Bulger jurors to Tsarnaev panel: Its going to be tough

Gusina Tremblay was looking out a window of the federal courthouse in South Boston on July 10, 2013, during a break from her service as a juror on the trial of mobster James Whitey Bulger, when a police motorcade delivered Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to his arraignment.

I said to the others, I absolutely could not be on that jury, Tremblay, a mother of four who works part time cleaning and running errands for elderly shut-ins, told the Herald. At least I didnt know the whole story of Whitey Bulger. Theyre going into this knowing exactly what happened and its going to be very emotional. This ones going to be a tough one.

Tomorrow, 18 people just like Tremblay will be chosen to occupy a jury box in Courtroom 9 of U.S. District Court for what is expected to be a four-month trial, at the end of which 12 of them could be asked to decide whether the 21-year-old Tsarnaev lives or dies for the murders of 8-year-old Martin Richard, Krystle Marie Campbell, Lingzi Lu and MIT police officer Sean Collier.

A Bulger juror from Brockton, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said theres only one way for Tsarnaevs jurors to cope: Just go through it. Thats what I did, he said. Im glad I had the experience, but at the same time, it was tough. The films, the testimony ... I think Ive moved on. Im a Christian and thats my foundation. I know whos in charge.

I dont think theres any way to prepare yourself. I thought I was prepared, Tremblay said when asked what she would tell Tsarnaev jurors based on her experience of being subjected daily to images and descriptions of Bulgers gangland slayings and tortures for weeks on end. Federal prosecutors have repeatedly told prospective Tsarnaev jurors they need to be able to handle gruesome pictures and video from the April 15, 2013, attack on Boylston Street. Tremblay said prosecutors did not forewarn her what to expect during Bulgers two-month trial.

Im different. I think a lot changed for me. I dont know how to define it, the Kansas native said, tearing up. I dont think people realize how traumatic it was to sit through. Sometimes I felt like I was in a movie or watching a movie, and I knew I was playing a pretty big role.

Judge George A. OToole Jr. has not disclosed how many provisionally qualified jurors have been called back from a process that began Jan. 5 with 1,373 possibilities. Tomorrows final selection proceeding marks day 25 in Tsarnaevs case.

Read more from the original source:
Bulger jurors to Tsarnaev panel: Its going to be tough