Jurors View Photos Of Alleged Bulger Victims' Remains
BOSTON (CBS) - Debra Davis was simply stunning - and everyone commented on the 26-year-old's hair.
In court Thursday, the forensic expert who dug Davis out of her grave on the banks of the Neponset River showed jurors pictures of Debbie's skull.
Some of her golden hair was still visible. The experience made her brother Steven, who comes to court every day, cry both in court and afterwards.
"Today was probably the hardest day of all, you know, to see it," Davis said.
Forensics witness Dr. Ann Mires testified about six murder victims, all linked to James "Whitey" Bulger, but his defense attorney had no questions for her.
J.W. Carney chose to focus his cross examination skills instead on former FBI agent Tom Daly, grilling him about how the agency kept files for its informants.
WBZ legal analyst Gerry Leone says part of the reason for the intense defense focus on whether or not Bulger was an informant probably comes from Bulger himself.
"It's very personal to James Whitey Bulger that he not be referred to or characterized or thought of as being an informant, or a rat," Leone said.
It will ultimately be up jurors to decide how successful J.W. Carney is at that.
But he already lost one battle with Judge Denise Casper. She shot down his request to delay the trial effective immediately until next Tuesday
"Simply put, the defendant's counsel have hit a wall," Carney wrote in a motion to the judge Thursday morning. He added that their job is harder because prosecutors are not sharing all their evidence on time.
And, Carney wrote, Bulger himself is having trouble. "The defendant is awaken at 4:00am every morning, and by the end of his travel back to Plymouth, this 83-year old man is exhausted."
Assistant US attorney Zach Hafer responded by telling the judge, "Mr. Bulger had 16 years to relax in California," referencing the Santa Monica apartment where Bulger was finally captured after being on the run.
Judge Casper ultimately said no to the request to delay, adding that she expects both sides to be ready to continue tomorrow.
Attorney Carney told the court Bulger's defense team simply will not be ready.
