James “Whitey” Bulger, subject of upcoming biopic “Black Mass” and Academy Award-winning “The Departed,” ex-inmate of Alcatraz, and leader of the Winter Hill Gang, was arrested in 2011 after 16 years on the FBI’s “Most Wanted” list and on the run. His trial began today and, with 32 charges, including 19 murders, is expected to last for months.
Bulger’s trial began thanks to testimony from a former friend and hit man of the Winter Hill Gang: John Martorano, who killed at least 20 during his time in the gang. Martorano spent 12 years and 2 months in prison as part of a plea deal with the FBI, and purportedly chose to testify because he discovered Bulger was an FBI informant, according to Bloomberg.com.
In testimony, ABCNews.com reports, Martorano said “When I heard they [Bulger and a cohort] were informants, it sort of broke my heart. They broke all trust that we had and loyalties.”
Other counts included stealing cars—“boilers”—which he used as getaway cars and on hits, and laundering money. Bulger pled not guilty and denies being an FBI informant, though the Bureau has years of evidence purportedly from Bulger.