Draining day for families of Bulger's alleged victims

BOSTON -- It was draining day in court for the families of Bulger's alleged victims on Tuesday. They once again came face-to-face with the man accused of killing their loved ones.

“I was thinking that he looks good in orange,” said Patricia Donahue.

Patricia Donahue came to court to see the man accused of killing her husband in 1982 when her son, Tommy, was only 8-years-old.

“The taxpayers, we’re gonna get screwed one way or the other - $800,000 that they caught him with is blood money,” said Tommy Donahue.

The families thought the judge would be deciding who would pay the bill for James ‘Whitey’ Bulger’s defense - the taxpayers or Bulger with the help of his family. But instead, that was set aside after the US Attorney General decided to drop earlier indictments of racketeering.

“This guy’s going to jail for hundreds of years,” said Tommy Donahue. “If we’ve got to give up a couple of years just for him…just to speed up the process, then I agree with the government.”

For Stephen Davis, this was his first time seeing Bugler in court.

“Old. Not frail, but old,” said Stephen Davis.

It took a lot for Davis to come face-to-face with the man accused of killing his sister in 1981.

“When he walked in the court it got so quiet you could hear a mouse,” said Davis. “In that case it was a rat we were listening to.”

Since Bulger’s arrest Wednesday in California, family members have had 16 years worth of information to process, and they just want to get started.

“It’s a lose-lose situation for the taxpayers, so let’s just get on with this trial. If we’re gonna end up paying for it, let’s do it and let’s see what they man has to give up. Let’s see what he knows,” said Tommy Donahue.

Family members of Bulger’s alleged victims say it’s both emotionally and physically draining for them to attend every single hearing, but they feel they have to see it through.

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