Yesterday was Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, there are a few families for whom this holiday season has not begun so well. Let’s turn to Hampshire, Massachusetts, for example. On Wednesday, as the rest of us prepared for family gatherings and big dinners, Debra B., 53, of Northampton (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) learned that…
As we near Thanksgiving, we look around for reasons to be thankful. True, economic times are tough and getting tougher. However, it would appear that all the violent crimes and drug dealing in Lynn, Massachusetts, has been stopped. No more guns rape, robbery or murder. It would appear that even…
Angel R., 43, a former Springfield firefighter (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) has been having a bad time of it lately. In July, he was arrested in connection with a fight with another gentleman. Well, it allegedly involved alittle more than a simple fight; his fellow combatant, hereinafter referred to as “slashed”,…
When I was a kid, we had a thing called “show and tell” in which you could bring in something you thought was “cool” to show the class and maybe play with when the teacher was not looking. It was fun. For some reason, it never occurred to me to…
Where do people learn such animosity? Today’s daily blog involves two stories that have to do with dysfunctional family situations. We start with a story from Brockton, Massachusetts, where a 15-year old juvenile (hereinafter, “Juvenile Defendant”) now faces charges for an apparent “teddybearicide”. Now a guest of the Commonwealth, at…
Remember the old cliché “The apple does not fall far from the [alleged] tree”? Well, this North Attleboro tree is apparently growing in the local district court on the criminal justice side of the street. Last Thursday, a 48 year-old single mother, (hereinafter, ” Mommy Defendant”), was arrested and ordered…
Sometimes people pick up bad habits at work. Many chefs turn out to be overweight. Career military folks often need to have their home life overly organized and operational. Many attorneys, like myself, tend not to be able to have a debate with someone without it turning into “oral argument”.…
Today is Veteran’s Day. It is a day for reflection and a day to honor the men and women who have served this country in the trenches of various lands throughout the years. Today’s daily blog looks at a matter occurring inside more local trenches. Criminal Justice trenches. The courtroom.…
This one isn’t so funny. It involves the type of tragedy that happens all the time, particularly in urban areas. Of course, this one has a couple of twists. This wasn’t the big city…it was Winchester, Massachusetts. In a peaceful dead-end street lined with single and multifamily houses where residents…
Well, it just goes to show you…nobody is immune to the criminal justice virus. Ask most members of law enforcement, and they will tell you that there is a big difference between “us” and “them”, referring to themselves and the “perps” they go after on a daily basis. The difference?…