By the time John Martorano was dismissed from the witness stand, the jury had heard three days of testimony about machines gunnings, stabbings and precision hits on mob foes and unlucky by-standers. They looked at black and white photos of victims, and they heard a former killer describe his profession in clinical, dispassionate tones.
On Martorano's final day on the stand on Wednesday, the government bolstered its case by portraying Martorano as an indispensable witness to Whitey Bulger's alleged crimes.
Bulger's attorney Henry Brennen raised the history of another mafia hitman turned informant, Joe “the Animal” Barboza.
Martorano responded "I knew he went to the government and gave a false story about people."
The defense continued to attack Martorano's credibility, pointing out the government protected not just him, but his brother and others.
The defense also pushed Martorano to admit he received $400 whenever he needed it from the DEA. Plus $70,000 for collaborating on a book with Boston Herald columnist Howe Carr called, Hit Man –a title Martorano didn’t like, but the defense said he was still willing to make money off the title.
The day ended with William Doogan, a Boston Police sergeant detective supervisor in charge of the "cold case" squad. Doogan identified 19 photos of murdered men including Michael Donahue, an innocent man who was killed when he gave a ride home to a friend who was targeted by Bulger.
Reporters followed Martorano to the elevator after his testimony but he declined to answer questions. His cousin, Joe, however, stood in for him later before a group of reporters. As Martorano’s cousin walked away from the cameras, I asked him about one of the hitman’s victims, a 19-year-old slain in 1968 sitting in a car next to Martorano’s intended target.
When the proceedings ended, I posed a question to defense attorney Brennen: did you succeed in putting Martorano on trial today?
Brennen didn't answer but smiled as he walked away.
Watch WGBH's Adam Reilly and Boston Herald columnist Peter Gelzinis discuss on Greater Boston the third day of Martorano's testimony.
