Bulger Girlfriend Catherine Greig Enters Guilty Plea
BOSTON (CBS/AP) - The girlfriend of notorious Boston mobster Whitey Bulger, who was on the run with him for 16 years, entered a guilty plea in court on Wednesday.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Bernice Corpuz reports.
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By pleading guilty, the 60-year-old Greig admits to helping hide Bulger for the 16 years they were on the run. The families say Greig caused years of suffering while Bulger remained a fugitive from justice.
Greig pleaded guilty to three charges, including harboring a fugitive and two counts of identity fraud.
Greig faces a maximum of five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine on each of the three counts.
As part of the plea deal, Greig will not face any other charges in connection with the case.
Steven Davis, who says his 26-year-old sister, Debra Davis, was killed by Bulger, said Greig delayed for more than 16 years the opportunity for the families of Bulger's victims to get justice.
"This woman, she's not what she appears to be. She's a monster," Davis said during a victim impact statement. "She kept him in hiding for all that time."
Earlier in the hearing, Greig broke down in tears when U.S. District Judge Douglas Woodlock, while questioning her about her background, asked if she had ever received psychological treatment. She said she had received counseling in 1984 after a family member committed suicide.
Patricia Donahue, who says her husband, Michael Donahue, was killed by Bulger, said afterward that Greig's tears didn't make up for hiding Bulger.
"Where was she when I was crying?" Donahue said. "I don't think she's a monster. I think that she just made a lot of bad choices, and those choices hurt a lot of people."
Greig is due back in court on June 12. She could still be required to testify against Bulger. WBZ asked her twin sister Margaret McCusker if that made Greig nervous. She didn't want to be recorded but said she doesn't think prosecutors will call Greig to the stand.
"Testify against Jimmy?" she asked. "I don't think so."
She also says that emotionally, Greig is handling the plea "remarkably well".
(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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.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.)
