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Judge Denies Defense Motion To Delay Bulger Trial

The judge presiding over the trial of Boston mobster James "Whitey" Bulger has denied a request from the defense to delay proceedings for several days.

Bulger's lead lawyer on Thursday filed a motion asking for a suspension of the trial until Tuesday so the defense team can prepare for prosecution witnesses expected on the stand.

J.W. Carney said the "volume of paperwork is enormous" and that Bulger was exhausted from traveling from Plymouth to the courthouse in Boston each day.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Hafer opposed the motion.

"The victims have been waiting long enough for justice," Hafer said. "Mr. Bulger had 16 years to relax in California."

Prosecutors say they will call Bulger's former partner, Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi, to stand in the coming days and could possibly rest its case by the end of next week. Because they are running ahead of schedule, Judge Denise Casper said she would end testimony on Thursdays earlier, at 1 p.m. instead of 3:30 p.m.

The 83-year-old Bulger is charged with having a role in 19 killings during the 1970s and `80s while he allegedly led the Winter Hill Gang and served as an FBI informant on the rival New England Mafia. He has pleaded not guilty.

Bulger fled ahead of a 1995 indictment and wasn't captured until 2011.

With reporting by The Associated Press and the WBUR Newsroom.

This article was originally published on July 11, 2013.

This program aired on July 11, 2013. The audio for this program is not available.

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