• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • NEWS+OPINIONS
    • NEWS TO US
    • COLUMNS
      • APPARENT HORIZON
      • DEAR READER
      • Close
    • LONGFORM FEATURES
    • OPINIONS
    • EDITORIAL
    • Close
  • ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
    • FILM
    • MUSIC
    • COMEDY
    • PERFORMING ARTS
    • VISUAL ARTS
    • Close
  • DINING+DRINKING
    • EATS
    • SIPS
    • Close
  • LIFESTYLE
    • CANNABIS
      • TALKING JOINTS MEMO
      • Close
    • WELLNESS
    • GTFO
    • Close
  • STUFF TO DO
  • TICKETS
  • ABOUT US
    • ABOUT
    • MASTHEAD
    • ADVERTISE
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • Close
  • BECOME A MEMBER

Dig Bos

The Dig - Boston's Only Newspaper

CURRENT STREET EDITION

DIG 23.05 – 4/8/21

SOME BACKGROUND ON THE WAR ON RACHAEL ROLLINS

Written by CHRIS FARAONE Posted January 9, 2019 Filed Under: COLUMNS, Dear Reader, NEWS+OPINIONS

Rollins on Election Night 2018 in Boston

 

To understand the war that’s being waged on newly inaugurated Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins, it helps to have seen the excited faces on police when the man she is replacing, Daniel Conley, walked into any room. From big city events to press conferences, Boston’s finest gushed and grinned, for in their DA they saw a man who caught their backs unconditionally. In his 16 years in the elected office, Conley never once found an officer to have done any wrong in a cop-involved killing—a trend including one case where a young woman was shot in the backseat of a car driving away from an officer. This as Conley’s gutless team of lawyers prosecuted cases built on stop-and-frisk arrests and other unscrupulous practices.

 

In running for the seat left vacant by Conley last year, Rollins noted that under her progressive leadership, several common petty charges—trespassing, shoplifting, disorderly conduct, others—would effectively be decriminalized, and with some exceptions either outright dismissed or treated as civil infractions. Her campaign pledges in this regard were based not on some demented hope of coddling criminals but rather on the general idea that trapping people in the so-called justice system for minor offenses hurts us all over the long term. So naturally, parties that support the status quo began to have a fit and have been throwing tantrums ever since. Culminating in the National Police Association filing a complaint with the Massachusetts Bar Association on Dec 23, weeks before Rollins was even sworn into office. An NPA press release alleged:

 

The Boston lawyer violated ethics rules when she campaigned for District Attorney representing to the public that Rollins, regardless of what laws were in place and regardless of the rule of law itself, would affirmatively enact policy changes that directly, adversely and will foreseeably impact the safety and well-being of those that she is soon charged to represent in her official capacity as District Attorney.

 

There are other fronts and theaters in the war on Rollins, including mainstream media, where reporters have already questioned the new DA more over the past couple of months than they did Conley about his decisions over nearly two decades in office. Is this sort of treatment racist? Of course it is. Only a bigot would deny it. But it’s also an assault on taxpayers, which will sadly be a more convincing argument to voters and newspaper readers in the influential outer throes of Suffolk County such as West Roxbury, Hyde Park, and Winthrop. Their reaction to the hyperventilation in the Caucasian establishment will help guide the future of the court system around here, and will impact whether Greater Boston forges ahead with reforms that experts who review actual data and most people who live in communities that are heavily impacted by crime are rallying for alongside Rollins. Or if the residents of these cities will roll on muddy tires as parties that profit off cyclical enslavement battle enlightened new measures by any means necessary, including violent ones.

 

I sure hope it is the former, because other than some Trump-supporting scoundrels and police who get paid lavishly to make appearances in court after arresting people on small crimes, I don’t know anybody else who thinks the legal system ought to regress. In Suffolk or anyplace else.

CHRIS FARAONE

A Queens, NY native who came to New England in 2004 to earn his MA in journalism at Boston University, Chris Faraone is the editor and co-publisher of DigBoston and a co-founder of the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism. He has published several books including 99 Nights with the 99 Percent, and has written liner notes for hip-hop gods including Cypress Hill, Pete Rock, Nas, and various members of the Wu-Tang Clan.

More from author
  • CHRIS FARAONE
    https://digboston.com/author/chris-faraone/
    THE IMPORTANT ART STOLEN FROM BOSTON THAT NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT
  • CHRIS FARAONE
    https://digboston.com/author/chris-faraone/
    A SHORT DOC ABOUT HOW DIGBOSTON WEATHERED A PANDEMIC YEAR
  • CHRIS FARAONE
    https://digboston.com/author/chris-faraone/
    POLITICIANS GET IN LINE TO CALL FOR BOSTON POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
  • CHRIS FARAONE
    https://digboston.com/author/chris-faraone/
    HOW JULIET HIT A $100K KICKSTARTER GOAL IN 4 DAYS

Filed Under: COLUMNS, Dear Reader, NEWS+OPINIONS Tagged With: Boston, Boston Police, BPD, cops, court, Dan Conley, District Attorney, Massachusetts, Rachael Rollins, Suffolk County

WHAT’S NEW

THE OPPONENT: NEWCOMER MCBRIDE TAKES ON BAKER IN D3

THE OPPONENT: NEWCOMER MCBRIDE TAKES ON BAKER IN D3

THE IMPORTANT ART STOLEN FROM BOSTON THAT NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT

THE IMPORTANT ART STOLEN FROM BOSTON THAT NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT

PICS & RECAP: JUSTICE 4 DUANTE WRIGHT JUSTICE 4 ALL EMERGENCY RALLY 

PICS & RECAP: JUSTICE 4 DUANTE WRIGHT JUSTICE 4 ALL EMERGENCY RALLY 

A SHORT DOC ABOUT HOW DIGBOSTON WEATHERED A PANDEMIC YEAR

A SHORT DOC ABOUT HOW DIGBOSTON WEATHERED A PANDEMIC YEAR

FULL PARKING ENFORCEMENT RETURNS TO BOSTON, BLUEBIKES STILL AVAIL FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS

FULL PARKING ENFORCEMENT RETURNS TO BOSTON, BLUEBIKES STILL AVAIL FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS

EMERGENCY PRESS CONFERENCE AND RALLY FOR DAUNTE WRIGHT

EMERGENCY PRESS CONFERENCE AND RALLY FOR DAUNTE WRIGHT

Primary Sidebar

HEMPIRE FREEDOM PACK 25% OFF

FEATURED EVENT

Most Popular

  • VACCINE EQUITY NOW! COALITION ASKS BAKER TO ALLOCATE 20% OF NEW DOSES TO HARD HIT COMMUNITIES by SHIRA LAUCHAROEN
  • IF YOU’RE SURPRISED THE BPD CODDLED AN ACCUSED MOLESTER COP, YOU’RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION by CHRIS FARAONE
  • THE MYSTERY OF CHEZ TORTONI by CHRISTOPHER EHLERS
  • A FAREWELL TRIBUTE (OF SORTS) TO MARTY WALSH by DIG STAFF
  • rally to protest discrimination and crimes against Asian and Pacific islanders during Stop Asian Hate rally on Boston Common in Boston PICS & RECAP: “STOP ASIAN HATE BOSTON” RALLY ON THE COMMON by KEIKO HIROMI

READ CURRENT MEMBER EDITION

DIG Member 2.1 – March 2021

READ CURRENT STREET ISSUE

DIG 23.05 – 4/8/21

Footer

digbos

digbos
“My administration is doubling down on our work “My administration is doubling down on our work to stand up the #Boston Office of #Police Accountability and Transparency.” https://digboston.com/politicians-get-in-line-to-call-for-boston-police-accountability/ #politics #Massachusetts
This week is your last chance to hit up Mooby’s This week is your last chance to hit up Mooby’s in #Boston … https://digboston.com/moobys-boston-how-kevin-smith-has-brought-his-pick-up-experience-to-10-cities-during-the-pandemic/ #fan #popup #fun #restaurant #movie #Massachusetts #snoochieboochies
The group is asking that polices address the dispa The group is asking that polices address the disparities the #data has revealed. https://digboston.com/parents-release-an-analysis-of-boston-public-school-fundraising-inequities/ #education #school #public #study #fundraising #racism #Boston #Massachusetts
“We’re not going to survive for 20 more years “We’re not going to survive for 20 more years if we don’t do this [move to a bigger space].” https://digboston.com/how-juliet-hit-a-100k-kickstarter-goal-in-4-days/ #restaurant #business #food #crowdfund #SomervilleMA #coronavirus #COVID19
EDITORIAL: DIGBOSTON SEEKS CLIMATE IDEAS FOR MAYOR EDITORIAL: DIGBOSTON SEEKS CLIMATE IDEAS FOR MAYOR KIM JANEY. Environmental organizations and individual activists invited to submit opinion articles for publication. https://digboston.com/editorial-digboston-seeks-climate-ideas-for-mayor-kim-janey/ #politics @boston_mayor #environment #globalwarming #climate #activist #callforsubmissions #policy #Boston #Massachusetts
“Most are some of my favorite bars or local clas “Most are some of my favorite bars or local classics that I’ve learned to love in my time living in the city. Others just have a great facade that I know would make a great drawing.” https://digboston.com/drawn-but-not-forgotten-local-artist-sketches-beloved-boston-restaurants/ #art #artist #sketch #drawing #Boston #Massachusetts #bar #restaurant
Despite #pandemic hurdles, Mass #music instructors Despite #pandemic hurdles, Mass #music instructors hit new high notes. “My #teaching has gone to another level.” https://digboston.com/the-medium-is-the-maestro/ #education #Massachusetts #coronavirus #COVID19
From the podcast to the book, Wayne Federman chron From the podcast to the book, Wayne Federman chronicles the business of joke-telling. https://digboston.com/the-history-of-stand-up-from-mark-twain-to-dave-chappelle/ #comedy #history #book #interview #Boston #Massachusetts
“I’m calling on some of you to drop by a local “I’m calling on some of you to drop by a local field office and hear what people have to say.” https://digboston.com/dear-reader-the-political-season-is-upon-us-embrace-it/ #politics #commentary #election #Massachusetts
“I think most people agree that we want our publ “I think most people agree that we want our public dollars to go to those companies that are not cutting corners.” https://digboston.com/bill-seeks-to-penalize-contractors-for-unsafe-conditions/ #politics #legislation #construction #safety #labor #Massachusetts
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Social Buttons

DigBoston facebook DigBoston Twitter DigBoston Instagram

Masthead

About

Submissions

Advertise

Privacy Policy

Customer Service

Distribution

About Us

DigBoston is a one-stop nexus for everything worth doing or knowing in the Boston area. It's an alt-weekly, it's a website, it's an e-mail blast, it's a twitter account, it's that cool party that you were at last night ... hey, you're reading it, so it's gotta be good. For advertising inquiries: [email protected] To reach Editorial: [email protected] For internship opportunities: [email protected]