STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE FACING THE PROSPECT of a commutation that would make him eligible for parole after three decades behind bars, convicted murderer Thomas Koonce said Wednesday that he […]
Criminal Justice
Posted inCriminal Justice
Commission probes uneven sheriffs’ spending
THE BRISTOL COUNTY sheriff’s department spends around $50,000 per year for each inmate it incarcerates, and around $1,000 per inmate on programming. The Barnstable County sheriff spends twice that – […]
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Stairway death of BU professor called accident
LAW ENFORCEMENT officials have concluded the death of Boston University professor David K. Jones last fall was an accident, caused when he ducked around a fence blocking access to a […]
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Marijuana regulators support updates to drugged driving laws
SINCE MASSACHUSETTS LEGALIZED recreational marijuana, Gov. Charlie Baker has been pushing the Legislature to also update the state’s laws against driving under the influence of drugs. But a lengthy […]
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Needham police officer charged with insider trading
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE TWO MEN from Needham, one of them a police officer, and a Rhode Island man were arrested Wednesday in connection with an alleged conspiracy to trade […]
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The crisis of missing Black women and girls in Massachusetts
“If Black women were free it, would mean everyone else would have to be free” – Combahee River Collective Statement I START WITH this line taken from the Combahee River […]
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Baker commutes sentences of two men convicted of murder
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Wednesday commuted the sentences of two men who were convicted of murder. the first commutations the Republican governor has issued since he took office. “I believe […]
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Federal lawsuit alleges brutal abuse by Souza-Baranowski officers
A FEDERAL LAWSUIT filed by Prisoners’ Legal Services on Monday alleges brutal, violent, and racist behavior by correctional officers at the Souza-Baranowski prison, giving a rare look at the alleged […]
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How Boston escaped the national spike in homicides
IT’S BEEN A grim companion to the death toll of COVID-19: While the virus has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans, homicide rates have also been soaring nationally. Homicides rose […]
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Rollins goes out with a bang — at MBTA
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE SUFFOLK COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY Rachael Rollins said Thursday that her office would open an investigation into whether the MBTA bore any criminal responsibility for the Green […]
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Attack on principal underscores need for holistic response to safety
BOSTON MAYOR Michelle Wu is right: We need a different approach to assuring safety in our schools—one that prioritizes student and staff safety but also prioritizes transformation of the way […]
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‘Red flag’ gun bill used just six times last year
WHEN GOV. CHARLIE BAKER signed the so-called “red flag” bill in July 2018, it was pitched as a way to save lives. Under the law, a family member or police […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
DAs Blodgett, O’Keefe won’t seek reelection
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A PAIR OF DISTRICT ATTORNEYS who have each served for two decades announced Wednesday they will not run for reelection this year, while Suffolk County DA […]
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Commission sharply split on qualified immunity proposals
A SHARPLY DIVIDED commission established to study qualified immunity – a controversial legal doctrine that shields police officers and other public employees from liability from civil lawsuits – is recommending […]
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Tompkins to face challenge from longtime sheriff’s department official
A VETERAN OFFICIAL of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department says the correctional agency can do better and vowed that she’s ready to lead the way. Sandy Zamor Calixte, who has […]
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Trauma brought to life in powerful Globe essay
THE STORY COMES crashing in with all the page-turning drama of a gripping work of fiction. An opening scene of the 15-year-old protagonist pointing a gun to his mother’s face. […]
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Boxborough police chief placed on paid leave
THE BOXBOROUGH SELECT BOARD placed Police Chief Warren Ryder on paid administrative leave Tuesday. No explanation was given, but the board had previously asked the FBI to investigate allegations that […]
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Drunk driving case raises consent issues
IT IS ESTABLISHED case law that someone suspected of drunk driving must consent before a blood test can be performed on them, for the safety of both the individual and […]
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Bodycam commission, slow to form, misses deadline
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE MORE WIDESPREAD USE of body cameras ranks high among policing reform priorities, but a commission set up under the one-year-old reform law has missed its deadline […]
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Essex prosecutors will investigate claims of improper masking at Middleton jail
A PUBLIC DEFENDER in Essex County is asking that his client be released from the Middleton jail because correction officers are not properly masking. Andrew daMota, an attorney with the Committee […]
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ACLU lawyer Rahsaan Hall weighing run for Plymouth DA
FOUR YEARS AGO, Rahsaan Hall, director of the racial justice program for the ACLU of Massachusetts, led a statewide campaign calling attention to the importance of elections for district attorney. Now, the Brockton resident is putting his money where […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Parole commission investigating racism hits data roadblock
It’s déjà vu all over again. A recently released report regarding structural racism in the parole process ran into the same barrier that has hindered myriad other attempts at analyzing […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Parole commission investigating racism hits data roadblock
It’s déjà vu all over again. A recently released report regarding structural racism in the parole process ran into the same barrier that has hindered myriad other attempts at analyzing […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
SJC splits 4-3 on racial implications of traffic stop
A CAR FULL OF MEN are stopped by the police for a traffic violation. One passenger jumps out and acts aggressively. After restraining him, the police search the other occupants […]
