Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Mazzarella Slammed on Shilling for Healey

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Here’s another thing I love about the Internet: Comment links at the bottom of Newspaper articles.

The Sentinel and Enterprise of Fitchburg and Leominster ran a story on the much hyped but little documented relationship between Deval Patrick and Benjamin LaGuer under the headline “Mazzarella Challenges Patrick”. It’s the same stuff that was in the Herald last month and that was in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette today. Summary: How dare Patrick even suggest that justice may not have been served in a particular case?

This time there is a comment attached to the bottom of the article from one William C. (Bud) Taylor II. Thanks to my skills at cutting and pasting I am promoting it to Blue Mass Group. It is well worth a read:

As a mayor in Massachusetts, how could Dean Mazzarella think of Kerry Healey as a credible choice over Deval Patrick? Mazzarella has seen what has happened to his own community with the drastic cuts to aid for cities and towns at the hands of Kerry Healey and the Romney Administration.

I too am an un-enrolled voter, just like Mazzarella. However, I represent the Labor Movement (Working Families) as a member of the North Central Massachusetts Work Investment Board [and was appointed by Dean Mazzarella]. The NCM WIB oversees the grant funding for job training and development in our region. In that position I constantly see the abysmal performance and failure of the Romney/Healey Administration on jobs and the economy in our region. Mazzarella sees this data too, but seems to be ignoring this real issue in the on-going gubernatorial race => its Jobs! Mazzarella would rather bring up this non-connected issue to incorrectly attack the character of Deval Patrick.

How unfortunate for the voters of Leominster to continually have their Mayor focus on the wrong issues while Mazzarella continues to blunder on the big things, like wasting millions of dollars on Crossroads School and the Library. Mazzarella’s poor judgment is costing citizens through rising property taxes. When will Mayor Mazzarella look at the big picture? Hopefully Mazzarella refocuses soon because people are leaving Leominster and Massachusetts in droves because of the lack of jobs and cost of living here due to bad leadership. Kerry Healey has used the last four years to prove she can’t do anything to create jobs.

Like Mazzarella, I too voted for Chris Gabrielli in the primary. But now I believe Deval Patrick at least has a relationship with the Legislature and a plan to do something that is realistic. That’s really the big picture here.

Deval Patrick has also proven he’s tough on crime as a prosecutor. What more does Mazzarella want and who is he kidding raising this issue? Don’t fall for this type diversion and vote for somebody who doesn’t truly have your interest at the center of their vision.

William C. (Bud) Taylor II | 09.28.06 – 2:26 pm

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  1. Patrick said that he would meet with Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella. That should be interesting.

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    blockquote>Meanwhile, Patrick said he would be willing to meet with Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella, who said in an article published Thursday in the Telegram & Gazette of Worcester that he planned to contact the Democratic nominee to ask him about a criminal case that has touched off a politically charged debate because Patrick has been quoted as suggesting an inmate was wrongly convicted of rape.

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    Benjamin LaGuer was convicted in 1984 of raping a 59-year-old woman, his former neighbor in a Leominster apartment complex. He has maintained his innocence.

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    LaGeur’s bid for a new trial attracted intellectuals and others to his side, but the support dwindled after DNA testing in 2002 linked him to the crime scene.

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    LaGeur has a Web site quoting Patrick in a page of “testimonials.” The entry includes a quote attributed to Patrick, who is identified as a former U.S. assistant general for civil rights — a position he held under former President Bill Clinton from 1994 to 1997.

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    Mazzarella is a former Leominster police officer who was the first officer to arrive at the crime scene following the attack, and has followed the case for years.

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    Asked about LaGuer, Patrick told reporters, “I know who he is. He is someone on whose behalf I wrote I think maybe 15 years ago,” along with others including former Boston University President John Silber.

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    Questions raised about the trial’s fairness, “were serious questions, and as far as I know they were dealt with seriously,” Patrick said.

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    • According to the story in today’s T&G, Patrick now believes “justice was served” in the LaGuer case. He is quoted as saying:

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      “In light of today’s news stories, I reviewed the case today and was updated on developments since my letter more than ten years ago. I understand that, in addition to other review, DNA testing was done in 2002. On the basis of my review, I believe that the right outcome has been achieved and that justice has been served.”

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      Patrick’s is a totally understandable postion, given that a DNA test seemed to link LaGuer to the crime. Several DNA experts have since reviewed the case, however, and most who offered an opinion believe there is solid reason to question that result.

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      In particular, Dr. Theodore Kessis wrote a letter concluding:

      “…many instances of DNA testing errors have led to the false conviction of innocent individuals… . It is my opinion that we have encountered such a case here.”

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      Dean A. Wideman, a forensic consultant, submitted a report stating:

      “In summary, there are numerous deficiencies in this case relating to the criminal investigation, evidence collection, evidence handling, evidence storage, chain of custody, serology testing, and DNA testing. The types of errors and mistakes in this case are the result of individuals not adhering to the accepted standards and practices of criminal investigation and forensic laboratory testing.”

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      And Harvard biologist Prof. Daniel L. Hartl wrote a letter in which he concludes:

      “There is, in my opinion, ample reason for a full inquiry into this case, and I hope that the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will agree.”

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      These letters were written in response to inquiries by State Representative Ellen Story (D-Amherst) within the past year (use the above links to read those letters in full). She reviewed those in conjunction with others and concurs that more questions remain to be answered about the DNA result. It is a fascinating case that is currently in Supreme Judicial Court based on constitutional issues not related to the DNA testing.

    • After reading both articles in the local papers it appears no reporter brought up the subject as to why Mayor Mazzarella suddenly called the media to bring this QUESTION to light. 

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      As we look on the surface it could appear Mayor Mazzerella’s intention was support for Healey but remember to always look under the surface especially when in Worcester County.

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      The LaGuer case also came to light in this Wednesday’s hearing for a lifetime Judgeship appointment for Worcester ADA James Lemire.  Certainly Mayor Mazzarella would have a relationship with Worcester DA John Conte who testified Wednesday on Mr. Lemire’s behalf. Mayor Mazzarella would be the perfect source to seek help from.

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      Then suddenly Thursday, following the hearing stories appear in both local newspapers after Mayor Mazzarella dropped a dime and attemptes to make the prosecutor look like he did all the right things.  The quote from Patrick regarding the LaGuer case had been on the web site for years.

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      Most people in Leominster will tell you this case has always been plagued with doubts.
      How is justice served by convicting an innocent person?

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      In Leominster several false sexual accusations by the Police have been exposed since Mazzarella was a police officer and now the Mayor. In the 1993 case of police officer Warden Stratton, the City of Leominster paid out $600,000 in 2002 settlement.

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      A 2002 conviction of teacher, Frank Garcia Jr. from Piccolo Mondo has been overturned, the first two children failed to identify Mr. Garcia the third child on the second day of testimony admitted in cross examination after blindly pointing at Mr. Garcia that Tony, who was ADA Anthony Marotta told him how to point at Mr. Garcia. Recently in this case the court ordered a $10,000 payment by the State.

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      One thing for sure this sudden flip flop by Patrick will play right for the Healey Campaign no matter for what reason the LaGuer case suddenly became headline news. 

  3. Poor Ben LeGuer just lost his best advocate, Deval Patrick.  The terse statement “justice has been served” is the ultimate kiss off to the convicted rapist.  I don’t know what new information Deval Patrick had that prompted him to re-evaluate his position on the LeGuer case.  I guess the contamination allegation pertaining to the DNA tests was proved to be bogus.  You may contend that this re-assesment came late but you cannot fault the man for changing his opinion after he had been presented with what he determined to be conclusive evidence. 

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    Ask anyone who has been in a prison setting and they will tell you that almost everyone that is incarcerated claims they are innocent. LeGuer is no different.  Deval bought his story and then was convinced otherwise.

    • Herakles and Wayne in fact Patrick was not an advocate of LaGuer’s that is what makes this so unusual, I agree he wrote a letter plain and simple. So why now does the Mayor of Leominster suddenly pull this into the public light?

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      Hmmm…makes no sense, but still Patrick should of said I wrote the letter and I stand by it PERIOD!

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      Now in review opps did Patrick forget the fingerprints that were withheld for 18 years?  If the guy was so guilty why not give the fingerprints to the defense?  Oh that’s right they came from the phone that the cord was reomoved and used to bound the victim however they didn’t match LaGuer. 

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      LaGuer could have been out of prison years ago if he just admitted to the crime, yet he refuses. 

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      As for the DNA do you really believe that Conte could not have after all this time tainted the evidence?  Little secret the evidence seal was broken before the testing.  Now how did that happen?

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      So here is lesson for those of you who do not live in Worcester County, John Conte has never admitted to a false conviction in 30 years, he had a special locked filing cabinet in his office dedicated just to LaGuer.  Think the guy was obsessed?

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      And so you know this afternoon a HUGE HEALEY/ HILLMAN for Governor Sign was placed on the highway entrance into Leominster.

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      But I will stand by it has more to do with the Judgeship hearing than the election; Patrick was just an easy target to bring it out.  Attorney General Reilly had already tried to expose this letter in the primary race however it didn’t get much press that time. 

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      Guess the Mayor didn’t want the queston answered then!

      • I think that Deval did more than just write a letter, he lent LaGuer his considerable legal stature. Here is a former high ranking member of the Justice Department advocating for a man serving a life sentence for rape.  Someone as careful and ambitious as Deval Patrick would not lightly lend his name to the LaGuer cause unless he truly believed in it.  To do a 180 degree turn tells me that either he was convinced by a new review of the evidence or he is attempting to avoid a “Willie Horton moment.”

  4. Because it’s a non-issue.  Then and now.

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    They’re back on taxes now. And Gloria Larson coming on board.

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    And Deval raising 1.1 million in the last week.

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