BOSTON (AP) -- A lawyer for mobster James "Whitey" Bulger has pleaded with a judge to delay his trial, saying it wouldn't be fair to the former leader of the Winter Hill Gang to go to trial with an unprepared defense.

But a prosecutor said Bulger has already received "a 16-year continuance" in his trial by fleeing Boston and staying on the run all those years. He accused Bulger of trying to stall his trial indefinitely.

U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns didn't immediately rule Thursday on the defense request to move the trial from March until next November.

Bulger is accused of playing a role in 19 murders. His lawyer has said Bulger plans to testify about his claim he received immunity to commit crimes while he was an FBI informant on the Mafia.