James "Whitey" Bulger

Mobster Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi on the stand in a previous court appearance.

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Gov't has to pay mob victims' families

Judge found FBI liable in deaths

Updated: Thursday, 01 Oct 2009, 10:32 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 01 Oct 2009, 12:11 AM EDT

BOSTON (AP) - A federal judge says the government should pay a total of $1.85 million to the familes of three alleged victims of fugitive mobster James "Whitey" Bulger and his partner, Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi .

The ruling Wednesday by U.S. District Judge William Young finalizes a tentative ruling from July . Then, Young found the government liable in the deaths because the FBI protected and failed to control Bulger and Flemmi, longtime FBI informants.

Wednesday's decision awards $350,000 each to the families of Debra Davis and Deborah Hussey, both 26, and 45-year-old Louis
Litif.

Young also awarded $800,000 to Litif's family for the loss of his financial and emotional support.

The Justice Department argued it wasn't obligated to control the gangsters. A spokesman said the department hadn't determined its
response to the ruling.

Copyright Associated Press, Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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