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Includes Specific Reforms and Principles Grounded in Progressive Prosecution
BOSTON, March 25, 2019—Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins this evening announced the release of a 65-page policy memo that defines her bold vision for her office and provides specific instructions to her staff on handling the low-level, non-violent offenses that she pledged to divert, dismiss, or otherwise resolve without incarceration.
“This document is a memo to my staff, but it also fulfills a commitment I made to the community we serve,” District Attorney Rollins said. “This is a roadmap to a criminal justice system that works equally for everyone, based on research, data, and input from across the spectrum of stakeholders.”
Click here to read The Rollins Memo.
District Attorney Rollins distributed the memo to her staff earlier today in advance of this evening’s general announcement. While parts of it lay out office-wide goals to minimize the impact of the criminal justice system and reduce racial and socioeconomic disparities, it also contains specific guidelines for addressing some of the most common – but least serious – offenses that prosecutors handle in Suffolk County’s nine district and municipal courts.
“We start with a presumption that, in most cases, these charges don’t need to be prosecuted,” District Attorney Rollins said. “Dismissal, diversion, treatment, and services are much more often the appropriate outcomes.”
District Attorney Rollins thanked her staff, and in particular her executive staff and transition team, for their assistance in drafting, revising, and formatting the unprecedented policy guide – a process that utilized the expertise of prosecutors, defense attorneys, retired judges, and returning citizens in equal measure.
“I’m grateful to all of them for their input,” she said, “but most of all I’m grateful to the people of Suffolk County for placing their trust in me and supporting my mission.”
We were pleased to welcome the new Suffolk County District Attorney to 16 Beacon Street last week, to hear about her formative experiences, her plans for the office, and her take on hiring and management.
Fresh off her historic election last fall, and barely two months into the job, DA Rachael Rollins visited the BBA on March 11 and took questions from Cat Ham, of the Suffolk DA’s Homicide Unit and co-chair of the BBA’s Criminal Law section, and Kate Cook from Sugarman, Rogers, Barshak & Cohen, P.C., as well as from audience members.
After earning a lacrosse scholarship at UMass-Amherst—and then engaging in a legal battle to save the program and other women’s sports at the school by threatening to bring a Title IX discrimination lawsuit—DA Rollins entered law school with a plan to pursue a career in sports law, specifically to become the first female Executive Director of to the National Basketball Players Association. She credited the co-op program at Northeastern Law School with helping her learn more about the field and gain valuable experience. While at NUSL, she interned at the NBPA and with the Boston Celtics After earning an LL.M. at Georgetown, she ultimately landed at the National Labor Relations Board in Boston before joining the firm then known as Bingham McCutchen (now Morgan Lewis). She said that, at Bingham, her work with former Suffolk DA Ralph Martin, the first African-American to hold that post, and her selection to participate in a District Attorney rotation in Plymouth County steered her toward criminal law.
Read more at http://issuespot.bbablogs.org/2019/03/21/suffolk-county-da-rachael-rollins-speaks-at-the-bba/
Earlier this year, Rachael Rollins took office as Suffolk County DA. Many on the left praised her as a progressive reformer, while many on the right portrayed her as a rookie who is soft on crime. Morning Edition Host Joe Mathieu spoke with WGBH’s legal analyst Daniel Medwed to talk about Rollins’ progress just a few months into her tenure. The transcript below has been edited for clarity.
Mathieu: Now, the police were very wary of Rollins before she took over. What was the basis for their objections?
Medwed: I think it stemmed from one of her signature campaign pledges, which was to try to clamp down on what she considered to be over-criminalization by targeting 15 low-level crimes committed by first-time offenders — crimes like trespass and shoplifting — and have a presumption not to prosecute them. This rankled the law enforcement establishment, to put it mildly. A group called the National Police Association filed a grievance with the Board of Bar Overseers before Rollins even took office, claiming that her law license should be in jeopardy — that she’s too soft on crime and that’s an ethical violation.
Mathieu: Has the police’s stance against Rollins soften since she took office? Sometimes it’s different when we actually put things into practice.
Medwed: I think so. I think it has softened. That’s my perception, at least. The much-feared revolution has not materialized. She never categorically vowed to decline to prosecute all of these cases, she just said, I’ll presume not to prosecute these low-level cases unless there’s a countervailing consideration, like a public safety risk, and then I’ll march forward. And the data since she took office suggests that she is marching forward in a relatively large percentage of them.
BOSTON, March 20, 2019 — Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins today announced the indictment of an East Boston man for sexually assaulting one child, enticing another to create child pornography for him, and transmitting dozens of graphic sexual images of minors through a smartphone application.
A Suffolk County grand jury yesterday returned indictments charging DOMENIC D’AMORE, 29, of East Boston with:
BOSTON, March 18, 2019 — District Attorney Rachael Rollins today announced that her office has secured a plea in a 2017 stabbing motivated by transphobic animus that seriously injured a disabled person.
DAVID DELACRUZ, 31, on Thursday pleaded guilty to charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery on a disabled person, assault and battery for the purposes of intimidation, and violation of the victim’s civil rights. Judge Robert Tochka sentenced the defendant to a term of five to seven years in state prison followed by two years of probation, during which time he must stay away from and have no contact with the victim, stay away from the area of Egleston Square where the attack took place, wear a GPS monitor, and undergo an alcohol abuse evaluation and any treatment deemed necessary. more »
BOSTON, March 15, 2019 — Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins today announced that her office has secured restitution on behalf of a dozen victims who were defrauded of savings they invested in non-traditional accounts.
GUILLERMO ZAPATA, 47, formerly of Chelsea, on Monday pleaded guilty to a charge of larceny over $250 by scheme in East Boston Municipal Court. Judge John McDonald sentenced the defendant to five years of probation, during which time the defendant is barred from opening a community savings bank without proper licensure and permission from the court, must stay away from and have no contact with the victims named in the case, and write a letter of apology. At prosecutors’ request, Judge McDonald also ordered restitution be paid to the victims within 30 days. more »
BOSTON, March 11, 2019—Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins today announced the formation of her Discharge Integrity Team, a panel she has tasked with assisting her in performing an outside review of the Feb. 22 fatal police-involved shooting on Gerard Street in Roxbury.
Fulfilling her pledge to bring in outside experts for a transparent examination of the facts in every such case, District Attorney Rollins said these team members were selected for their impartiality, reputations for excellence, and specific expertise in community advocacy, criminal prosecution and defense, police investigations, and the rules of evidence and criminal practice in Massachusetts courts. They are:
• Phillomin Laptiste, Executive Director of the Bowdoin Street Health Center. Ms. Laptiste was born and raised on Bowdoin Street and has spent her professional life as an advocate for the Bowdoin/Geneva neighborhood while pursuing public health options for all of Boston’s residents. She has direct and personal experience with homicide and the health and safety impacts of trauma.
• David E. Meier, a partner at the law firm of Todd & Weld handling criminal defense matters. Mr. Meier served as the chief of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Homicide Unit from 1996 to 2008 and oversaw all death investigations, including fatal police shooting investigations, in Suffolk County during that time. Mr. Meier played a key leadership role in the Suffolk DA’s DNA Committee, which reviewed wrongful conviction claims as the precursor to today’s Conviction Integrity Program.
• Detective Lieutenant Robert Murphy, Commanding Officer of the State Police Detective Unit assigned to District Attorney Rollins’ office. A recipient of the Superintendent’s Unit Commendation and a Hero’s Award from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Detective Lieutenant Murphy has 20 years of experience in homicide and death investigations.
• The Honorable Charles T. Spurlock (Ret.), a highly-experienced and well-respected former judge who was appointed to the Roxbury District Court bench in 1986 by Governor Michael Dukakis and went on to preside over dozens of homicide trials as an associate justice of the Superior Court from 1992 until his retirement in 2010. Prior to joining the bench, Judge Spurlock was a supervising attorney for the Committee for Public Counsel Services in Roxbury.
“These cases are incredibly complex, emotionally-charged, and extremely important to both law enforcement and the community at large,” District Attorney Rollins said. “I’m confident that Ms. Laptiste, Mr. Meier, Detective Lieutenant Murphy, and Judge Spurlock will offer valuable assistance in assessing the facts, evidence, context, and law free from any bias – or even the appearance of bias. They will bring a fresh set of eyes and a variety of experiences to an issue of great public concern.”
The DIT members will convene on at least a monthly basis to review the progress of the investigation into the Feb. 22 encounter between 36-year-old Kasim Kahrim and Boston Police officers, during which Mr. Kahrim was fatally wounded and an officer suffered multiple gunshot injuries. The DIT will meet directly with District Attorney Rollins and her top prosecutor, First Assistant DA Daniel Mulhern, whom she assigned to the investigation and who reports directly and exclusively to her. They will assess the state of the evidence, monitor the direction of the investigation, and examine the procedural steps undertaken by investigators on the ground. They will make inquiries, offer insights, and present objective opinions based on their thorough review.
The innovative creation of an outside review team to assist in officer-involved fatal shootings is believed to be unique in Massachusetts and across the nation, District Attorney Rollins said, and fulfills her campaign promise to address concerns about independence in officer-involved shootings while maintaining the District Attorney’s exclusive statutory authority to “direct and control” all death investigations.
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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Youth, 19, Was Slain; Six Others Injured at Chelsea Party
BOSTON, March 8, 2019—A Lynn teen pleaded guilty yesterday as his trial was set to begin on charges that he opened fire during a party three years ago, killing 19-year-old Pablo Villeda and injuring six others, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins said.
EMANUEL MARRERO, 19, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with Pablo Villeda’s March 6, 2016, shooting death, as well as six counts of armed assault with intent to murder and related charges for injuries suffered by six other young people. more »
BOSTON, March 6, 2019—Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins and MBTA Transit Police Chief Kenneth Green today announced indictments against a former police officer who allegedly beat a homeless man and two sergeants accused of assisting him in covering up the excessive and unlawful use of force.
“The conduct alleged in these indictments is unacceptable at every level,” District Attorney Rollins said. “The charges reflect an unprovoked armed assault by a uniformed officer on a vulnerable member of our community, followed by a joint venture with supervising officers to cover up that crime. Actions like these undermine the hard work of countless honest, professional police officers and seriously erode trust in law enforcement. Crimes against public integrity are some of the most important that my office can bring on behalf of victims and our community, and I take them extremely seriously.”
“Words cannot express the extreme disappointment I have in the officers who violated the victim’s and the public’s trust in such an egregious manner,” Chief Green said. “However I refuse to allow the corrupt actions of these individuals to tarnish the vast majority of the men and women of the Transit Police who day in and day out wear their badges and perform their duties with honor and integrity.”
Based on a lengthy investigation by Transit Police detectives and Suffolk County prosecutors, the Suffolk County Grand Jury today returned indictments charging former Transit Police Officer DORSTON BARTLETT, 65, of Lynn with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and violating a person’s civil rights for allegedly using his baton to strike a 32-year-old homeless man multiple times at Ashmont station in the early morning hours of July 27, 2018.
The indictments also charge Bartlett with misleading a police officer for allegedly giving false statements to two Boston Police officers who later responded to the scene, as well as assault and battery for allegedly grabbing and pushing the victim during the booking process that followed his arrest.
The Suffolk County Grand Jury returned additional indictments charging Bartlett, Sergeant DAVID FINNERTY, 43, of Rutland and Sergeant KENNY ORCEL, 55, of Chelmsford with making a false report as a public officer or employee, and additionally indicted Finnerty and Orcel as accessories after the fact to assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. These charges stem from the alleged collusion among all three to create a false incident report on Bartlett’s encounter with the victim in the hours following the assault.
At the time of the offenses, Finnerty was the shift officer in charge and Orcel was the shift patrol supervisor; both were placed on leave – and Bartlett retired – last year in the course of the investigation.
The evidence suggests that Bartlett arrested the victim after the assault and attempted to charge him with assault and battery on a police officer. In support of that charge, Finnerty allegedly drafted a report that was submitted by Bartlett and ultimately approved by Orcel. Later the same morning, a member of the Transit Police command staff learned of Bartlett’s use of force and reviewed both a preliminary draft of that report and video from public safety cameras at Ashmont station. Based on his observations, he ordered the victim released from custody, charges did not issue, and the criminal investigation was launched.
Myriah Young is the DA’s victim-witness advocate assigned to the case. Bartlett, Finnerty, and Orcel are expected to appear for arraignment on March 27.
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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
WBUR Radio Boston, March 5, 2019
In the last two months, two 23-year-old women have been allegedly kidnapped from clubs in downtown Boston.
Only one of the victims was found alive. Jassy Correia, a young mother from Lynn, was found dead in the trunk of a car, authorities said.
We talk to Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins about what these high-profile attacks mean for young women in Boston, and what everyone — men and women — can do to prevent violence against women.
Listen to the interview at: https://www.wbur.org/radioboston/2019/03/05/jassy-correia-violence-women
By Milton J. Valencia, Boston Globe, Feb. 23, 2019
William Gross was named Boston’s first black police commissioner last year, with widespread community support, and expectations. And Rachael Rollins, the first black woman elected Suffolk district attorney, built her campaign last fall on a promise to bring transparency to the office.
Now, all eyes will be on Rollins and Gross as they collaborate on the first high-profile incident of their tenures: the investigation into a confrontation in Roxbury early Friday that left one man dead and an officer in the hospital with gunshot injuries.
BOSTON, Feb. 22, 2019—Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins today made the following statement to the community on this morning’s fatal shooting involving a Boston Police officer:
“Any loss of life is tragic and this morning’s events on Gerard Street are no exception. I want to express my relief that the injured officer is expected to survive. I hope for his full recovery, and my thoughts are with his family at home and his brothers and sisters in law enforcement. I also want to express my deep sadness and sympathies for the family and loved ones of the man whose life was lost. They, too, are undoubtedly in shock at circumstances beyond their control.
“I want to assure the people of Boston and Suffolk County that I will be conducting an independent investigation into this incident and it will be full, fair, thorough, and impartial. If anyone in the community has information on this incident they haven’t yet disclosed, they can feel safe bringing it to my attention.
“In these early stages, I have assigned First Assistant District Attorney Daniel Mulhern to handle this investigation and report directly to me. As my direct representative, ADA Mulhern responded to the scene last night and has updated me regularly throughout the early morning hours, as has Commissioner Gross. I spoke with the Commissioner immediately after the shooting and we have communicated several times since then.
“By statute, this investigation and all decisions stemming from it rest exclusively with me, the District Attorney, independent of any other agency or individual. I pledge to base any decision I make exclusively on the facts, the evidence, and the law, and again I offer my prayers and condolences to both families impacted by this shooting.”
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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
BOSTON, February 15, 2019 — Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins today commended the work of prosecutors, victim witness advocates, and the police whose diligence and dedicated efforts led to a verdict in the 2014 murder of 20-year-old William Davis Jr.
Wednesday, jurors in the Suffolk Superior Court trial of AMIR RICHARDSON, 27, of Dorchester, found him guilty of first-degree murder in Davis’ 2014 shooting death. Richardson faces a mandatory term of life in prison when he is sentenced Feb. 22.
“Our office has worked diligently since the afternoon Mr. Davis was murdered to support his family and loved ones through the most devastating event imaginable and to help a community shaken by this act of violence,” Rollins said. “I’m grateful for the work of my prosecutors, victim witness advocates, and the Boston Police homicide detectives who worked to hold Richardson accountable for his actions not only to the Davis family, but to our community as a whole.”
Assistant District Attorney Tara Burdman introduced evidence and testimony during the course of the trial to prove that Richardson shot Davis three times in the area of 555 Dudley Street shortly after 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 17, 2014. Davis died of his injuries at Boston Medical Center. The evidence proved that Richardson then entered a GMC Terrain occupied by two other men and fled the scene. A search of the vehicle recovered the distinctive red jacket Richardson was observed wearing during the shooting and a revolver containing six spent shell casings that were ballistically matched to the bullets recovered from Davis’ body.
One of men in the waiting SUV, MARQUEESE SKINNER, 31, of Dorchester, in 2017 pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to murder.
Assistant District Attorney Julianne Campbell of the DA’s Appellate Division second-seated Burdman at trial. Edith Ayuso is the DA’s assigned victim witness advocate. Richardson is represented by Michael Doolin. Sentencing before Judge Janet Sanders will take place at 9 a.m. Feb. 22 in courtroom 907 of Suffolk Superior Court.
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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Prosecutors Will Seek Reconsideration of Retroactive Sentence, DA Says
BOSTON, Feb. 15, 2019—The day after a North Reading man was convicted of hate crimes and other offenses for a 2017 assault on a woman from Morocco, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins said “there is no place for hate and bigotry in our city.”
After a two-day jury-waived trial in Suffolk Superior Court, SEAN DEVLIN, 35, was found guilty yesterday of violating the victim’s constitutional rights, assault and battery for purpose of intimidation, assault and battery on a person over 60, and wanton destruction of property.
“Everyone is welcome in Boston and Suffolk County,” District Attorney Rollins said. “The defendant’s actions were unconscionable and unacceptable, and the verdict reflects that. But I want to point out and thank the people who stood up for the victim and defended her rights at every step of this case. From MBTA passengers, who witnessed the assault and testified at trial, to Transit Police investigators to Suffolk prosecutors and victim advocates, they proved that racial and religious intolerance have no home here.”
At a sentencing hearing today, Assistant District Attorney David Wittenberg recommended a three-year prison term – the maximum penalty for the most serious offense – followed by two years of probation with orders that Devlin undergo evaluations for substance use and mental health, remain alcohol free, undergo drug treatment and screening as deemed necessary, and perform 100 hours of community service after participating in a diversity program for hate crime defendants.
Suffolk Superior Court Judge Janet Sanders imposed one year of probation following two years in a house of correction, but ordered that sentence nunc pro tunc – or retroactive – to the date of his arrest, making him eligible for release in four months. Because most of the time Devlin spent behind bars since that time was for Middlesex County convictions and not for consequences stemming from his behavior in this Suffolk County case, District Attorney Rollins said she would seek reconsideration of that decision and appeal it if necessary.
“The sentence as it was imposed does not reflect the seriousness of these offenses,” District Attorney Rollins said. “Hate crimes spread fear across entire neighborhoods and communities. There are legal and moral reasons Devlin ought to serve a significant Suffolk County sentence for a serious Suffolk County crime.”
At trial, prosecutors proved that Devlin was riding an Orange Line train on June 19, 2017, when he began shouting anti-Muslim slurs at the 61-year-old victim, who was wearing a hijab as she returned from a prayer service during Ramadan. Devlin mocked the woman, telling her to take it off and return to her country.
“This is my country,” responded the woman, a resident of East Boston who had emigrated from Morocco and recently became an American citizen.
The evidence further showed that Devlin accused the woman of having a bomb in her bag and punched a window near her head, breaking it. As the woman left the train in fear, Devlin struck her.
In an impact statement following the verdict, the woman told the court that she felt tense and afraid in the days and weeks following the assault.
“I used to cry daily and pray for justice,” she said through an interpreter. “Why would someone attack me just for wearing something different? I am so thankful my rights were taken seriously … I am here for peace, tranquility, and safety.”
After thanking the court through the interpreter, she spoke one more sentence – this time in English.
“God bless America,” she said.
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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
BOSTON, Feb. 14, 2019—The day after a Suffolk Superior Court jury convicted a man of raping a disabled woman in her home, District Attorney Rachael Rollins reaffirmed a pledge to make her office a safe and welcoming place for survivors.
Jurors yesterday found STEVEN MILLER, 57, guilty of two counts of rape for the 2017 attack on a then-59-year-old woman whose medical condition left her with limited mobility. Jurors also found Miller guilty of single counts of assault and battery on a disabled person and strangulation or suffocation. Because of a prior rape conviction in 1987, Miller faces a second trial Wednesday on his indictment as a subsequent offender. He faces up to life in prison.
“Disclosing a sexual assault can be among the hardest decisions a survivor has to make,” District Attorney Rollins said. “I understand the complexity of that decision and I want every survivor to know we provide a safe, supportive environment at every stage of the investigation and prosecution. Just like the woman in this case, whose strength and courage allowed us to hold the defendant accountable for the harm he caused, we’re putting survivors’ best interests first.”
During two days of testimony, Assistant District Attorney Ursula Knight, chief of District Attorney Rollins’ Elders & Persons with Disabilities Unit, showed that Miller and the victim had a romantic relationship and that Miller demanded sex on the night of Feb. 8, 2017, in her Columbia Road home. When she refused, he beat, smothered, and raped her. The evidence demonstrated that the woman suffered from a medical condition that left her with very limited mobility and relied on a walker to get around. A neighbor called police the next morning after checking in on her and learning of the assault.
Sexual assault can happen to anyone, District Attorney Rollins said. While the victims of any crime are asked to call 911 in an emergency, survivors of sexual violence can also call their local rape crisis center for free and confidential services and to discuss their options. Support is available for all survivors of sexual violence, regardless of whether they wish to take part in a criminal prosecution. Services by city and town can be found through Jane Doe Inc. at www.janedoe.org/find_help/search. Jane Doe Inc. is a coalition of 60 local member programs working together to find lasting solutions that promote the safety, liberty, and dignity for victims and survivors of sexual and domestic violence.
In Suffolk County, the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center offers a free and confidential 24-hour hotline at 800-841-8371. The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center provides medical accompaniment and many other free services to victims of rape and sexual assault. Suffolk victim-witness advocates can assist in referrals to BARCC and a wide array of non-profit service providers who can offer additional support and services.
Sasha Brown was the victim-witness advocate assigned to the case. Miller was represented by attorney John Tardiff.
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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
While it may have been overshadowed nationally by healthcare and immigration, criminal justice was easily one of the most important issues on the ballot in 2018. From Colorado to Florida to Louisiana to Michigan to Washington, voters across the nation supported progressive criminal justice reform ballot measures by wide margins. Progressive criminal justice platforms won elections in gubernatorial, attorney general, state legislative, judicial, and district attorney races key to implementing reform. One of the greatest electoral victories for progressive criminal justice reform advocates was that of Rachael Rollins, who became District Attorney of Suffolk County, Massachusetts with over 70% of the vote.
Now the top prosecutor for almost 800,000 people in Boston and its neighboring areas, District Attorney Rollins ran a grassroots campaign focused on racial justice, ending mass incarceration, and the decriminalization of poverty, mental illness, and substance use disorder. She opposes mandatory minimums and cash bail, very much in line with Larry Krasner, the Black Lives Matter attorney elected Philadelphia District Attorney in 2017.
Listen to the podcast at: https://millennialpolitics.co/rachael-rollins-podcast/
BOSTON, February 7, 2019 — As part of her commitment to empowering survivors, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins today announced that a former employee of a Department of Youth Services vendor has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting two young victims.
JAMES CHRISTIAN, 48, on Tuesday pleaded guilty to four counts of rape of a child in connection with sexual assaults more than a decade ago on two boys who are now adults. Judge Linda Giles sentenced Christian to four to six years in state prison followed by five years of probation. Assistant District Attorney Maryrose Anthes had recommended a term of eight to 10 years in state prison. more »
January 30, 2019
By Shannon Dooling
Massachusetts’ highest court affirmed Wednesday the murder conviction of a man whose defense attorneys argued had received an unfair trial because they were unable to question state witnesses about their immigration statuses.
Fredys Chicas was convicted more than 10 years ago of beating Jose Santos, 31, to death with a baseball bat in Chelsea at a Christmas Eve party in 2005. Many of the witnesses were in the country illegally at the time of the trial, according to trial documents.
Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins applauded the decision, particularly the clarity of the court’s opinion.
Read more at: https://www.wbur.org/news/2019/01/30/sjc-chicas-conviction-witnesses-immigration-status
By Marie Szaniszlo, Boston Herald
January 30, 2019 at 8:03 am
Representatives of more than 30 agencies spanning disciplines including law enforcement, medical and mental-health care, and education met at the Children’s Advocacy Center in Brighton to sign a new memorandum of understanding outlining their responsibilities as members of Support to End Exploitation Now and underscoring their primary ethos: to treat exploited youngsters as victims, rather than criminals.
“In the … years since SEEN’s inception here at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County, not one juvenile in Boston, Chelsea, Revere or Winthrop has been arrested or charged with a prostitution offense,” Rollins told the group. The memorandum of understanding is “a how-to guide for other jurisdictions contemplating a modern approach to an age-old problem.”
Read more at: https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/01/29/group-committed-to-ending-child-sexual-exploitation/
BOSTON, Jan. 29, 2019—Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins joined local, state, and federal officials along with the leaders of public, private, and non-profit agencies today to adopt updated protocols protecting the young victims of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.
District Attorney Rollins was among dozens of representatives of law enforcement, medical and mental health care, human services, youth advocacy, education, and other disciplines at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County who signed a memorandum of understanding outlining their responsibilities as participants in the Support to End Exploitation Now (SEEN) coalition. The MOU codifies policies and practices that have evolved since the coalition was first formed more than a decade ago. more »
BOSTON, Jan. 29, 2019—Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins pledged to stand with survivors and against proposed changes by the Trump administration that would weaken protections against sex discrimination – including sexual harassment and sexual violence – at schools, colleges, and universities that receive federal funding.
Among other mandates, Title IX of the Education Amendment Acts of 1972 requires these educational institutions to investigate and adjudicate allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault regardless of whether they are reported to law enforcement agencies. The US Department of Education last year proposed changes to Title IX that would significantly narrow the scope of actionable conduct, raise the burden of proof for victims, and reduce the protections in place for victims when complaints are investigated and resolved. more »
By Maria Cramer, Boston Globe, Jan. 22, 2019
Rachael Rollins, the new Suffolk County district attorney, is blasting Immigration and Customs Enforcement for arresting an undocumented immigrant in a Boston courthouse this month when he showed up for an arraignment on cocaine trafficking charges.
Rollins vowed to launch an investigation to find out how ICE learned about the man’s whereabouts when he went to Suffolk Superior Court on Jan. 7.
The Office of Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins, the largest county-based prosecutor’s office in New England, is an equal opportunity employer — employing more than 150 lawyers and 150 additional staff members. We are lucky that the DA’s office currently has many exceptional people that serve Suffolk County with distinction every day. DA Rollins wants to build on this team with people that best reflect the rich diversity of all of Suffolk County.
Under her administration, the DA’s Office will be deeply engaged with every neighborhood in Suffolk County and we will build strong relationships with the communities we serve. It is crucial to DA Rollins to have a team that comes from various professional and personal backgrounds. The Office has an established policy against discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital or veteran/military status. We are currently looking for applicants to fill the following positions:
ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office employs nearly 300 lawyers, victim witness advocates, investigators, and support staff. Our Assistant District Attorneys are dedicated to public service, public safety, and justice for all involved in the criminal justice system. An entry level Assistant District Attorney is first assigned to the District & Community Court Bureau, where misdemeanor trials and felony preliminary hearings are handled. Ultimately, Assistant District Attorneys move on to the Trial Division Bureaus where they will prosecute cases before juries. ADAs are responsible for the vertical prosecution of upwards of 250 cases, handling all elements of the case from discovery collection through motions and trial. ADAs carry a diverse case load that includes narcotics distribution, motor vehicle offenses, unlawful possession of a firearm, insurance fraud, larceny by scheme, and violent felonies. ADAs are the primary points of contact with the communities they serve.
Required Qualifications:
• J.D. Degree from an accredited law school, and admitted to the Massachusetts Bar and in good standing;
• Demonstrated commitment to public service and a strong academic record; and
• Capacity for fairness, a strong work ethic, an ability to manage a demanding work load, and sound problem-solving and decision-making skills.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Fluency or Conversational Abilities in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Chinese, or Portuguese/Cape Verdean Creole
Starting Salary [for entry-level ADAs]: $46,000, with a generous benefits package.
Send Resume, Cover Letter and References to: SCDAOHiring@state.ma.us. SCDAO is committed to a diverse workforce and participates in a variety of outreach and recruitment efforts to encourage candidates of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds to consider careers as prosecutors, victim witness advocates, civilian investigators or support staff.
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VICTIM WITNESS ADVOCATE
This is a full-time position for a Victim Witness Advocate (VWA) who would be responsible for providing crisis assessment and intervention, information and referrals, supportive counseling, and court advocacy services to victims, witnesses, and their families throughout the criminal justice system. Reports to Chief of VWAD.
Responsibilities:
• Timely and culturally competent delivery of service in compliance with the “Victim Bill of Rights”;
• Management of cases primarily involving victims of violence and those who sustain serious physical, emotional, or financial injury;
• Intake and screening, documenting case activity, and communicating with assistant district attorneys, investigators, support staff, police, collateral service providers, and court personnel;
• Responsible for learning about diverse socioeconomic, racial, cultural, and ethnic populations in Suffolk County and ensuring that service delivery is reflective of their clients’ unique needs;
• Providing outreach, education, and training to service providers and community groups regarding victimization, victim rights, victim/witness services, and the criminal justice system; and
• Required to participate in regular staff meetings and individual and group supervisions
Required Qualifications:
• Strong written and verbal communication skills;
• Excellent organizational skills with strong attention to detail;
• Ability to update the case management system both accurately and timely;
• Ability to assess and address issues and matters in a timely fashion;
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize responsibilities in a fast-paced environment;
• Ability to work independently and be part of a team;
• Strong computer skills, must be proficient with Microsoft Office Suite;
• Strong interpersonal skills and be able to maintain a professional workplace etiquette; and
• Strong personal character and be able to handle sensitive and confidential information
Preferred Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree
• Experience working in a multi-disciplinary team setting;
• Working knowledge of the criminal justice system and interest in public service; and
• Fluency or Conversational Abilities in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Chinese, or Portuguese/Cape Verdean Creole
Starting Salary: $40,000, with a generous benefits package.
Send Resume, Cover Letter and References to: SCDAOHiring@state.ma.us. SCDAO is committed to a diverse workforce and participates in a variety of outreach and recruitment efforts to encourage candidates of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds to consider careers as prosecutors, victim witness advocates, civilian investigators or support staff.
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CIVILIAN INVESTIGATOR
Civilian Investigators assist Assistant District Attorneys with case enhancement and trial preparation in criminal cases at both the superior and district court level. Duties include the delivery of subpoenas on behalf of the District Attorney, locating victims and witnesses, transportation of victims and witnesses to and from court, collection of certified documents as needed for trial, conducting interviews, data base research and preparation of case related reports.
Required Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree or prior work experience in the criminal justice system;
• Ability to be detail-oriented and well organized, even when multi-tasking;
• Possess excellent problem solving, analytical and communication skills;
• Candidates must be organized, flexible and capable of working under pressure; and
• Ability to develop and cultivate effective internal/external working relationships is essential, as is an understanding of the uniquely sensitive and confidential nature of the professional services provided by the Office.
Preferred Qualifications:
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications; and
• Fluency or Conversational Abilities in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Chinese, or Portuguese/Cape Verdean Creole
Starting Salary: $38,000 with a generous benefits package.
Send Resume, Cover Letter and References to: SCDAOHiring@state.ma.us. SCDAO is committed to a diverse workforce and participates in a variety of outreach and recruitment efforts to encourage candidates of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds to consider careers as prosecutors, victim witness advocates, civilian investigators or support staff.
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ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
This is an administrative support staff position that involves working on a team with Assistant District Attorneys, Victim Witness Advocates and professional staff in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
Responsibilities:
• Administrative day-to-day support may include: answering phones, copying documents, managing internal and external mail flow
• Data entry in the case management system (DAMION); and
• Prepare subpoenas, organize cases, draft correspondences, manage spreadsheets
Required Qualifications:
• Strong written and verbal communication skills;
• Excellent organizational skills with strong attention to detail;
• Ability to update the case management system both accurately and timely;
• Ability to assess and addresses issue and matters in a timely fashion;
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize responsibilities in a fast paced environment;
• Ability to work independently and be part of a team;
• Strong computer skills, must be proficient with Microsoft Office Suite;
• Strong interpersonal skills;
• Strong personal character and be able to handle sensitive and confidential information;
Preferred Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree;
• Fluency or Conversational Abilities in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Chinese, or Portuguese/Cape Verdean Creole;
• Experience working in a professional office environment; and
• Working knowledge of the criminal justice system and interest in public service.
Starting Salary: $35,000, with a generous benefits package.
Send Resume, Cover Letter and References to: SCDAOHiring@state.ma.us. SCDAO is committed to a diverse workforce and participates in a variety of outreach and recruitment efforts to encourage candidates of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds to consider careers as prosecutors, victim witness advocates, civilian investigators or support staff.
Intends to keep victims, families informed
By Taylor Pettaway and Brooks Sutherland, Boston Herald
Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins said Sunday that as she goes forward in her new position she will align murder charges with what investigators can prove in court, and avoid a “reflex” to file first-degree murder charges on every case that comes through her office.
“I believe that what we need to do is look at everything as not a reflex, first degree, first degree first degree — there are some circumstances where a second-degree charge would be more appropriate,” she told WCVB during it’s Sunday morning “On the Record” news show.
Read more in the Boston Herald at https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/01/13/da-says-murder-charges-will-reflect-what-prosecutors-can-prove-in-court/
Watch the WCVB TV interview at https://www.wcvb.com/article/otr-rachael-rollins-discusses-criminal-justice-reform-what-crimes-should-not-be-prosecuted/25877757
BOSTON, Jan. 10, 2019—Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins announced today that Jennifer Grace Miller will be her Chief of Staff, citing her broad experience in senior government positions, including stints at two statewide law enforcement agencies. Miller’s first day will be Feb. 1, 2019.
Miller has most recently served as Counsel to the Massachusetts Senate, where she was the chief legal counsel to 40 senators and approximately 200 staff members. Prior to joining the Senate, Miller was Chief of the Government Bureau in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office. As Chief, Miller supervised roughly 100 lawyers and staff in three divisions. She previously served as the Bureau’s Deputy Chief and as an assistant attorney general in the Administrative Law Division, focusing primarily on civil appellate work. Among other high-profile litigation, Miller argued the Massachusetts buffer zone case, McCullen v. Coakley, at the United States Supreme Court.
Miller began her public service career as Senior Staff Counsel at the Supreme Judicial Court. She then served as Assistant Solicitor General in the New York Attorney General’s office.
“Jennifer Grace Miller is a smart, dedicated public servant with deep experience managing complex government institutions and sophisticated litigation,” District Attorney Rollins said. “She has worked in all three branches of government and will bring a trusted set of skills and perspective to the District Attorney’s office.”
“Jennifer has been a wonderful asset to the state Senate, providing a steady hand through difficult times,” stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka. “Jennifer’s professionalism, intellect, and caring nature will serve her well as she steps into her role with District Attorney Rollins, and we wish her all the best.”
Prior to entering the public sector, Miller was a litigation associate at two national firms, Goodwin Proctor in Boston and Weil Gotshal in New York. She received her law degree from Boston University in 1993 and her undergraduate degree from Columbia University in 1989.
Among other honors, Miller was inducted into the Lawyer’s Weekly “Circle of Excellence” and received the Boston University Public Interest Project Pro Bono Award, given to alumni who have demonstrated a commitment to public service. She also serves as a Commissioner on the Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission.
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By Maria Cramer, Jan. 3, 2019
Rachael Rollins was sworn in as Suffolk district attorney Wednesday, becoming the first black woman to hold that position in Massachusetts, an achievement she told a packed crowd at Roxbury Community College that should motivate them to chase any goal that seems impossible.
“This is a day for anyone in this room to think about where you are in your life and what you want your life to be,” Rollins said.
The Juvenile Alternative Resolution program of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office was launched in February 2017 with half a dozen community-based agencies to provide individualized services to young people as an alternative to traditional prosecution. In 2018, the program doubled in size with more service providers to divert more young people away from the criminal justice system.
Historically, juvenile diversion in Massachusetts has been geared toward first-time and low-level offenders, and it’s been limited in the services available to promote post-diversion success. The JAR program envisioned something more ambitious – something that would re-direct the lives of young people charged with more serious offenses, even high-risk teens. Prosecutors sought out partners who could offer individualized services for a wide range of needs – with a shared goal to divert young adults outward, away from the criminal justice system, instead of upward and deeper into it. more »
New Suffolk County prosecutor sworn in on platform of change
By Michael Jonas, Jan. 2, 2019
RACHAEL ROLLINS, who has broken barriers throughout a two-decade legal career, cracked another one on Wednesday as she became the first woman to serve as Suffolk County district attorney and the first black woman to hold a DA’s office anywhere in the state.
Rollins was sworn in before a packed crowd of several hundred at Roxbury Community College. The auditorium included a who’s who of local and state political figures, headlined by Gov. Charlie Baker, US Sen. Ed Markey, and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, who all delivered remarks during the ceremony.
Read more at https://commonwealthmagazine.org/criminal-justice/rollins-takes-office-with-reform-agenda/
BOSTON, Jan. 2, 2019—District Attorney Rachael Rollins was sworn in today as Suffolk County’s 16th district attorney, the first woman elected to that position, and the first woman of color to serve as a district attorney anywhere in Massachusetts.
Rollins was administered the oath of office by Geraldine Hines, a former associate justice of the Supreme Judicial Court and the first woman of color to serve on that high court. She in turn swore in about 150 Suffolk County prosecutors whom she oversees as the chief law enforcement officer for Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Massachusetts.
The standing room only ceremony was held at Roxbury Community College and featured elected officials, faith leaders, current and former members of the Massachusetts bench, law enforcement officials from across the region, community members from all walks of life, and members of Rollins’ family.
An attorney for 20 years with degrees from the Northeastern University School of Law and the Georgetown University Law Center, Rollins had previously served as a field attorney at the National Labor Relations Board in Boston and as an attorney with the law firm of Bingham McCutchen including a rotation through the Plymouth County District Attorney’s office. She handled civil and criminal matters as a federal prosecutor with the United States Attorney’s office in Boston for four years before serving as general counsel for both MassDOT and the MBTA, and went on to become the chief legal counsel for the Massachusetts Port Authority.
A cancer survivor, a mother, and an aunt with custody of two nieces, Rollins was elected to her current position at the age of 47 with a mandate to change, reform, and improve the criminal justice system. She pledged to use that platform locally and nationally with the support and assistance of her prosecution staff and professionals from many other fields of expertise as well.
“We have a big job ahead of us – changing perceptions and expectations of how the criminal justice system can best serve the community, and how necessary other disciplines are to our shared success,” she said. “Professionals in education, medical and mental health, social services, housing, and many other fields all play a part in public safety and we need their collaboration as surely as we need police and prosecutors. Positive change is in the air, and I’m looking forward to achieving it together with the people of Suffolk County.”
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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
