Bulger Juror Says Government Also On Trial; Jurors Come Forward Saying Deliberations Were `Stressful’

A Bulger juror came forward today to say that the defense argument that the government was also on trial almost won James J. “Whitey” Bulger an acquittal. Other Bulger jurors have described the five days of deliberation as “stressful.”

Scott Hotyckey, Bulger juror number 5, said that defense argument that the government was also on trial stayed with the jurors as they made their decisions on the 32 counts against the former mob boss. In an interview at his Framingham, Mass., home, Hotyckey said, “It worked! It actually worked for a few days. There [were] people that were shouting about that.”

Bulger Juror Janet Uhlar said the testimony showed deep-seated corruption in the FBI and government during Bulger's heyday. She called the justice system “tainted” and said she was disgusted. She said “Almost every witness that came through for the prosecution, I just had this feeling like it's tainted. It's tainted.” She concluded "You weren't sure what you could believe or what you couldn't believe."

Bulger Juror Hotyckey said the evidence was overwhelming. Hotyckey said, "If you could believe the testimony, and believe what you heard. I don't see how you couldn't find the person guilty."

The Bulger juror also revealed that the jury had to get over their disgust with the witnesses that the government called. He said the jury couldn’t reach consensus on the death of Debra Davis, who was allegedly killed by Bulger, because two of the jurors refused to believe the testimony of Stephen “The Rifleman” Flemmi, an admitted hit-man.

Hotyckey revealed that some jurors said “‘We don’t accept that. It was intensely debated.”

Hotyckey also said jurors had trouble with the testimony from former hitman John Martorano. Hotyckey said "There was one juror that constantly said that his testimony was not believable. (He said) over and over again that you couldn't believe anything (Martorano) said because of the government."

John Martorano testified against former FBI agent John Connolly In 2008. Martorano accused the agent of leaking sensitive information about former gambling executive John Callahan, an organized crime associate of the Winter Hill Gang and former president of World Jai Alai. Martorano testified that Bulger ordered him to Callahan in 1982.

The jury was a diverse group of people. Their ages ranged from their twenties to their fifties. There were eight men and four women on the jury.

Scott Hotyckey said that the deliberations, which took over 32 hours, were "stressful" and involved "all kinds of dissension." He expanded, "Slamming doors. People leaving. People wanting to get off the jury."

Whitey Bulger, the 83-year-old former mob boss, is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 13. He was convicted Monday in a wide-ranging racketeering case that involved a string of crimes, including 11 killings. Bulger was an FBI informant during his tenure as boss. Bulger was on the lam for 16 years and was captured while he was living in California.

J.W. Carney, one of Bulger's lawyers, said "Mr. Bulger knew as soon as he was arrested that he was going to die behind the walls of a prison."

Tags
world news
Join the Discussion

Latest Photo Gallery

Real Time Analytics