Businessman says Bulger stuck shotgun in his mouth

BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com/AP) — A real estate developer says James "Whitey" Bulger once stuck a shotgun in his mouth and threatened to kill him and his family if he did not pay $200,000.

Richard Buccheri described the 1986 encounter while testifying Thursday in Bulger's racketeering trial in Boston. Bulger is charged with participating in 19 killings during the 1970s and '80s, as well as numerous extortions while he allegedly led the Winter Hill Gang.

Buccheri says he was summoned to a meeting with Bulger after he gave his advice on a property dispute two neighbors were having.

Buccheri says Bulger told him that his "surrogate son," Kevin Weeks, was buying one of the properties. He says Bulger stuck a shotgun in his mouth, then put a handgun to his head and said he wouldn't kill him, but it would cost him $200,000.

Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi's cross-examination by Bulger's lawyer also ended Thursday. Flemmi acknowledged that the government had allowed him to keep some properties under a 2003 plea agreement that also spared him death penalty prosecutions for murders in Oklahoma and Florida.

Under questioning from prosecutors, Flemmi said he was with Bulger almost every day for 20 years, and the two committed numerous crimes together, including murders.

After testimony had wrapped up, Judge Denise Casper ruled that the defense may call up to 16 of their 30 original witnesses in the case. Casper said that nine could testify, seven could potentially be called and eliminated five altogether. The defense team withdrew six on their own.

Prosecutors argued that the thirty witnesses were irrelevant to the case.

Cox Media Group