As jury selection gets underway in the long-awaited trial of reputed gangster James "Whitey" Bulger, the biggest challenge may be finding 18 people who can spend the next four months hearing the case.

Unlike some other high-profile mob cases, jurors in the Bulger trial won't be sequestered and their identities will be made public after the verdict.

A judge told prospective jurors Tuesday that despite Bulger's notoriety, the approach to picking a jury remain the same.

Judge Denise Casper says people will not necessarily be excused from sitting on the jury simply because they have read or heard about Bulger. She says the "critical issue" is whether they can decide the case based only on evidence presented in court.

The 83-year-old Bulger is charged with a long list of crimes, including participating in 19 murders.