How Police Unions and Arbitrators Keep Abusive Cops on the Street

We recommend this article: How Police Unions and Arbitrators Keep Abusive Cops on the Street: Officers fired for misconduct often appeal the decision and get reinstated by obscure judges in secretive proceedings.

Our tax dollars at work defending Ashe and Murphy: Guest commentary by Lois Ahrens

Check out this article on masslive.com about how Hampden County Sheriff Michael J. Ashe and Assistant Superintendent Patty Murphy are defending our lawsuit alleging that the Chicopee Jail has a degrading and unconstitutional policy of permitting male officers to videotape strip searches of female prisoners in non-emergency situations.

The author of the article is Lois Ahrens of The Real Cost of Prisons Project.

We are rated as Tier 1 in the 2015 Best Law Firms for civil rights law in the Boston area

Our firm received a First Tier ranking in the Boston area in civil rights law by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® for 2015. We are pleased to have again received this recognition of our work representing victims of police brutality, abuse of prisoners, wrongful death, false arrest, and other civil rights violations.

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court makes it easier to seal a criminal record

Many victims of police misconduct and false arrest are interested in sealing their criminal records. When police charge people with false crimes, the charges remain listed on people’s Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) even if the case is dismissed. Having a CORI, even when the charges are non-convictions, can have a harmful effect on a person’s access to housing, education, jobs, and other opportunities.

In August of 2014, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court made it easier to seal criminal records in court.

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Activists and lawyers protest cases against two witnesses charged with perjury in Wilhite retrial

Nathan Perez and Giselle Albelo are being charged with perjury for their testimony in Charles Wilhite’s retrial in Springfield, Massachusetts. We filed Charles Wilhite’s civil rights lawsuit against two Springfield police officers and the City of Springfield, alleging that the officers caused his wrongful conviction by fabricating evidence and threatening witnesses. These two witnesses recanted their original testimony and said that they had identified Mr. Wilhite because of police pressure. The witnesses are now facing life in prison if convicted of perjury.

We recommend these two articles:

Defense lawyer calls perjury charges - from Charles Wilhite murder case - against Nathan Perez 'complete travesty'

Activists protest pretrial hearing of Nathan Perez and Giselle Albelo, charged with perjury for testimony at Charles Wilhite murder retrial

Howard Friedman and David Milton are selected to the Massachusetts Super Lawyers list

Super Lawyers, an attorney rating service, has announced its ratings for 2014. Both Howard Friedman and David Milton were named as Massachusetts Super Lawyers. This is the 11th year in a row that Howard Friedman has received this recognition. Howard Friedman is included in the “Top 100,” “Best of the Best” list. No more than 5% of Massachusetts attorneys are named Super Lawyers.

Our firm files lawsuit for PETA to obtain public records about monkey labs

The firm filed a lawsuit yesterday under the Massachusetts public records law on behalf of our client People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Inc. (“PETA”). The lawsuit seeks to compel the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources to provide public records about the transport of monkeys and other non-human primates into and out of Massachusetts. The suit argues that the department’s refusal to provide the records violates Massachusetts public records law and improperly shields from public scrutiny the individuals and organizations involved in importing animals into the state for animal experimentation. Read about this case in Metro.

FBI investigating use of police informants in Lowell, Mass.

The Boston Globe and the Lowell Sun report that there is a federal investigation into allegations that Lowell police officers knowingly relied on two confidential informants who planted evidence to frame innocent people.

Our firm filed lawsuits for three of men who were innocent victims of this police misconduct. Their lawsuits allege that for more than twenty years, the Lowell Police Department allowed police officers to use informants who were planting evidence. Our clients hope justice will prevail.

Judge rules prison policy is unconstitutional in our class action challenging male guards’ videotaping strip searches of female prisoners

As this article explains, the policy at the women’s prison in Chicopee under which male correctional officers routinely videotaped female prisoners’ naked bodies while the women were being strip searched was found to be unconstitutional by a federal judge on August 26, 2014. The judge agreed with us and our clients that the policy violates basic human dignity and serves no legitimate purpose. Read his decision here.

Although female officers now hold the video camera, the prison has not yet changed the policy that allows male officers to do so.

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Boston police covered up their use of facial recognition software

We recommend this article on techdirt.com: Boston Police Used Facial Recognition Software To Grab Photos Of Every Person Attending Local Music Festivals. The BPD initially denied any involvement in this technology, but after a journalist accessed unsecured data from the software, the department admitted to participating in a pilot program in 2013.

Lowell police lieutenant involved in cell death was recommended for termination but receives 90 day suspension

Lowell police lieutenant Thomas Siopes, one of the five officers involved in the death of Alyssa Brame, settled with the city of Lowell for a 90 day suspension and a 9 month loss of rank. In January 2013, Siopes and other officers carried Alyssa into a cell while she was unconscious due to severe intoxication. The officers left her in the cell without checking on her condition or providing medical treatment. Alyssa died of alcohol poisoning while in police custody.

Following an internal investigation that concluded earlier this year, Lowell Police Superintendent William Taylor called the incident “inexcusable” and promised “historic discipline” against the officers involved. Taylor recommended termination for Siopes.

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Howard Friedman listed in The Best Lawyers in America©

Howard Friedman was recently selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2015 in the field of civil rights law.

Internal Affairs Departments, District Attorneys' Offices Helping Keep Bad Cops From Being Held Accountable

Read this article on techdirt.com: Internal Affairs Departments, District Attorneys' Offices Helping Keep Bad Cops From Being Held Accountable. The title says it all. When the police investigate themselves, brutality often goes unchecked and citizens’ complaints about police misconduct are not taken seriously. Even when the district attorney’s office steps in to investigate, DAs rarely pursue criminal cases against police officers for violating the rights of people they arrest. After all, the DAs work very closely with police on a daily basis.

Definitely worth watching: Broadway responds to NYPD chokehold death with poetry

Over 100 Broadway stars, directors, producers, musicians, choreographers, designers and technicians gathered in front of the New York Police Department in Times Square to protest the death of Eric Garner by performing a powerful poem. Mr. Garner was killed on July 17, 2014, by NYPD officers who put him into a chokehold and ignored his repeated plea of “I can’t breathe.” A bystander videotaped the police, recording the excessive force that resulted in Mr. Garner’s death.

WGBH covers our lawsuit against Foxboro

Listen or read the transcript of this radio news piece by WGBH, which discusses our firm’s lawsuit challenging the Town of Foxboro’s practice of improperly taking people into protective custody at Gillette Stadium events. Our case alleges that the Foxboro police unconstitutionally take people into protective custody for merely showing signs of being under the influence of alcohol, instead of being “incapacitated” by alcohol as the law requires. Each of our clients was grabbed by a police officer, placed into handcuffs, and put in a holding cage for hours as they were entering Gillette Stadium to attend a concert. They had all been drinking, but they were able to take care of themselves, they were not acting in a disorderly manner, and they did not pose a danger to themselves or others.

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FBI investigating the death of Alyssa Brame

The "historic sanctions" promised by Lowell Police Chief William Taylor for officers who failed to provide medical care to Alyssa Brame ended in negotiated agreements with all but one Lowell police officer. But Alyssa’s needless death may still result in historic sanctions; the Lowell Sun reports that the FBI is conducting an investigation into the incident. Hopefully Alyssa’s death will result in changes in practices in Lowell and punishment for the police officers who failed to provide medical attention to an unconscious prisoner.

Our Client Charles Wilhite Files Wrongful Conviction Lawsuit against the Commonwealth

On July 8, 2014, our firm filed a lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on behalf of our client Charles Wilhite, who is seeking compensation for being wrongfully convicted of murder and spending 40 months behind bars. Under Massachusetts General Law chapter 258D, compensation up to $500,000 is available to people who, like Mr. Wilhite, were erroneously convicted of a felony, maintained their innocence, and served part of their prison sentence.

Read this article in the Springfield Republican for more information about the lawsuit against the Commonwealth.

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Class action lawsuit challenges Massachusetts’ practice of incarcerating women solely for drug or alcohol addiction

Massachusetts is the only state in the country where women who suffer from addiction are imprisoned even though they have not been convicted of any crime. Hundreds of these women are civilly committed at MCI Framingham, where they cannot even access the addiction treatment programs available to sentenced prisoners. A federal civil rights lawsuit filed in June 2014 seeks to end this practice, alleging civil rights violations and discrimination.

This case is brought by attorneys from the ACLU of Massachusetts, Prisoners’ Legal Services, the Center for Public Representation, and WilmerHale. Read the ACLU’s statement about this case.

Strong Words, Weak Punishments For Police Officers Whose Failure to Follow Procedure Results in the Deaths of Human Beings in Police Custody

Two recent deaths of individuals in police custody—one in New Bedford and one in Lowell—were met with similar responses from the heads of the departments. First, the heads of the departments spoke out to condemn the actions of their police officers and recommend significant punishments. Later, the police departments announced they reached agreements with the police officers in which the officers would receive very short suspensions. Paying lip service to serious misconduct by police officers allows police misconduct to continue.

In the case of the death of Alyssa Brame in Lowell police custody, the incident was on video.

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Howard Friedman quoted in article about Seattle’s picking of former Boston police commissioner for police chief

Howard Friedman is quoted in this article from Real Change News. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray appointed Kathleen O’Toole to head the Seattle Police Department, asserting that she is a reformer because of her experience heading the Boston Police Department for two years. However, Howard Friedman says that during the time O’Toole ran the Boston department, no major improvements were made.