Despite notoriety, Bulger no easy case

The massive legal process set into motion last week, featuring a defendant flown in by helicopter, competing filings, and numerous hearings, is notable not only for the sheer scope of the crimes Bulger is accused of, but the time that has elapsed since they were committed, his cross-country flight from justice, and the FBI’s complicity in Bulger’s alleged crime spree.

“I think Bulger is a groundbreaking, unique case with issues never seen before in my lifetime,’’ said Bruce Cutler, a criminal defense lawyer who represented John Gotti, head of the Gambino crime family in New York.

Authorities arrested Bulger and his companion, Catherine Greig, in Santa Monica on June 22, where they had been hiding in an ocean-side apartment with $822,198 in cash.

His apprehension triggered international headlines and widespread speculation about the legal process ahead: Would he name names? Would more FBI agents be implicated? Would there be a plea? Or would the families of his alleged victims finally have their day in court?

As prosecutors prepare for an epic case, they could be influenced not just by what makes the most legal sense, but also the sensibilities of more than a dozen families who have been waiting decades for justice.

While some have predicted he might enter a plea, families of those Bulger is accused of killing are rooting for a full-blown trial - and the revelations it might produce about possible coconspirators or further corruption by the FBI.

“He’s the only one who can answer every question,’’ said Shawn Donahue, whose father, Michael, was shot dead on the South Boston waterfront in 1982, allegedly a victim of Bulger’s gang.

“The important part now,’’ said Tommy Donahue, Shawn’s brother, “is the truth.’’

One likely truth is that justice could be a long time coming.

“Normally, you would expect a case to come to trial within 12 to 18 months of indictment, but this case has such complexity,’’ said Timothy Burke, a former Suffolk County prosecutor who led a two-year investigation into Bulger’s operation in the early 1980s.