Renovations to the workroom floor should be finished soon, according to a postal service spokeswoman.
SPRINGFIELD -- The U.S. Postal Service is renovating the back of the Springfield post office at Main and Liberty streets to accommodate a growing volume of packages sent through the mail.
The area is called the workroom floor, said postal service spokeswoman Christine Dugas. Letter carriers were moved out of the building to a nearby postal facility about a year ago to make room for construction, and they recently returned. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of February, Dugas said.
The volume of packages sent through the U.S. Postal Service grew 14 percent last year and 12 percent the year before, Dugas said.
According to a news release, the postal service delivered 750 million packages this holiday season -- a 12 percent increase in volume compared to the previous year.
The postal service is the nation's largest e-commerce deliverer, it said in a recent news release. The Post Office has a relationship with internet commerce giant Amazon.com.
Dugas said specific package volumes for Springfield are considered proprietary information.
Built in 1966, the downtown facility is the main post office for Springfield and totals more than 100,000 square feet, according to city tax records. The building is owned by the federal government.
Two southbound lanes of Interstate 91 are closed Thursday afternoon following a truck rollover along the interstate.
Two southbound lanes of Interstate 91 are closed Thursday afternoon following a truck rollover along the interstate.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation reported just before 2 p.m. that a tractor-trailer crashed in the southbound lanes in Longmeadow, near the Connecticut state lane.
Drivers heading south on 91 should expect traffic delays.
Brady Kahle is now 10 years old. Last February he began selling baseball cards to help his friend Landen Palatino, who was diagnosed with cancer.
SPRINGFIELD -- On Wednesday night, 10-year-old Brady Kahle Skyped with "Inside Edition" before going to bed. This morning "Mike & Mike" of ESPN and the hosts of "Good Morning America" were talking about the Springfield boy who has raised thousands of dollars for his friends battling cancer.
"They just asked me how I got it started and what made me think of it," said Brady, who has now done dozens of interviews about his efforts to help his friends.
"It was just a typical Wednesday night," said his mom, Jessie Kahle, laughing. "Seriously, though, he is not fazed by it. He is still a regular kid."
It was almost a year ago, in February 2016, when Brady heard his parents talking about his friend Landen Palatino and how his mom needed to take time off of work to care for him because he had just been diagnosed with brain cancer.
Brady, an avid sports fan and baseball card collector, suggested selling some of his beloved cards to raise money for the family.
"We figured we would do one or two local card shows and see what came of it," Kahle said.
Eleven months later, Brady has raised nearly $15,000 -- enough to help not only Landen and his family, but also Ben Manzi, another young friend who was diagnosed with leukemia around the same time as Landen received his diagnosis.
"It has been incredible how giving people have been to this cause. Brady has done the card show (at the Chicopee Boys & Girls Club) once a month every month and all of the money goes towards the two families," Jessie Kahle said.
Yesterday ABC.com did a short video on Brady and his year-long effort. This morning "Mike & Mike" spent several minutes discussing him on their show.
"We were at about $13,000 and just between 9 a.m. and now we have raised an additional $2,000, almost $1,000 coming from the sale of Cards 4 a Cause T-shirts we have been selling," Jessie Kahle said.
Since his first card show, Brady and Landen have been interviewed by radio and TV stations across the country. The two friends have also thrown out the first pitch at a Boston Red Sox game and even got to meet Star Wars characters from the 501st New England Garrison.
"I think what makes this even more special is that they are just regular kids," Jessie Kahle said. "Brady is not a really talkative kid; he's not out there trying to sell himself. People just believe in what he's doing because it comes from his heart."
Because there has been such an outpouring of donations not only of money but also of sports memorabilia, the family has decided to make the effort a nonprofit organization.
"We have sat down with Brady several times and talked to him about whether or not he wants to keep doing this, and every time he says yes," Jessie Kahle said. "If he wants to do it then we are here to support him."
"I just want to keep going," he said. "I want to keep doing it to help more people."
All of the money raised so far has been distributed between Landen and Ben's families. Jessie Kahle said their hope is to help even more families once the effort becomes a registered nonprofit.
Anyone interested in donating quality sports memorabilia for Brady to sell at his card shows can send it to 1576 State St., Springfield, MA 01109.
The Department of Justice inspector general will review alleged misconduct related to the DOJ and FBI's investigation of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's email practices in the days leading up to the 2016 election, officials announced Thursday.
The Department of Justice inspector general will review alleged misconduct related to the DOJ and FBI's investigation of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's email practices in the days leading up to the 2016 election, officials announced Thursday.
DOJ Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said the review of allegations regarding actions the agency and FBI took ahead of the presidential election comes at the request of various lawmakers, organizations and the public .
The review, Horowitz said, will examine allegations that DOJ or FBI policies or procedures were not followed relating to FBI Director James Comey's July announcement that the bureau would not recommend criminal charges against Clinton over her use of a private email server as secretary of state.
It will also look at whether policies were followed regarding Comey's late October and early November letters to Congress announcing updates to the renewed Clinton email investigation, as well as whether underlying investigative decisions were based on improper considerations.
Allegations that the FBI deputy director should've been recused from participating in certain investigative matters, that the DOJ's assistant attorney general for legislative affairs improperly disclosed non-public information to the Clinton campaign and should've been recused, and that DOJ and FBI employees improperly disclosed non-public information will also be looked at as part of the review.
Further, Horowitz said his probe will look at allegations that decisions regarding the timing of the FBI's release of certain Freedom of Information Act documents in late October and early November was influenced by improper considerations.
The review, he stressed, will not substitute the Office of Inspector General's judgement for judgements the FBI or DOJ made regarding the merits of investigative or prosecutive decisions.
Comey, who had previously closed the FBI's investigation into Clinton's controversial use of a private email server without recommending charges, wrote in an Oct. 28 letter to congressional leaders that his agency would probe additional evidence relating to the case.
Days before the November election, Comey notified key members of Congress that after reviewing all of the newly discovered emails, his agency stood by its original decision against recommending charges.
Clinton campaign officials slammed Comey following the late-December unsealing of court filings related to the agency's renewed probe into the Democratic presidential nominee's emails.
Former Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon argued that the documents show "Comey's intrusion on the election was as utterly unjustified as we suspected at time."
"There was nothing in search warrant filing to controvert Comey's statements from July and truly establish probable cause of a crime," he wrote in a series of tweets. "On day when new election data freshly suggests decisive impact of Comey letter, it is salt in the wound to see FBI rationale was this flimsy."
Calling the late-October renewed investigation a "stain on his personal legacy and on the FBI," Fallon, who acknowledged the campaign's own missteps, further called for Comey to account for his actions.
Herrell's Ice Cream was founded in 1980 and offers more than 370 flavors of ice cream and frozen desserts.
NORTHAMPTON -- Herrell's Ice Cream, which has been offering decadent ice cream and frozen treats for 37 years, has made some updates to its shop on Old South Street and is inviting the public to come take a look.
"To sweeten the celebration, Herrell's will be giving away free Cookie Ala Mode, your choice of dairy or No-Moo Vegan," owner Judy Herrell said in a press release.
The event will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz at 11:50 a.m. on Jan. 22. The event will run until 2 p.m.
The year-long renovation project included building a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient kitchen as well as making the facility appropriate for kosher products.
"Since we renovated, Herrell's now has a roomier feel, more display space for things like ice cream cakes, pies and other yummies, and has more space for ice cream flavors and baked goods," Herrell said.
The company is well known for its quality products made on-site, and now offers more than 370 flavors of artisan ice cream made with locally sourced ingredients and hormone-free dairy products.
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., took aim at Ben Carson, Thursday, contending that President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary can't promise the agency's grants and loans won't benefit the incoming commander-in-chief.
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., took aim at Ben Carson, Thursday, contending that President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary can't promise the agency's grants and loans won't benefit the incoming commander-in-chief.
The Massachusetts Democrat blasted the retired neurosurgeon over his response to questions posed during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.
Warren, who has been an outspoken critic of Trump, asked Carson if he'd be able to ensure Department of Housing and Urban Development grants and loans do not financially benefit the president-elect's businesses -- sparking a gaffe from the HUD secretary nominee.
"Can you assure me that not a single taxpayer dollar that you give out will financially benefit the president-elect or his family?" Warren asked.
Carson, who stressed that he is driven by morals and values, told the senator he "will absolutely not play favorites for anyone."
When pressed by Warren, the retired neurosurgeon added that "it will not be (his) intention to do anything to benefit any American."
Carson quickly clarified that he will not look to benefit any person in particular.
Despite stressing that he will "manage things in a way that benefits the American people," the HUD secretary nominee offered that he would not rule out decisions that help Trump if they have a greater benefit to the public.
"If there happens to be an extraordinarily good program that's working for millions of people and it turns out that someone that you're targeting is going to gain $10 from it, am I going to say 'No -- the rest of you Americans can't have it?' I think logic and common sense would probably be the best way," he said.
Warren, taking issue with Carson's response, argued that he can't assure Congress that millions of HUD dollars will not financially benefit the president-elect or his family's businesses -- something which she attributed, in part, to Trump's refusal to divest his assets before taking office.
"I asked Ben Carson a simple q: Can you assure us no @HUDgov money will help @realDonaldTrump's business empire?" she tweeted. "Dr Carson danced around my q, because here's the truth: He can't promise it, b/c @realDonaldTrump won't eliminate his financial conflicts."
Trump announced Wednesday that he will resign from all positions he holds with the Trump Organization and give control of his businesses to his sons before entering office later this month.
Warren, who has introduced legislation that would require Trump and future presidents to resolve any conflicts of interests between their financial interests and government responsibilities, argued that the the president-elect should put his assets into "a true blind trust."
Justin Goldstein agreed to plead guilty in exchange for three years in prison.
A former TV weatherman at WTNH in New Haven has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and is awaiting sentencing, according to reports.
Justin GoldsteinConnecticut State Police
The Record Journal in Meriden, Connecticut is reporting that Justin Goldstein, 33, of Hamden, has pleaded guilty to second-degree possession of child pornography. He is due to be sentenced on March 17, but is free after posting $200,000 bail.
The Record Journal cites the station's general manager who said Goldstein is no longer employed at WTNH.
The paper also cites court records that show as part of the plea agreement, Goldstein is sentenced to 10 years in prison, but the remainder will be suspended once he serves three years. He will also be required to serve 10 years on probation, and register as a sex offender.
With momentum gathering behind the GOP-controlled Congress's efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Gov. Charlie Baker is standing up for key patient protections in President Obama's signature health care law and urging Congress to avoid moving so fast to scrap the law that it would disrupt insurance markets.
By Matt Murphy and Katie Lannan
State House News Service
BOSTON -- With momentum gathering behind the GOP-controlled Congress's efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Gov. Charlie Baker is standing up for key patient protections in President Obama's signature health care law and urging Congress to avoid moving so fast to scrap the law that it would disrupt insurance markets.
Baker, a moderate Republican, wrote to House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy this week outlining his thoughts for how to "improve upon the goals" of the ACA, but stopped short of endorsing a full repeal of the health care law that was modeled on the plan put in place in Massachusetts in 2006 to expand access to coverage.
The governor said giving states more flexibility to tailor their health care systems to the needs of their residents would be beneficial, but called the expansion of health coverage under the ACA and its patient protections -- including a ban on insurance denials for pre-existing conditions, the elimination of annual and lifetime limits, and the promotion of gender equity -- "important provisions" of the law.
The release of the letter, dated Jan. 11, comes as the U.S. Senate took its first vote in early morning hours Thursday to begin the process of repealing the controversial health care law known as Obamacare. Baker was responding to a congressional request for comment from governors.
President-elect Donald Trump has said he intends to offer a replacement for the ACA "almost simultaneously" with the confirmation of his nominee for Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price. But while congressional Republicans and Trump have repeatedly declared their intentions to "repeal and replace" Obamacare, Massachusetts Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders suggested a slightly different approach.
"We need to review it and revise it if necessary," Sudders told the News Service, noting the federal law is "complicated."
Baker cautioned against a moving toward a system of block grants to states to fund their Medicaid programs, which has been considered as an alternative to the matching-funds system that currently reimburses Massachusetts for 50 percent of its spending to insure low-income and disabled residents.
The governor said any reform to Medicaid funding should "start with the assumption that every state's current federal share establishes the baseline."
"We are very concerned that a shift to block grants or per capita caps for Medicaid would remove flexibility from states as a result of reduced federal funding. States would most likely make decisions based mainly on fiscal reasons rather than the health care needs of vulnerable populations and the stability of the insurance market," Baker wrote.
Among the changes being sought, Baker said Congress should continue to allow states to keep an individual mandate of insurance, but also allow them to establish state-specific benefit rules and choose the rating factors that apply to small-group premium development. He also recommended the elimination of ACA premium taxes and permission for insurance products to be offered through group purchasing cooperatives or professional employer organizations.
The News Service earlier on Thursday reported on how a surge in enrollment in MassHealth driven by an expansion in coverage under the ACA over the past decade has put increasing financial pressure on the state.
According to Baker administration health officials, the number of full-time employees not covered by employer-sponsored insurance grew by 15 percent, or 118,000 workers, between 2011 and 2015 from 740,000 to 859,000.
During that time, the number of full-time workers not offered coverage through their employer grew by 38,000, while 80,000 more workers declined their employer-sponsored coverage in favor of MassHealth, costing the state $511.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2015.
The governor expressed concerns about how the ACA has allowed workers that meet certain income thresholds to decline insurance from their employer in favor of publicly subsidized coverage.
"The significant shift in lives from private to public coverage as a result of implementing the ACA -- without a change in the uninsurance rate -- has disrupted the stability of the Commonwealth's coverage landscape and contributed to challenges in the growth of the Medicaid program," Baker wrote.
Health care workers, consumers and advocates rallied Thursday morning at the State House to draw attention to what they see as the risks Massachusetts faces if Congress "repeals or guts" funding for the ACA, and called staving off repeal a "winnable battle."
Health Care For All Interim executive director Stephen Rosenfeld said 180,000 Massachusetts residents are insured "only because of subsidies and tax credits" available under the federal health care law, and another 300,000 people have benefited from Medicaid expansion.
"That's almost 500,000 people whose coverage is being threatened by this spectacle we're viewing in Washington," he said.
Rosenfeld also said he was "very proud to see that kind of a strong letter from our governor."
He drew applause from the gathered crowd when he read a line from the letter citing Massachusetts' "unwavering commitment to universal coverage."
"It's a very strong letter and we should be very, very grateful to Governor Baker for standing up so strongly for Chapter 58 and the ACA and our people," Rosenfeld said.
Speakers at the State House rally pointed to the slim majority Republicans hold in the 100-member U.S. Senate, saying that three of the 52 Republicans could block a repeal effort by refusing to support it unless a clear and sufficient replacement were offered.
"We must not give in to cynicism or pessimism," said John McDonough, a professor of public health practice at the Harvard T.H. Chan school of Public Health. "We should understand this is a winnable battle if we stand up together."
A former state representative, McDonough said people in Massachusetts should not assume that state law and a health insurance coverage rate of 97 percent will prevent them from feeling effects of changes at the federal level.
"We cannot be complacent," he said. "We should not assume that because we passed reform in 2006, Massachusetts is somehow immune to what is going on in Washington, D.C. We need to understand that the threat absolutely is aimed right at the heart of Massachusetts health reform."
Israel Silva was sentenced to two years in state prison followed by probation after the admitted armed robbery of Springfield convenience store on Nov. 22, 2015.
SPRINGFIELD -- Hampden Superior Court Judge Tina S. Page on Thursday heard all about defendant Israel Silva, who pleaded guilty to robbing a city convenience store and beating the clerk with a stick.
Israel SilvaPolice Photo
"Mr. Silva is an example of what is wrong with the system," Page said. She said there needs to be a place to which defendants who have serious mental health conditions and cannot control their disease with medications on their own can be sentenced.
Silva, 45, of Springfield, pleaded guilty to armed robbery (stick) and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (stick).
Page said she would sentence him to two years in state prison followed by two years probation.
Assistant District Attorney Nina Vivenzio had asked for a four- to five-year state prison sentence with three years probation. Defense lawyer Ivonne Vidal asked for a two-year sentence to the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow.
In the plea session, a Spanish court interpreter assisted Silva, while an interpreter for the Urdu language interpreted so the victim could understand what was being said.
Vivenzio said on Nov. 22, 2015, at about 8:30 p.m., Silva went into the A 2 Z convenience store at 123 Chestnut St. and took a North Face fleece hat off of a mannequin.
When he tried to leave the store, the clerk tried to stop him. Silva hit the clerk multiple times in the head with a stick, Vivenzio said.
Police reviewed surveillance video and located Silva nearby, with the stick and the North Face hat.
Vivenzio read an impact statement from the victim who said he has headaches all the time.
"I am scared anyone who enters the store might be another attacker. ... I am perpetually terrified as if a sword of Damocles is hanging over my head," the victim wrote.
Vivenzio said Silva has multiple prior assault and battery convictions as well as multiple drug convictions.
Silva told Page he was on disability. "I hear voices," he said. He did not know the name of his diagnosis.
Vidal said Silva has multiple diagnoses, including bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder. Silva is psychotic, has PTSD and is a substance abuser, she said.
Vidal said Silva had been going to different hospitals prior to the assault. She said he has garnered no trespassing restrictions at various medical facilities and shelters because of the trouble he has caused.
She said he was evicted 10 days prior to the incident and was walking around homeless. Silva believed he was being attacked by his former landlord, so he was carrying a stick, she said.
Vidal said given Silva's mental health and addiction issues, he would not be able to do well on probation.
Page said she couldn't "in all good conscience" let Silva leave prison without probation.
"We know he's not going to take his medication on his own," Page said.
As conditions of probation, Silva must have psychiatric evaluation and treatment and remain drug and alcohol free.
Two men from Berkshire county have been charged with rape after allegedly taking turns assaulting a woman on Tuesday.
PITTSFIELD — Two 21-year-old men are now facing aggravated rape charges after allegedly taking turns assaulting a woman in Pittsfield on Tuesday, according to The Berkshire Eagle.
A woman has accused John Jones, of Lanesborough, and Jacob M. Hebert, of Pittsfield, of taking turns assaulting her on Tuesday.
Both men pleaded not guilty to the charges at separate arraignments on Wednesday.
Assistant Berkshire District Attorney Kyle Christiansen spoke at Hebert's arraignment, laying out the content of the accusations against the two suspects.
Christiansen said that the alleged victim said she had invited Hebert over to her residence on Tuesday, but Hebert had unexpectedly brought Jones along with him.
During the visit, Hebert allegedly pressured the victim into having sex with him while Jones watched, before later asking that the woman have sex with Jones as well.
Though the woman protested at the idea of having sex with Jones, the men then allegedly took turns assaulting her.
At some point later in the day, Pittsfield police were called to Berkshire Medical Center for a report of an assault victim, and to take the woman's statement in regards to the incident.
Pittsfield police apparently have some kind of recording of the alleged assault but it is unclear whether it is audio or video, or how the recording was obtained.
Hebert's bail was set at $25,000 bail and he is currently being held. Should he be released he is to have no contact with the alleged victim.
Jones is scheduled to appear at a bail hearing on January 20, and has been ordered held until that time.
Hebert is scheduled to reappear in court on Feb. 10 for a pretrial hearing.
A recall is in effect for a mislabeled soup product.
LYNN, Ma — A "Class I" recall is in effect for "Mom's Chicken Soup," a product produced by Lynn, Massachusetts company Kettle Cuisine, announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service on Thursday.
The product--which was stocked at Whole Foods stores in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, and New Jersey--was apparently misbranded and is not actually chicken soup, but an Italian wedding soup with meatballs.
Health officials are concerned because the unlabeled ingredients of the soup--namely milk, wheat, and eggs--are known allergens and could cause serious health effects to those who consume them.
"Class I" recall is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a "health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death."
As a result of the labeling mishap, roughly 3,096 pounds of the soup product are being recalled.
The product is described as being a 24 ounce cup labelled as "MOM'S CHICKEN SOUP" with a "USE BY" date of 02/17/17. The establishment number "P-18468" is written on the inside of the USDA mark of inspection of each product.
So far, there have been no reported cases of individuals having bad reactions to the soup.
Agawam Police Chief Eric Gillis released video footage and a stinging report related to the controversial arrest of a suspect taken into police custody after an alleged incident at Six Flags New England that triggered the firing of three veteran officers.
Watch video
AGAWAM -- A lengthy report on a controversial arrest that led to the firing of three police officers includes stinging commentary on the officers' conduct that includes allegations of excessive force, spin-doctoring reports and incompetence.
Police Chief Eric Gillis on Thursday released the report drafted by law enforcement consultant Alfred Donovan along with video of a man in custody who clashed violently with police. The video chronicles the hours David Desjardins, 27, of Connecticut, spent at the Agawam police station after his arrest for public drunkenness, resisting arrest and other alleged offenses while he was visiting the water park at Six Flags New England on June 19.
A segment of the video shows a struggle between Desjardins and former officers John P. Moccio, Edward B. Connor and Anthony Grasso, which led to their ouster. They were first placed on administrative leave by Gillis in July, and fired by Mayor Richard Cohen on Oct. 19. The firings sparked an outcry among many town residents and a lawn sign campaign in support of the officers.
A lawyer for the officers argues Desjardins was a drunken aggressor both at the park and at the station, and the use of force was justified under the department's own policies. Donovan's report, on the other hand, calls the level of force "improper, inappropriate, excessive, unnecessary and unlawful."
"It was devastating. This was unprecedented in our department. ... But it's 2017 and this can't go on," Gillis said during an interview at Town Hall on Thursday. "Given the climate in the United States, I think we're all very sensitive to it."
The video shows Grasso and Connor wrestling Desjardins to a bench in a holding cell after bodily dragging him down a hallway during the booking process. Moccio hits him 17 times with a police baton, primarily on Desjardins' legs and shins.
Reports state Desjardins was belligerent and combative at the amusement park, placing a part-time officer in a headlock and punching another even as he was maced. It took four officers to place Desjardins in handcuffs, according to reports. Officers were summoned by park security when Desjardins became incensed after a bartender shut him off at the Wahoo Tiki Bar, reports state.
John Connor, a lawyer representing all three officers, called Donovan's report "a white wash" and said it failed to acknowledge a linchpin of the police department's own policies on use of force.
"The case rises and falls on whether or not Desjardins is assaultive toward the officers. If he punches an officer, if he spits at an officer, if he puts an officer in a headlock, under the policy, the use of a baton is authorized," the attorney said. "There isn't any reasonable doubt that this is assaultive behavior and the use of the baton is warranted."
John Connor insists that Desjardins placed Grasso, who has had neck surgery, in a headlock during the clash in the cell. Only this prompts Moccio's use of the baton, he argues. Gillis and other witnesses dispute that Desjardins placed him in a headlock based on the video footage. Donovan sides with Gillis on that point in his report.
"This investigator finds that the intensity and violent nature of the baton strikes were not meant or intended to induce compliance or subdue Desjardins but were intended to injure or punish him for his previous actions," Donovan, a former Tewksbury police chief who has weighed in on other local police misconduct investigations, states in his report.
"It is important to note that Sergeant Grasso and (Edward) Connor appear to be in an advantageous position on top of Desjardins attempting to gain complete control over him. At (one juncture in the video) Desjardins' arm is depicted over the back of Sergeant Grasso but not in position to choke or cause immediate threat," it continues.
He adds that the officers' conduct constitutes criminal behavior. His report also details other policy violations, including that the officers did not secure their weapons into and beyond the booking area. Early in the report, Donovan concludes that Moccio's account of the incident was not "realistic" in that he omitted delivering baton strikes to Desjardins' kidney and groin.
"He also omits (the) fact that he delivered at least 17 baton strikes to the body of Desjardins in less than two minutes," the report states, adding that the officers' response during the post-arrest custody phase amounted to "incompetence."
John Connor countered that Donovan's report does not include critical facts in the narrative that began at the water park.
"In this case, it took four officers rolling around on the ground at Six Flags for ten minutes -- using pepper spray, twice -- just to get him in handcuffs," Connor said. "You don't see the baton come out until the headlock. (Moccio) understands at this point that this guy is a very good fighter, and he's intoxicated."
It is unclear what Desjardins said at the police station to incite officers to drag him into a holding cell, as the audio was not turned on. The video system was newly installed, Gillis said, adding of the unknown verbal exchange:
"Does it matter? That's not the job of a police officer to dispense street justice. That's not our role. We have a great responsibility to those persons who come into our custody to ensure their safety," Gillis said.
At other points in the footage, Desjardins can be heard screaming obscenities at the officers from his cell, and can be seen banging his head on the door. At one juncture, he screams at two officers that they will lose their jobs. While a reporter for The Republican was permitted to view that footage, an attorney for the town said he could would release that portion of the video after redacting certain segments that portray Desjardins using the toilet in the cell.
The police chief said he received a phone call from his officers following the June arrest, alerting him that it had been a hairy night at the station. He reviewed the reports the next day and deemed everything to be "kosher," he said.
Because of the freshness of the video surveillance system at the station, he was unable to view the footage until nearly a month later, Gillis said.
He watched the video at just before 1 p.m. on July 14, and placed the officers on administrative leave by the end of the day.
"I felt that strongly about it. I was taken aback. The footage didn't match the image in my mind's eye based on the reports," Gillis said.
Grasso and Moccio had been members of the police force for nearly 20 years, according to town officials. Edward Connor had been an Agawam police officer for nearly 30.
Civil service hearings for the officers took place at the state building in Springfield over two days this week. A third day of testimony will take place on Jan. 31, according to the police chief. The hearings are designed to vet whether the officers' terminations were proper. John Connor argues they were not.
Bridgewater police are searching for the men responsible for a violent home invasion that occurred on Thursday morning.
BRIDGEWATER, Ma — Authorities in Bridgewater are searching for the suspects believed to be responsible for a violent home invasion that left a man seriously injured on Thursday morning, according to The Boston Globe.
A 56-year-old man told police that three men--two of which were armed with handguns--had broken into his Bridgewater apartment at roughly 1 a.m., beaten him and dragged him from his residence. He was then apparently driven to a number of ATM machines and forced to take out money that the assailants then stole, police said, in a statement.
Bridgewater Police Chief Christopher Delmonte said that the man had told officers how he had been "blindfolded and restrained in his apartment," before his attackers "obtained a quantity of cash from the victim" and dropped him in front of a convenience store in Randolph.
Police discovered the man at the store at roughly 4:45 a.m.
The victim had sustained injuries and had to be taken for treatment at Brockton Hospital.
Surveillance footage from a bank security system captured an image of one of the assailants, a "light-skinned black male covering his face with a coat and allegedly holding the victim's ATM card . . . as well as a light colored vehicle," said Delamonte.
Anyone who believes they may have information related to the incident or who recognizes the pictured suspect has been asked to contact Bridgewater police at 508-697-6118.
The sister of Jerry Bradley has filed notice of a $100,000 claim against the City of Springfield, more than 15 months after Bradley died in Springfield police custody.
The sister of Jerry Bradley has filed notice of a $100,000 claim against the city of Springfield, more than 15 months after her brother died in Springfield police custody.
Bradley was picked up on a warrant on Sept. 11, 2015 and suffered a fatal aneurysm while awaiting arraignment in a Springfield Police holding cell. For seven months the circumstances of his death remained largely undisclosed, until MassLive obtained and published an internal police investigation into the case in April 2016.
The internal investigation showed conflicting accounts of Bradley's physical condition, with prisoners in nearby cells telling investigators that they heard him screaming out for help, and officers on duty denying those claims. Two officers were suspended for 30 days following the department's internal inquiry.
On Dec. 16, John Thompson, an attorney representing Bradley's sister Olethia, sent a demand letter to Mayor Domenic Sarno, notifying him that the family would be seeking the legal maximum in compensation for Bradley's death.
"In light of the unlawful arrest, nearly 21 hours of painful suffering and subsequent passing, Ms. Olethia Bradley acting as personal representative for Mr. Jerry Bradley requests compensation in the amount of $100,000," the letter said.
According to state law, municipalities must be given six months of notice to accept, reject or negotiate legal claims before a lawsuit can be filed.
In a statement, Mayor Domenic Sarno acknowledged receipt of the letter and expressed condolences to Bradley's family.
"First of all, and again my sympathy, thoughts and prayers to the family of Mr. Jerry Bradley. Yes, a letter was received by my office from Atty. John M. Thompson on Dec. 20, 2016," Sarno said. "As with these matters my office immediately forwarded it to the appropriate departments - Law Department, City Solicitor Ed Pikula and Police Department Commissioner John Barbieri - for proper review and clarification aspects."
Neither Sarno or City Solicitor Ed Pikula would comment on the specifics of potential litigation, but Pikula told MassLive he would be reaching to Thompson for additional information.
Thompson's demand letter claims that police officers unlawfully arrested Bradley and failed to provide him appropriate medical care in custody, leading to his death.
"Jerry Bradley suffered for virtually an entire day due to the negligent failure to assist Mr. Bradley with his dire medical needs," the letter said.
In an interview, Thompson said the planned lawsuit is intended to secure additional information about Bradley's death, as well as compensation for his family.
While he has obtained his own copy of the internal investigation and other documents through public records requests in recent months, those documents have been heavily redacted and the city has continued to cite the ongoing review by the District Attorney's office as reason to deny information, Thompson said.
"We have not been able to get the autopsy report because the DA's office is still supposedly conducting a criminal investigation into this matter, which appears not to be going anywhere at all and doesn't appear to be near completion," Thompson said. "The family feels like it's gotten a cold shoulder from the city."
In September, a year after Bradley's death, Hampden DA spokesman Jim Leydon told MassLive the DA's inquiry would be completed soon. But as of earlier this month the probe was still open, and the DA's office did not return phone calls on Thursday.
Thompson said Bradley's family could also potentially file a federal civil rights lawsuit and was considering that option.
Bradley, a 57-year-old handyman who had lived in Springfield's Old Hill neighborhood for a decade, was in the passenger seat of a car traveling on State Street on Sept. 11, 2015 when it was pulled over by police. Officers ran his information and arrested him on a warrant, for what his family told MassLive was an unpaid fine out of Dudley for writing a bad check.
Because he was arrested on a Friday, he could not be arraigned until Monday morning, meaning a weekend stay in Springfield Police headquarters' lockup until he could be transferred to Dudley District Court.
Bradley called his girlfriend Angela Williams from the police station to say he would not make it home that weekend, Williams told MassLive in April. That was the last time they would speak.
I said, 'I'll been waiting for you.' We said we loved each other. We hung up the phone," Williams said.
What happened over the next 29 hours is muddled by conflicting testimony, according to an internal police investigation report obtained by MassLive in a public records request.
It is not disputed that Bradley, early in the morning of Sept. 13, was found unconscious by a guard doing regular rounds who began futile attempts to save his life. He was taken to Baystate Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 1:10 a.m.; the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner later determined his cause of death was a ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm.
The internal police investigation and MassLive's interviews with Bradley's family members found contradictions between how officers working at the station, Bradley's fellow prisoners and Bradley's family described the events of that weekend.
According to the department's internal report, officers said they had no knowledge of any serious medical issues plaguing Bradley, and the three officers on duty Friday night said he never asked for medical help. On Saturday, officers reported that Bradley had complained of back pain, but experienced no severe distress until he was found unconscious.
"Sgt. Bortolussi stated that officers Reyes and Dowd told him that [Bradley] was checked every 15 minutes and he appeared fine throughout the rest of the night," the internal report said.
But prisoners in neighboring cells to Bradley described a man who appeared to be in severe pain. One prisoner said Bradley shouted to an officer "I can't breathe, I need my treatment," on Friday night. Another said that the night of Bradley's death, he banged on the glass of his cell for two hours while screaming "This ain't right, call the ambulance."
And while officers wrote in their report that Williams, Bradley's girlfriend, told them she had no knowledge of any medical problems he had, she said otherwise in an interview with MassLive. Bradley had a tumor in his abdomen and she had told detectives of his condition when they interviewed her after his death, she said.
Williams had previously not seen the police account of her statements, but after reviewing the officers' report during an April interview with MassLive, she said it was false.
"He had a tumor. We knew this. That's why I told them," Williams said. "That is inaccurate."
Bradley's death was first reported by MassLive in April, seven months after it happened. MassLive began its inquiry after the case appeared in the appendix of a March report on Springfield's Community Police Hearing Board, in a group of entries on a spreadsheet, marked "investigate death of prisoner in his cell."
Of the seven officers investigated, two were suspended and five cleared of administrative charges, according to the report and statements from the city's law department.
The city and the police department would not say what specific actions led to the officers' suspensions, nor would they disclose their identities. The city's law office said the officers were suspended for 30 days without pay for violating the rules and regulations of the police department.
Bridgewater police are reaching out to the public for help identifying a suspect in a home invasion in Bridgewater early Thursday morning. Officers met with the victim, a 56-year-old Bridgewater man, after the alleged robbers dropped him off at a convenience store in Randolph. The man told police that three men broke into his apartment on Spring Street around 1...
Bridgewater police are reaching out to the public for help identifying a suspect in a home invasion in Bridgewater early Thursday morning.
Officers met with the victim, a 56-year-old Bridgewater man, after the alleged robbers dropped him off at a convenience store in Randolph.
The man told police that three men broke into his apartment on Spring Street around 1 a.m. He described them as black males, armed with handguns.
The men blindfold and restrained the victim, forced him into a vehicle and drove him to several banks. The victim was forced to withdraw money from various ATMs.
After withdrawing enough cash, the victim was dropped off at the store in Randolph. At some point during the ordeal, the robbers beat him.
The victim was transported to Brockton Hospital with serious but not life-threating injuries.
Police released an image of one of the suspects, They are urging the anyone with information to reach out to the Bridgewater Police Department at 508-697-6118.
Michelle O'Kane, of Bristol, R.I., was charged with larceny over $250.00 and released on personal recognizance.
A Rhode Island babysitter was arrested Wednesday after trying to return thousands of dollars of stolen cash from a house she worked at, police said.
Rehoboth police first learned of the incident after the homeowners reported a theft of nearly $4,000 from their home on Gorham Street.
The next day, the victims requested the police return to the home after their babysitter attempted to return money she allegedly stole the day before.
Officers identified the suspect after a brief investigation and arrested the babysitter. They also recovered nearly $2,594 in cash.
Michelle O'Kane, of Bristol, R.I., was charged with larceny over $250.00 and released on personal recognizance. She was scheduled to appear in Taunton District Court Thursday.
A week ago, while on a vacation cruise through the Persian Gulf with his wife, Medford native Ed Schultz coughed, and he heard something go "pop" in his back. Then came the pain. Hours later, the cruise ship reached Oman and he was rushed to a hospital in Muscat.
A week ago, while on a vacation cruise through the Persian Gulf with his wife, Medford native Ed Schultz coughed, and he heard something go "pop" in his back. Then came the pain.
Hours later, the cruise ship reached Oman and he was rushed to a hospital in Muscat.
According to his sister Elizabeth Schultz, doctors first believed it was a herniated disc. Then they found the lesion in his back and they now say the cough apparently caused his back to fracture, a freak accident.
Schultz, a 37-year-old occupational therapist, and his wife Christine, a nurse, remain stuck in Oman and he is unable to get out of bed. Plans to spend celebrating nine years of marriage in Abu Dhabi are now postponed, and doctors believe he'll get the best treatment in Boston.
Because of his condition, he needs a special medical flight, and the insurance he has is only willing to cover $50,000 out of $150,000.
"The amount of money the insurance companies are asking for upfront before we can get him real medical attention is unfathomable," Elizabeth Schultz said in a phone interview. "It's as much as some people's houses."
A friend in St. Louis, Ryan Williams, has started a fundraising page on GoFundMe.com and it shows the effort is already halfway to $100,000.
"A hundred thousand dollars is not something you ever expect in your lifetime to come up with at the drop of a hat," Elizabeth said.
High school classmates have reached out and anonymous people have donated money. "It's been unbelievable," she said. "It's very humbling, to say the least."
Elizabeth said she views her brother as a hero, an "amazing support system to me when I've gone through rough times, no questions asked."
As part of a government program, he and his wife have worked in various city hospitals in low-income areas, including in Chicago, St. Louis and parts of California, according to Elizabeth. Ed and Christine, who met while at Boston University in 2001, are the "epitome of a couple in love," Elizabeth added.
At least one Massachusetts researcher believes our eastern coyotes should be more accurately called coy wolves and classified as a new species.
Watch video
This is the latest in an occasional series on the wildlife caught on trail cameras set up by The Republican reporter George Graham and his wife, Gerri, in their "backyard" in Westhampton, Massachusetts.
WESTHAMPTON -- It's been fairly quiet on our trail cams over the past month or so with the notable exception of deer, coyote and the occasional bobcat.
Coyote, at least in our experience, seem to be quite skittish when it comes to trail cams. As you can see on the video, which consists of footage from three separate nights in mid- to late-December, the wild canines appear to be startled by -- or wary of -- the light or noise emitted by the activated trail cam.
The photo below, taken by one of our trail cams in 2014, is one of the best coyote images that we have picked up and the only one that we have gotten during the daytime.
A coyote triggers a trail cam in Westhampton, Mass. in this Jan. 2014 photo,GEORGE GRAHAM / THE REPUBLICAN
Genetic evidence indicates that our eastern coyotes interbred with eastern Canadian wolves as they spread into the Northeast over the past century.
The ones we have picked on our trail cams or encountered directly in the woods on several rare occasions certainly appear wolf-like to me in some ways. German shepherds also come to mind.
Jonathan Way, who earned a doctorate from Boston College related to the studies of eastern coyotes, makes the case that they should more accurately called coywolves and classified as a new species.
"They are taller and bigger than western coyotes and have a more wolf-like appearance," said Way, adding eastern coyotes also have longer legs and smaller ears than their western counterparts.
Way said DNA studies indicate that eastern coyotes or coywolves are about 60 percent western coyote, 30 percent eastern wolf and 10 percent dog.
"Nearly 40 percent of this animal is not coyote. That, essentially, is why we recommend that they be classified as a new species, Canis oriens," Way and William Lynn co-wrote in a May 2016 article published in the academic journal "The Conversation."
Way said that coyote and bobcat, as top predators, fill key ecological niches in our Massachusetts forests.
"They are super-important animals, they drive the ecosystem," he said.
