Summary: James “Whitey” Bulger has filed an appeal in federal court stating he did not get a fair trial because he was unable to raise an immunity defense.
According to the Wall Street Journal, James “Whitey” Bulger, an 84 year old former crime boss, has filed an appeal in federal court this week, stating he did not get a fair trial because he was not able to claim he was promised immunity from a prosecutor who has since passed away. Bulger was convicted a year ago on federal racketeering charges that included involvement in 11 murders. He was sentenced to two consecutive life terms, which he is serving in a high-security prison in Arizona. Prior to his arrest in 2011, he’d spent 16 years on the run from law enforcement.
The 200-page appeal was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. The appeal argued Bulger’s decision not to testify during the seven-week trial was involuntary. Many of the witnesses who testified against Bulger were admitted killers who had reached agreements with prosecutors. In the appeal, Bulger argues he was “precluded from raising his immunity arrangements at trial…including…cross-examining adverse witnesses, presenting any evidence through his own witnesses, and, most importantly, testifying to the agreement himself.”
The U.S. Attorney’s office stated it will respond to the suit through the court.
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