Former US Atty Gave Whitey Bulger Immunity to Commit Crime, Says Defense Motion to Remove Judge
A former U.S. attorney gave murder defendant and alleged mobster James “Whitey” Bulger immunity to commit crimes, including murder, defense lawyers’ argued Wednesday.
The accusation, which involves former Boston U.S. Attorney Jeremiah O’Sullivan, now deceased, came in a filing to recuse U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns from Bulger’s trial, the Boston Globe reports. Sterns, a former federal prosecutor, worked for Sullivan.
J.W. Carney Jr., Bulger’s defense lawyer, plans to call Stearns and other former federal employees as witnesses, the article states.
According to Carney, his client will testify that O’Sullivan ordered Bulger’s name removed from a list that targeted a horse race-fixing scheme. Bulger was allegedly granted immunity in exchange for his cooperation, but some say that such an agreement, if it existed, could not give anyone the right to kill. Bulger, who was on the lam for many years, is alleged to have been involved in 19 murders.
Prosecutors deny that Bulger has any claim of immunity, the Globe reports. In July, Stearns denied a prior defense motion to recuse him from the case.
