Brother of US fugitive resigns

By David Bamford BBC correspondent in Washington

William Bulger insists he knew nothing of his brother's life

Americans living in the state of Massachusetts have been gripped in recent weeks by developments concerning the former president of the state senate, William Bulger, and his brother, James, who is one of America's most wanted fugitives.

As a result of the scandal, William Bulger was forced on Wednesday to resign from his post as president of the University of Massachusetts.

It is an extraordinary tale of two brothers who grew up together in a poor suburb in south Boston, but took very different paths in life.

William Bulger shunned the street gangs to study, becoming a local senator and, for the past 17 years, state senate leader.

More recently, he has held the prestigious role of president of the University of Massachusetts, known affectionately as UMass.

"Wayward sibling"

But his elder brother James was a rebel from the start.

He was in court as a youth for larceny and later served time for bank robberies.

He is now on the FBI's 10 most wanted fugitives list, accused of extortion, drugs crimes and murder.

This has not directly affected William's glittering career - until now.

US Congress has recently been investigating the relationship between the FBI and mob informants and William Bulger was summoned to give testimony.

While insisting he knew nothing about his brother's life, his critics called his answers evasive and they called for him to go.

A campaign began against him, and now he has been forced to resign from office - ruined, by all accounts, by the reputation of his wayward sibling.