Ok, this is from AM Talk radio while driving, so not sure of accuracy. Whitey Bulger is asking the government to pay for his defense lawyers because they seized "all his cash". Seems they found $800k in cash stuffed into the walls of his rental apartment (doubt he will be getting his deposit back). Along with the 30+ guns and a hand grenade. So, he elluded the FBI for 16 years despite being in the "Ten Most Wanted", but he hid all his cash in one location, ah right.. So it seems his family will not pay for his defense ...so much for the loyalty of Irish families...so the government will need to pay for his defense....what a crock of shit! There is an easy solution to this problem, assign the same level and quality of attorney that any poor person would get for their defense, a first year government attorney. Have that employee give the same amount of time and effort to the case as a poor young unemployed black defendent would get and lets see how quickly he finds the funds to defend himself. Or better yet, just take him out back and shoot him. Just added that so no one would confuse me with a bleeding heart liberal.
problem is, his brother has the whole judicial system in his back pocket. former president of one of the most crooked legislatures in the country, now collecting around $200k a year in retirement. just added that so no one would take me for a massachusetts liberal.
The money seized is criminal evidence against him - thus it was seized legally, and he has no recourse under the law to ask the US government to compensate him for it in any way, at least not until after the trial. IF he's found innocent of all charges, then he should get the money back, but given the list of charges against him (19 counts of murder, extortion, money laundering, obstruction of justice, perjury and weapons violations), I doubt he'll win. However, given what he probably knows... I'm betting he'll be able to make a decent deal to spill his secrets.
There's no doubt in my mind that Whitey was being protected for the last 15 years for all the information about rival crime syndicates that he gave the FBI. The Boston mobs are pretty well wiped out now with the help of his sizable input. Not only that, most of the FBI guys that were involved with his protection are either in jail or dead. That smells like 15 years of freedom in LA to me. My guess is that he will plead out and receive a rather comfortable life sentence somewhere nice.
Too bad they captured him after America's Most Wanted closed up shop. It would have been a fitting way to end the show.
If he is found guilty, you mean (regardless of the rest of the sentence). He is already innocent under the law, unless and until the state meets its burden of proof for one or more of the charges brought against him. Remember, innocent unless and until proven guilty. Regardless of what you think of the defendant, we all want that presumption on our side should the stuff hit the fan for any one of us.
No, they found him dead. :drum: Seriously, if he had been taken into custody by the US military, he would have been presumed innocent, and been given counsel, same as the Nazi war criminals. If he had been taken by the USSR, he would have been presumed guilty, unless he could disprove his guilt. A no brainer for Adolf Elizabeth Hitler, but not so fun for other innocents in the USSR.
agreed, but as stated above, he should get the same first year public defender as any other poor schmuck. but it's not going to happen that way. in our system, the rich get off, the poor go to jail and justice is as difficult to grasp as the brass ring on the merry go round.
But that's the twist, he is claiming to be poor. Despite his brother owning the justice system, it would be great if he got a first year PD> Good to hear from the Boston crowd.
