SOUTH BOSTON, Mass. (WHDH) — Janet Uhlar, Bulger juror No. 12, said Wednesday she now regrets finding Whitey Bulger guilty of 11 murders.
“I’m saying the jury was held captive for 12 weeks and our verdict’s been kicked out the window by what happened in there. We were dealt a bag of goods by the department of justice. That jury, it was not a fair trial,” said Uhlar, Bulger juror.
Uhlar says if she knew then what she knows now about the government corruption, and the full story of their mob witnesses against Bulger, she would have held out for a “not guilty” verdict or at least a hung jury.
“What do we know of what Bulger did? You know what these criminals –they cut immoral deals to get their freedom. John Martorano, what about the victims that he murdered? What about their families,” Uhlar said.
Juror No. 9, Gusina Tremblay, came to court to defend the jury's verdict. Tremblay wanted to find Bulger guilty of the all the murders he was charged with.
“When you have 12 people with different convictions, some people — you have to bend somewhere along the way,” said Gusina Tremblay, Bulger juror.
Uhlar admits she came to her new understanding of the Bulger case, in part, by exchanging letters with Whitey himself since she found him guilty.
Uhlar wouldn't say whether Bulger admitted anything.
Family members of Bulger's victims were shocked by what Uhlar had to say about the trial.
“I don't think she has any business being pen pals with Whitey Bulger. I think she did her job and should go about her life,” said Tommy Donahue.
Uhlar is standing by her actions and new verdict on the trial.
“It was not a fair trial. It was a circus. It was a sham, and everybody's falling for it,” Uhlar said.
At one point Uhlar was asked if she was in love with Whitey Bulger. She scoffed at that notion, but she does have a relationship with Juror No. 9, Gusina Tremblay. She's writing a book with her about their opposing views of the case.