BOSTON, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Relatives of suspected murder victims of James "Whitey" Bulger should not be allowed to testify at his sentencing, attorneys for the Boston crime figure say.
In court papers, defense attorneys asked the judge to prohibit victim impact statements from relatives of victims who suffered "certain offenses of which the defendant was not convicted," The Boston Globe reported Wednesday.
"The court should find that the government has not proven these allegations by a preponderance of the evidence and, as a result, it should not hear evidence relating to these offenses at sentencing," Bulger's lawyers wrote.
A jury in August convicted Bulger of participating in 11 murders. He was acquitted in seven other deaths.
Bulger, 84, faces life in prison, plus 30 to 35 years on other charges, at his sentencing hearing in November.
Relatives of the 19 people killed by Bulger in the 1970s and 1980s want to file victim impact statements, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian T. Kelly said last month. At least 14 have indicated they want to address the court.
