So the Herald ran a series recently focusing on the low clearance rate of homicides by Boston Police. In Massachusetts the district attorney has complete authority over homicide investigations. The BPD blames Conley for the lack of prosecutions while Dan responds that he needs to be absolutely sure the charged party did it rather than being pretty sure. Or something like that.
This explains why a guy who shot and killed a woman sitting in the back of car driving away was not indicted.
Or the driver of a speeding car who ran a red light as he barreled through Broadway in South Boston killing a young woman who was unfortunate enough to have the green light.
And how could Dan indict the two guys on film holding a guy a down as they punch and kick him simultaneously as the guy decides to stop his heart from beating and die? You never can be sure.Talk about bad timing.
Then there’s the guy who had to use a stun gun multiple times against an already injured young man with his hands raised.
The above are four incidents off the top of my head showing clear cases of homicide, assault, and/or criminal negligence by Boston police officers in the line of duty.
Dan chose not to bring any charges.
Before Dan there was Ralph Martin and before him was Newman Flanagan and before him we had Garret Byrne. Byrne started in the 50s. Sixty freakin years ago .
Before I get to them let me ask you a question. Suppose you were getting a tour of a medium size high school. During the tour you ask about the discipline procedures and you’re told the school never has discipline problems. What would you think?
Conley’s predecessors regularly prosecuted cops for things that popped up in the course of business. They didn’t go looking for stuff but they didn’t run away either. What about a dirty cop or two shaking done street level drug dealers and such?
Jesus Christ they had a detective on camera stealing an expensive pair of sunglasses out of a store on Newbury St. while investigating a robbery.
WTF? How about a shoplifting charge with a dismissal upon the payment of court costs. And a stay away order. Wouldn’t hurt his pension.
Oh, and Conley has a new trick. His office is now routinely filing frivolous complaints with the Board of Bar Overseers against defense attorneys who do good jobs.
…… I was about to push publish when I remembered Conley’s mayoral campaign gimmick of solving the Boston Stranger mystery through classic Conleyesqe creepiness.
He had detectives follow one of the Strangler’s family members around for a week (at cost to the tax payers and time away from other unsolved homicides.) until he blew his nose and threw the tissue away. Dan saw this on CSI Schenectady.
But Dan ignored the fact that it’s been widely known for years that the DeSalvo family has been willing to give DNA samples.
And this stunt only addressed one of the murders.
Not for nothin’ but I told you dan would get his ass kicked in the mayor’s fight and he did.
Ta Da!
JimC says
That really bugged me. Suddenly we had time for that, while he was running for Mayor.