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A car chase that took place in Revere, Massachusetts has responding police officers for the city and state searching for five suspects following their pursuit of the individuals in question. According to preliminary reports provided for the situation, Revere Police Officers and State Police Officers are seeking help from the public after they lost sight of five suspects whose vehicle crashed into a convenience store following a car chase with the police.

Initial reports for the accident and subsequent investigation into the matter have stated that Massachusetts State Police troopers had been chasing a car that was connected to an armed robbery in a nearby area when the crash occurred. While attempting to flee from the Massachusetts State Police, the suspects crashed their vehicle into the front of a Tedeschi’s convenience store. The convenience store is located on Shirley Avenue in Revere and suffered extensive damage to the façade following the accident. Reports have indicated that while the Tedeschi’s store was open at the time of the accident, there were no injuries reported from patrons who may have been inside at the time.

After crashing their vehicle into the front of the store, the five suspects quickly exited and fled from police officers on foot. Police have not immediately provided a physical description of the suspects in question, but they have asked for assistance from any possible witnesses who saw either the armed robbery earlier in the evening or the ensuing chase and crash that took place afterward. No word has been given on whether any of the suspects may have sustained injuries following the crash into the convenience store. Continue reading

The Department of Children and Families has been facing an immense amount of scrutiny following a growing number of failures at the hands of their employees. The death of two children under their watch, accompanied by the resulting coma one child is facing following further failure, has placed the organization under a microscope in recent times. The system has been facing excessive difficulties in Western Massachusetts during the past two years which has individuals calling for a strict reform of the department in order to ensure safety for all the children in its care. Due to the rapidly increasing number of children being placed under DCF custody however, this reform may take longer than anticipated.

According to reports, there are currently close to 27,000 opens cases in the Department of Children and Families sweeping across the state. The western area of Massachusetts is bearing the brunt of this with approximately 40% of the open cases located in the Western region. Two children who died despite being under watch of the DCF were also housed in Western Massachusetts—prompting further cries of frustration from those on the outside looking in.

Jeremiah Oliver, a young boy from Fitchburg, was reported missing from his home for months before his body was discovered on the side of the road not far from his home. Avalena Conway-Coxon, a two year old girl placed into foster care in Auburn, Massachusetts was found dead inside the home after her foster mother called police to report that the child was unresponsive. Another young girl was taken from the home the same day and is still listed in dire condition. Seven year old Jack Loiselle was living with his father and was taken from his home severely dehydrated and malnourished with burns to his hands and feet—he still remains in a coma a month later. All of these children had a common thread tying them together: they had all been under the care of the Department of Children and Families, and they all suffered greatly despite this fact. Jack Loiselle received a visit from DCF just weeks before his admittance to the hospital—and the caseworker assigned to this visit apparently did not find anything alarming while they were there. Jack Loiselle weighed just 38 pounds when he was taken from his home. Continue reading

This is a case of “be careful what you ask for”. Many defendants who are being held on bail which they deem unfair desire a hearing at which to appeal said bail.

It’s an understandable and reasonable request. Sometimes, though, an attorney suggests that the timing is not “quite right”. It is often a good idea to listen to such an attorney assuming he or she has some experience in the criminal justice system.

Because sometimes things can go horribly wrong.

Take the example of 42-year-old James Tarjick Jr. of Becket (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) for example. He and his brother were charged with breaking into more than 100 homes in western Massachusetts. He has pleaded not guilty to 24 charges.

His brother, Aaron, is already in prison on unrelated child rape charges.

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I know I said that I would follow up my most recent blog discussing the insanity defense with an example of how it can be successfully used. However, a recent report was released regarding the Department of Children and Families, which deserves some priority considering the amount of people it affects when compared to the use of the insanity defense. I was contacted yesterday by the Boston Herald to make a brief statement about my history with Fair Hearing Process. In order to stay relevant, I will be going into more depth about Fair Hearings and this new report in today’s blog.
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This is America. The land of the free and of free enterprise.

Well, almost.

28-year-old Thomas W. Romano III (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) has learned that not quite anything goes in commerce. The lesson has been taught to him at Lowell District Court.

According to the Lowell Sun, the Defendant has admitted to taking a big, and lucrative, shortcut by starting his own trash-removal company. The scheme was particularly profitable as it involved the stealing of commercial trash containers throughout the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire, according to the Commonwealth.
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There is an abundance of high profile criminal cases pending in various courts. A number of these cases feature sports figures in the role of “The Defendant”. However, no, this is not that Michael Jordan.

This Michael Jordan is a 27-year-old Boston gent (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) who has been charged with gunning down another man in the shadow of one of Boston’s most famous houses of worship, Trinity Church in the Copley Square area.

He has been ordered held without bail..

He was arraigned and has pleaded “not guilty” to first-degree murder and other charges. The allegations date back to August 2013 when he is alleged to have shot and killed 22-year-old Ahmir Lee.
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As last week began, I told you that we would be ending the week with another criminal justice aspect of what puts our kids at risk.

As the week went on, between school shootings, strong-arming federal agents and dead infants, it turned out to be rather difficult to choose. But, as we begin a new week, let’s hit some of these…starting with a story from Saturday’s Boston Globe.

It is the story of the death of a 3 ½ year old boy from Norton

Happy holidays to one and all.

I know that the Boston Criminal Lawyer Blog has not exactly been stellar in terms of regularity of late, something we are working to change come 2014, but I thought I would post this special Christmas Day blog/warning for all of you out there enjoying the day in Massachusetts. The news comes specifically from Waltham.

You may recall that earlier this month, authorities warned Waltham residents that there was a spike in the robberies in the area just east of Moody Street. The robberies typically happened at night over the past month and a half, police said. One victim was attacked from behind by three men on Oak Street and was left with serious head injuries, police said. Police also said two purses were snatched in the upper Main Street area on Wednesday morning, and there was an additional purse snatching since then. Authorities believe the snatchings to be related to one another, but not to the other robberies.

Yesterday afternoon through this morning, you may have heard my comments regarding the verdict in the Haverhill motor vehicle homicide case on WBZ, radio 1030 on your am dial.

Now that the smoke has cleared in that particular tragedy, people are debating whether or not the verdicts send a message that will be heeded.

It is important to note that the statute at issue, in terms of the prohibition against texting, has differing commandments to the populous, depending on age. If you are under the age of 18, then you may not use your cell phone, or any other like device while you are driving. Period. If you are over 18, you simply cannot text while driving.

Aaron Deveau (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) was 17 years old when he had his car accident which inflicted what turned out to be fatal injuries to one person and nonfatal yet serious injuries to another. Under the statute, he was simply not allowed to use the phone for any reason while driving.

Of course, at trial, he testified and explained that it was not phone use at all but concern over his studies which distracted him enough to cause the accident.

The prosecutors, however used phone records to argue that the Defendant was texting just before the accident.

The jury went with the prosecution’s version.
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