By ,
Published December 01, 2015
James 'Whitey' Bulger's defense team could reveal Wednesday afternoon if the reputed gangster will take the stand at his racketeering trial, MyFoxBoston.com reported.
Before jurors entered the courtroom Wednesday morning, prosecutors, once again, asked Bulger's defense team to reveal whether or not their client planned to testify, the report said. While the defense attorneys did not answer the question, Judge Denise Casper said she would hear the issue after Wednesday's testimony.
Legal experts told The Boston Herald that in all likelihood, Bulger will take the stand.
"From a defense attorney's perspective, I'd rather he not take the stand," William Kickham, an attorney and courtroom commentator, told the paper. "The risk of cross-examination is always very high. However, I think 'Whitey' Bulger knows the chances of him walking away from this a free man are zero to none. I don't think Bulger will be able to resist."
Meanwhile, prosecutors are trying to discredit a former FBI supervisor who claims he tried to end the FBI's corrupt relationship with Bulger.
Robert Fitzpatrick, testified that he tried to convince the FBI to terminate Bulger as an informant after Bulger was uncooperative and didn't appear to be helping the bureau's mission to gather information on the Mafia.
Fitzpatrick became the first defense witness at Bulger's racketeering trial when he took the stand Monday.
During cross-examination Tuesday, a prosecutor suggested that Fitzpatrick had exaggerated the extent of his effort to terminate Bulger as an informant.
Fitzpatrick said higher-ups in Boston and Washington felt Bulger "was going to bring down the Mafia."
Earlier Tuesday Judge Denise Casper rejected a bid by Bulger to sequester jurors while they deliberate.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
https://www.foxnews.com/us/will-whitey-bulger-testify-defense-could-reveal-plan-wednesday