Will Whitey Bulger Get A Taxpayer-Funded Attorney?
BOSTON (CBS) – Will a federal court judge give Whitey Bulger a taxpayer-funded attorney?
Bulger wants to be declared indigent and assigned a public defender, if he can't use his money to defend himself.
Related: Former FBI Expert: Follow Bulger's Money
Over the weekend, Judge Mark Wolf ordered both sides to get together and try to reach an agreement on this issue by the end of the day Monday.
WBZ-TV's Beth Germano reports.
A hearing will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m.
A judge put a lien on the $822,000 found in his apartment because money is owed to a couple who once owned a South Boston liquor store but were forced to sell it to Bulger at gunpoint. They sued and their attorney said it's time for money to go the victims.
Prosecutors object to a public defender for Bulger, saying that even without the money found in his California apartment, likely has hidden assets elsewhere.
They also say his brother William Bulger, who collects a $200,000 a year state pension, could help him pay.
But Judge Wolf ruled that Whitey Bulger cannot be forced to incriminate himself by disclosing assets and his family has no obligation to pay for an attorney.
WBZ NewsRadio's Carl Stevens reports
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Wolf also pointed out that Whitey's co-defendants - from Steven Flemmi to Frank Salemmi - all had free attorneys.
Also on Monday, it was revealed that Whitey admitted visiting Boston on several occasions while he was on the run. He said he was "armed to the teeth" and there "to take care of some unfinished business."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens contributed to this report.
