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James 'Whitey' Bulger Associated Press

"Justice has been served" - Boston mobster 'Whitey' Bulger found guilty of 11 murders

The 83-year-old 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.

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

Read: Everything you need to know about the infamous Whitey Bulger >

Read: Irish-American James ‘Whitey’ Bulger ‘did all the dirty work himself’ >

Read: James ‘Whitey’ Bulger doesn’t want to testify in his own trial for murder >

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82 Comments
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    Mute Declan Noonan
    Favourite Declan Noonan
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    Feb 5th 2013, 11:41 AM

    It’s time to go for a drive over Sally Gap and get stuck

    61
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    Mute Gis Bayertz
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    Feb 5th 2013, 10:29 AM

    I hate winter and I hate snow. I want spring – NOW!

    39
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    Mute John John
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    Feb 5th 2013, 11:29 AM

    I bet when anyone reads the above comment they are singing it in their head

    37
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    Mute John John
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    Feb 5th 2013, 11:28 AM

    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!

    30
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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Feb 5th 2013, 11:40 AM

    Wish I could give this more than one green thumb. Sadly only 0.01mm snow on the cars on our road this am! :-(

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    Mute _doesnotcompute
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    Feb 5th 2013, 10:13 AM

    Blame Canada.

    29
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    Mute Hugo Sanchez
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    Feb 5th 2013, 10:26 AM

    Hmmmm last photo bit suspect..

    ^ ^ ^ off to google snowflakes

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    Mute Hugo Sanchez
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    Feb 5th 2013, 11:08 AM

    Let Fake Flake-Gate begin!!!

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    Mute Fergal Kelly
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    Feb 5th 2013, 10:16 AM

    I always think snow looks different here. It’s wetter or something like it’s not real snow haha

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    Mute karla carroll
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    Feb 5th 2013, 10:18 AM

    That would be sleet.

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    Mute Fergal Kelly
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    Feb 5th 2013, 10:20 AM

    No because it’s on the ground sticking like just not properly!

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    Mute Aaron Broughill
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    Feb 5th 2013, 10:26 AM

    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

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    Mute Mal
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    Feb 5th 2013, 1:51 PM

    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:

    https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_CqLUcAz2sM/URENqUB7-wI/AAAAAAAACnQ/kOzm9FXBODU/s772/20130120_130317.jpg

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    Mute Tokidoll
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    Feb 5th 2013, 11:03 AM

    I’m delighted to see my picture in there :-) It was a magical sight and a wonderful surprise to wake up to this morning.

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    Mute Sloan Bonnar
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    Feb 5th 2013, 12:35 PM

    Best send everyone home from work early, before the buses are taken off the roads early!!!!!

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    Mute Bláthnaid Belladonna
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    Feb 5th 2013, 10:21 AM

    Can people send in more

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    Mute Denise Friary
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    Feb 5th 2013, 10:48 AM

    Another week we will be into the mild weather.

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    Mute Redcaff
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    Feb 5th 2013, 11:21 AM

    You mean ‘Summer’.

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    Mute Aileen Carroll
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    Feb 6th 2013, 8:08 AM

    No spring comes first

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    Mute Lee Jones
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    Feb 5th 2013, 12:38 PM

    bah not a screed in kinsealy feck it

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    Mute Bláthnaid Belladonna
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    Feb 5th 2013, 10:22 AM

    I got the answer. Just didn’t c it the first time.

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    Mute Kerry Quinn
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    Mar 26th 2013, 10:49 PM

    Come on now! Alittle bit of snow. Kick back and have a pint.

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    Mute Kerry Quinn
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    Mar 26th 2013, 10:40 PM

    Come on now! A little bit of snow. Kick back and have a pint with friends.

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