The verdict is in for James “Whitey” Bulger, and the infamous Boston mobster was found guilty of federal racketeering and some murders, as expected. The man who eluded FBI investigators for 16 years after building a reputation as one of the city’s most ruthless mobsters was convicted of 11 killings. Whitey Bulger Guilty Whitey Bulger, 83, was charged with participating in 19 murders as well as 13 counts of extortion and money laundering, among various other crimes. The jury concluded he was directly involved in 11 of 19 murders, and also found him guilty on weapons charges, money laundering, and conspiracy. He faces life behind bars. As he left the courtroom, he reportedly gave the thumbs up to his brother Jack, while someone yelled, “Rat a tat tat, Whitey.” Jurors took more than four days and 33 hours of deliberations to convict Bulger, in what amounted to a sensational, headline-making 40-day trial. Specifically, they said his connection to one of the many murders – the shooting death of Roger Wheeler – was proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Convicted hit man John Martorano testified in the trial that he shot Wheeler in the head after the executive finished a round of golf at a Tulsa country club. The killing was sanctioned by Bulger, head of the Winter Hill Gang. Though jurors said Bulger’s involvement in the the murder of Michael Donahue in 1982 was also proven, the victim’s son Tom Donahue was shocked. “I’m not satisfied with the verdict – he should have been guilty for all those murders,” he said. “He should have been found guilty of everything.” He added of the mobster, “He doesn’t care about anybody he killed, he doesn’t care about anybody he extorted, he’s just a sick psycho individual.” In closing arguments during the trial, prosecutors called Bulger a “vicious, violent and calculating” criminal who methodically hunted his victims. Bulger had long been one of the FBI’s most wanted criminals when authorities astonishingly captured him at his Santa Monica, Calif., hideout in 2011. His former henchmen testified against him, including Kevin Weeks . The two gangsters shared volleys of profanity and shouting in the courtroom, as Bulger lashed out at Weeks for saying he was worse than a murderer. In any case, Bulger will never again see the light of day.
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Whitey Bulger Verdict: GUILTY Of Federal Racketeering, Murder
