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Whitey Bulger's Girlfriend Wants Less Prison Time

BOSTON (CBS/AP) — The girlfriend of former Boston mobster James "Whitey" Bulger has filed a legal appeal aimed at shaving time off her prison sentence.

Catherine Greig says in a Wednesday legal filing that family of Bulger's alleged victims shouldn't have been allowed to speak at her sentencing.

She's serving an eight-year prison sentence at a low-security federal prison in Minnesota.

That sentence followed Greig's June guilty plea on charges related to helping Bulger stay on the run for 16 years.

"We're her victims, she's the one that stopped us from getting justice for over 16 years," says Steve Davis, whose sister was allegedly killed by Bulger.

Davis is cited in the appeal documents for using foul language during his victim impact statement. He tells WBZ-TV he has no regrets.

"I would have given her more respect if she looked at me like you're looking at me, acted like a human being, but she didn't," he says.

"She's a partner in crime," says Patricia Donahue, whose husband Michael was allegedly killed by Bulger. "She knew exactly what was going on and enabled this man to stay out for 16 years. This would have been over a lot sooner and I wouldn't be going through this for as long as I have."

The former Winter Hill Gang leader and FBI informant goes on trial next June for his alleged role in 19 murders.

Greig is asking for a re-sentencing, and says authorities also erred by miscalculating her involvement in fugitive harboring, and by imposing enhancements related to firearms and obstructing justice.

Attorney Dana Curhan believes Greig's sentencing was also influenced by the notoriety of the case.

"You can run the risk that you're going to punish somebody for somebody else's crimes, and there's a real risk that may have happened here," she says.

The U.S. Attorney's Office had no comment Wednesday.

WBZ-TV's Beth Germano contributed to this report.

(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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