The 83-year-old who was the leader of a notorious crime gang in Boston refused to take the stand in his own defence in what was one of the most dramatic criminal underworld trials in the US in recent years. He now faces life in prison.
The verdicts were read out in court this evening after the jury spent five days deliberating. Bulger showed no reaction upon hearing the verdict.
In a statement, Massachusetts State police said that “justice had been served” after an investigation spanning years.
“Across several decades, through multiple generations of investigators, the Massachusetts State police have been determined to help bring abut this day,” the police force said in a statement on its Facebook page.
Today — after dozens of years of work by many dedicated state troopers and our partners, after their unyielding efforts to shine a light on one man’s heinous crimes and then to track him down — justice has been served upon James Bulger.
Whitey was accused of 19 murders which took place in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as other charges relating to extortion, money-laundering and arms trafficking. During the trial, witnesses described seeing Bulger carry out murders and said that he “did all the dirty work” himself.
At the start of the trial, prosecutor Brian Kelly described Bulger as being the leader of “a group of criminals who ran amok in the city of Boston for 30 years” and were responsible for “murder and mayhem”.
In an unexpected development last week, Bulger said he would not testify in his own trial because he believed that the trial was unfair and “a sham”.
Bulger was arrested in June 2011 after spending 16 years on the run from authorities, during which time there had been persistent rumours that he was hiding out in Ireland.
The case is notable because Bulger has been suspected of being an informant for the FBI – a claim he continues to deny. Bulger became the inspiration for the character played by Jack Nicholson in the 2006 Martin Scorcese film The Departed, which portrayed the informants and undercover roles of police and mobsters in south Boston.
- Additional reporting: Associated Press
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It’s time to go for a drive over Sally Gap and get stuck
I hate winter and I hate snow. I want spring – NOW!
I bet when anyone reads the above comment they are singing it in their head
Oh the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we’ve no place to go
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
It doesn’t show signs of stopping
And I’ve bought some corn for popping
The lights are turned way down low
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
When we finally kiss good night
How I’ll hate going out in the storm!
But if you’ll really hold me tight
All the way home I’ll be warm
The fire is slowly dying
And, my dear, we’re still goodbying
But as long as you love me so
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Wish I could give this more than one green thumb. Sadly only 0.01mm snow on the cars on our road this am! :-(
Blame Canada.
Hmmmm last photo bit suspect..
^ ^ ^ off to google snowflakes
Let Fake Flake-Gate begin!!!
I always think snow looks different here. It’s wetter or something like it’s not real snow haha
That would be sleet.
No because it’s on the ground sticking like just not properly!
No because when it snows here the temperature is very rarely below zero, in the likes of Canada wheb it snows the temp is well below zero so the snow freezes
My wife over here in Sweden calls that wet snow! generally when we get snow here the temperature is at least around -3 degrees. The snow blows around like sand a lot of the time, it’s cold enough that it doesn’t melt on your hands, or clothes, or when the sun is out.
It’s very different to what I knew as snow at home.
A couple of weeks ago we had -15 degrees and sunny, it’s awesome! as much fun as warm weather methinks!
Here’s a picture of a lake we walk across:
I’m delighted to see my picture in there :-) It was a magical sight and a wonderful surprise to wake up to this morning.
Best send everyone home from work early, before the buses are taken off the roads early!!!!!
Can people send in more
Another week we will be into the mild weather.
You mean ‘Summer’.
No spring comes first
bah not a screed in kinsealy feck it
I got the answer. Just didn’t c it the first time.
Come on now! Alittle bit of snow. Kick back and have a pint.
Come on now! A little bit of snow. Kick back and have a pint with friends.
have your say