Oral Arguments presented before the Federal Appeals Court on video case.
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On Monday, November 6th at the John Joseph Moakley Courthouse, the First Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments on the ruling by Judge Dennis Saylor IV, who had granted a Preliminary Injunction against the Massachusetts State police and then Commander Thomas Robbins.
On February 14, 2006, Mary T. Jean was issued a cease and desist letter which stated in part if she failed to remove the video, she could face the possibility of prosecution for a felony for the posting of the arrest video on her website Conte2006.com.
On the seventh floor in the panel chambers a three Judge panel consisting of Michael Boudin, Chief Justice, Boston, Levin H. Campbell, Senior Judge, Boston, and Kermitt Lipez, Judge, Portland Maine presided over the case.
Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General Ronald F. Kehoe argued for the Massachusetts State Police. Attorney Eric Bradford Hermanson of the law firm Choate, Hall and Stewart argued for Ms Jean.
It's one thing to act in a criminally irresponsible and dangerous manner, as Leominster resident Kathleen A. Lamb allegedly did in September.
Police arrested Lamb, the wife of Lancaster's police chief, saying she drove drunk on the wrong side of Route 2.
They had to close the highway to stop her, and Lamb later failed a breathalyzer test, according to police reports.
Her blood alcohol content was nearly twice the legal limit at the time, according to police.....
But Conte's office cut a deal with her where she did not even have to plead guilty to the charges, but instead admitted to sufficient facts, according to court documents........Overall, Lamb received an incredibly good deal, and one that prompts an obvious question: Would the average member of the public -- one not related to a police officer -- have gotten the same treatment from Conte's office? ...........
Thankfully, Conte will soon retire, wrapping up an interminable run of sustained mediocrity and scorn for the public.
His tenure can't end soon enough, as we've said repeatedly.
But we wouldn't have to keep harping on the DA if he didn't keep leaving us reminders of why he's been such a failure as district attorney.
November 14, 2006
New DA appoints liaison for community
WORCESTER— Joseph D. Early Jr.’s first move as
district attorney-elect has been to hire a community relations
worker, a campaign promise he made and a first for the office in
more than 30 years.
Mr. Early, who will be sworn in the first week of January, has
tapped Timothy J. Connolly, spokesman for the state Department of
Revenue and a former reporter for the Telegram & Gazette.
Mr. Connolly will work in a community liaison role, answering media
inquiries and developing community initiatives. Part of his job will
be to seek and oversee public and private grants, to help pay for
some of the initiatives Mr. Early has planned. Mr. Early has
proposed more juvenile justice and alcohol abuse prevention
programs. He said Mr. Connolly will help steer those programs.
November 19, 2006
“You contend that I am somehow responsible for a reward flier produced by the Polly Klaas Foundation.”
By Tim McGuigan
Let’s face it, this isn’t the first time John Conte has denied knowledge or refused to take responsibility.
Conte’s letter of September 27, 2006 and denial over the revision of the Molly Bish reward poster only serves to heighten the lack of integrity from the DA's office and Conte’s failure in the Bish investigation.
Withholding evidence, secrecy, cutting sweet deals to those connected, holding mock trials and changing reward posters, one can’t help but wonder to what level John Conte will stoup too.
The revised March 22, 2001 reward poster, clearly states a ”$100,000 dollar reward is being offered for information leading to Molly”. This date coincides with John Conte’s press conference of March 19, where he announced and presented a new sketch drawn by famed artist Jeane Boylan which appears on the revised poster three days later.
Furthermore, the Klaas foundation names Detective Lieutenant Moore as one of those they worked closely with throughout their involvement. Detective Lieutenant Frank Moore worked directly for John Conte as the Auburn C-Pac Commander at the time of the revision and was in charge of the Bish investigation, yet John Conte wants the public to believe that he cannot “vouch for what others put on reward flyers, milk cartons, billboards or television shows.”
The Warren Police Department's name and phone number is clearly printed on the reward poster, does John Conte also deny association with the Warren Police?
November 30. 2006
Over the Line
Worcester County Da John J. Conte Uses Lies And Illogic In His Brief Against Ben Laguer.
Never doubt the
ability of lawyers to massage just about any set of facts into the
service of the case they are trying to make. That is the nature of
the job and the good ones do it with finesse. Outgoing Worcester
County District Attorney John J. Conte recently filed his brief
opposing Benjamin LaGuer’s bid for a new trial. The document,
available in full at
www.BenLaGuer.com,
crosses the line from artful to deceitful.
LaGuer’s conviction for a 1983 rape, which became a driving issue in
the governor’s race when Deval Patrick’s past advocacy for the
inmate became the subject of attack ads, will be revisited during
oral arguments in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on
January 4.