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Bulger, Weeks exchange expletives during tense day in court

BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com) -- Two men who used to share thoughts on crime, the state of the city, and family during walks at Castle Island exchanged nothing but quick expletives during a tense day in the James "Whitey" Bulger trial.

During cross examination former Bulger protege Kevin Weeks was asked if the killings of five people bothered him.

"Yeah, it bothers me," said Weeks.

When defense attorney J.W. Carney asked how it bothered him, Weeks replied: "Because we killed people that were rats, and I had the two biggest rats right next to me. Thats why it --"

At that point Weeks was interrupted Bulger who said: "You suck."

Weeks replied, "(Expletive) you, okay."

Bulger snapped back, "(Expletive) you, too."

The exchange was shut down by Judge Denise Casper who told Bulger that his attorneys were to speak for him. Bulger has had two previous outbursts in court.

Earlier in the day, Weeks testified that a chance encounter between Bulger and murder victim Arthur "Bucky" Barrett gave his former boss the idea to shake down the expert safecracker.

Weeks said Barrett was lured to the home of fellow associate Pat Nee's brother to buy stolen diamonds. He said he met Barrett at the door and grabbed his hands as Bulger walked out of the kitchen with a machine gun.

Barrett told the men where they could find $57,000 hidden in his home and at a local bar before being killed. Weeks claims Bulger said "Bucky's gonna go downstairs to lay down for awhile," before shooting him in the back of the head. Weeks, Steve Flemmi, and Nee helped to clean up and bury the body in the basement.

Weeks also described gruesome details in the murder of Deborah Hussey, Steve Flemmi's stepdaughter. He claimed he was upstairs at the same home where Barrett was killed when he heard a thud. He alleged that he came downstairs to find Bulger strangling Hussey. Bulger's former right-hand man said the woman's eyes had rolled back and her lips turned blue.

Hussey's body remained alongside Barrett and murder victim John McIntyre in the basement of the home until 1985 when Weeks, Flemmi, and Bulger moved them to a grave site across from Florian Hall in Dorchester. Weeks told prosecutors they dug the holes the night before the bodies were moved and Bulger left a $20 bill under a rock at the site so the men would know if it was compromised.

Weeks also explained the details of several other murders he claims he was told about by Bulger, including the murder of Flemmi's ex-girlfriend Debra Davis. He claimed Bulger told him Flemmi kissed Davis and told her she was going to a better place before "she was strangled." Weeks did not know who strangled Davis.

Bulger's attorneys denied his involvement in the murders of Davis and Hussey during opening statements. During cross examination Tuesday, J.W. Carney focused on the close relationship between Weeks and Bulger, as well as Bulger's relationship with law enforcement officials who he paid off.

Weeks, who Carney described as being closer to the reputed mob boss than Bulger's own business partner, became combative on more than one occasion during cross examination.

Weeks admitted he has been lying his whole life because he is a criminal. He also admitted that he has failed to tell investigators the truth about crimes in the past, but said he was in court Tuesday to tell the truth.

When asked if he was worried about being called a rat, Weeks said he was more concerned about being lumped in as an informant with Bulger and Flemmi. He sarcastically told J.W. Carney to call him a rat outside and see what he does when asked how he would handle people calling him one.

In another tense moment, Carney said that Weeks won by striking a deal with the government.

"What did I win? What did I win? Five people are dead!" Weeks responded.

Weeks was excused after a brief re-direct. Bulger's racketeering trial will continue Wednesday.