Catherine Greig pleads not guilty
Today Catherine Greig, the girlfriend of reputed Boston mob boss James “Whitey” Bulger, officially pleaded not guilty to charges of harboring and concealing a fugitive. The 9:00 arraignment in Room 17 of Boston’s federal courthouse has got to be the shortest court appearance I’ve ever attended. And shockingly, I was easily able to get a seat in the front row despite arriving only 15 minutes early. As usual, numerous reporters from the Associated Press, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, all of the local TV networks, and more, were in attendance. So was Greig’s twin sister, Margaret McCusker, wearing a black top and pearls. But very few relatives of Bulger’s alleged victims showed up, unlike at previous hearings.
Before the hearing began, Greig’s lawyer, Kevin Reddington, shook hands and chatted with reporters in the front row, sporting a black suit, white shirt, and flashy black tie with little red flowers. He also greeted Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Herbert, who wore a tan suit and purple tie. Greig was led in through a side door by who I’m guessing was a plainclothes U.S. Marshall at about 9:00. She wore a baggy, blue jail-issued v-neck shirt and pants, with a white t-shirt underneath, and sneakers. Her silver hair is cropped short, and if not for her handcuffs (which were removed before she sat down) and ankle chains, she would have looked like a typical 60-year-old lady.
I was able to see Greig close up for the first time, and she seemed happy, engaged, and talkative, much more so than most defendants I’ve seen. She flashed her sister a big smile as she entered the room. Sitting at one end of a long table, Reddington to her right and Herbert further to the right, she smiled, whispered, looked surprised, nodded animatedly, and gestured to her attorney while waiting for the hearing to begin.
Magistrate Judge Jennifer C. Boal arrived at 9:05 and court was called to attention. At her request, Herbert read the charge and the maximum penalty: 5 years in prison, 30 years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Boal asked if Greig had read the indictment and, standing, she replied, “Yes, I have.” She then waived the full reading of the indictment and when asked if she was ready to enter a plea, tentatively replied, “Yes, I believe.” Finally the clerk asked how she wanted to plead to the charge of harboring a fugitive, and she answered, “Not guilty.” The whole time, she spoke softly but clearly, with a quiet confidence as if being arraigned in federal court wasn’t a big deal. Court was adjourned at 9:07 and Greig was re-handcuffed and led out.
The next status conference in the case of scheduled for September 29 at 11:00.
According to news reports, Reddington indicated after the arraignment that Greig still has some loyalty to her alleged gangster boyfriend. She will not cooperate with law enforcement ”while I’m representing her,” he said, calling her “a very strong woman.” From what I saw of her today, I agree.