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Residents say more needs to be done to stop violence

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Residents say more needs to be done to stop violence Little League pitcher Teshawn Coleman, 12, tossed a ball with Officer Dennis Simmonds yesterday at Harambee Park. (Wendy Maeda/ Globe Staff) By Ben Wolford Globe Correspondent / July 10, 2011 Children are not flooding playgrounds like they used to, and the number of players in a youth baseball league has plummeted since the shooting of a 4-year-old boy two weeks ago in Harambee Park, visitors there said yesterday. The Dorchester-Roxbury Little League, which had 200 participants, is down to about 100, mostly because parents are worried, said John Gordon, president of the league. “Two teams showed up today; that should have been 24 children,’’ he said. “We only had eight.’’ Yesterday at the park the two baseball teams competed under the gaze of a Boston police officer in his cruiser. “That car hasn’t moved,’’ Gordon said. “It was here yesterday, and it’s probably building dust around it.’’ FULL STORY HERE http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/07/10/residents_say_more_needs_to_be_done_to_stop_violence/  

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After shootings, city rallies against ‘disrespect for life’

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After shootings, city rallies against ‘disrespect for life’ By Colneth Smiley Jr. and Jessica Fargen  |   Sunday, July 10, 2011  |  http://www.bostonherald.com |  Local Coverage Photo by John Wilcox After a week of grief and bloodshed on Boston streets, victims’ families and clergy are uniting this morning to share heartbreak and begin healing. “We have to encourage people to get back to church because we are raising generations of young people who do not have God consciousness, and it is easy for them to have a disrespect for life,” said the Rev. William Dickerson of the Greater Love Tabernacle off Talbot Street — near where last month a 4-year-old boy was shot at Harambee Park. Dickerson, who spoke at an anti-violence rally yesterday in Dorchester, said the community is struggling with the latest rash of violence, including four homicides in the span of five hours over the Fourth of July holiday. Dickerson said he will address community healing by urging residents to reach out to youth and go to “unconventional places whereever people are to hear the messages of peace and anti-violence — be it the street corners, bar rooms or crack houses,” he told the Herald. “We also have to let the law run its course for people who refuse to listen.” Last night, Boston police identified the victims of Monday’s violent melee, including 17-year-old James Coakley who was killed outside his family’s home on Hollander Street; Dorchester cousins Lashon Washington, 39, and Joseph Winston, 26, who were gunned down on Columbia Road; and Victor Gomes, 33, of Randolph, who was slain on the steps of his grandmother’s house on Norton Street. Another man was killed Thursday night in Dorchester, but police have yet to identify him. “I’ve been praying for everybody that’s going through this,” Saojoana Cardoso, 29, the mother of Gomes’ 7-year-old son, told the Herald after returning from Gomes’ funeral in Randolph yesterday. “There is a need for this call for peace. They need to find a better way of helping people out here because it’s crazy and very scary just to walk by and just to be around a lot of areas,” she said. “My son is scared, and I don’t want him to worry, but every time he sees something or hears the police sirens or any arguments he starts to shake.” Denise Williams, aunt of Washington and Winston, was among 100 people at yesterday’s peace rally. “People are seriously tired, and the powers that be should be aware,” said Williams. “What I saw today here, I know that it’s the beginning. I knew that something good would come out of Lashon and Joey’s death I just didn’t know what. But I feel and see it’s the beginning of a movement.” Police encourage anyone with information about the recent crimes to contact the Homicide Unit at 617-343-4470 or call the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 800-494-TIPS or text the word ‘TIP’ to CRIME (27463). Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1350779  

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Police officer faces discipline for lying; Report says he used unreasonable force

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Police officer faces discipline for lying Report says he used unreasonable force July 08, 2011|By Edward Mason and Tom Mashberg, Globe Correspondents Officer David Williams was implicated in the… (John Tlumacki/Globe Staff/File 2006) Editor’s note: We have been alerted that the photo is not of Boston Police Officer David Williams but rather Officer Kenny Conley who was not involved in the Michael Cox beating. For the record the photo was published by the Boston Globe attached to the article which we linked to. A Boston police officer at the center of one of the most notorious police brutality cases in city history used unreasonable force while arresting a man in the North End in 2009, then lied about the episode to department investigators, according to an Internal Affairs Division report obtained by the Globe. As a result, Officer David C. Williams has been placed on paid administrative leave, the Boston Police Department said, and could lose his job under Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis’s nearly 19-month-old policy of dismissing officers who lie in the line of duty, to internal affairs investigators, or in court . Williams is appealing the finding, and a hearing is scheduled for later this month. Williams was fired from the force in 1999 after being implicated in the racially charged 1995 beating of undercover police officer Michael Cox, then reinstated with nearly $550,000 in back pay after a civil service arbitration in 2005. FULL STORY HERE http://articles.boston.com/2011-07-08/news/29752388_1_police-officer-internal-affairs-division-unnecessary-force  

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Dorchester shooting leaves one man dead

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Dorchester shooting leaves one man dead By Travis Andersen Globe Staff / July 8, 2011 Boston police dealt with another night of violence last night, responding to a fatal shooting in Dorchester as well as another shooting in Roxbury, and becoming involved in a bizarre pursuit of a suspect that ended with his apprehension after he dove into the Mystic River, police said. Boston Police Captain Jack Danilecki said the Dorchester victim, who was in his 20s but was not known to police, was shot several times at about 11:35 p.m. near the corner of Mascot Street and Mountain Avenue. Danilecki said the victim was pronounced dead at Boston Medical Center. He said police had no leads on suspects as of early this morning. Danilecki also said that another man in his 20s, who is known to police, was shot three times last night on Lenox Street in Roxbury. FULL STORY HERE http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/07/08/dorchester_shooting_leaves_one_man_dead/

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Shooter hits Dorchester school; Cops: Man injured as bullet misses kids

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Shooter hits Dorchester school Cops: Man injured as bullet misses kids By O’Ryan Johnson  |   Friday, July 8, 2011  |  http://www.bostonherald.com Photo by Stuart Cahill Gunfire shattered the window of a Dorchester middle school yesterday, missing the scores of children attending a summer camp there but critically injuring a man outside the building, police said. “It’s a continuing frustration,” said Mayor Thomas M. Menino outside Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School, as he comforted parents rushing to pick up their children after the incident. “The police are doing their job. We’re going to continue to take bad guys off the street. We’re going to keep doing our work. We’re not going to stop.” The school was being used as a children’s summer camp by Project RIGHT, a Roxbury-based program that provides services to the neighborhoods of Boston, said the program’s director, Jorge Martinez. The bullet did not get through the triple-pane window, but did break the glass, said Menino’s spokeswoman Dot Joyce. By 5 p.m., the glass had been replaced. Police said a man sitting in a car on Columbia Road was targeted by a shooter in a silver Mercedes Benz who fired multiple times and fled at about 2:30 p.m. The victim, who suffered life-threatening wounds, drove into the school’s parking lot, where he asked for help from Project RIGHT staff, who assisted him and called 911, Martinez said. The violence came hours after cops carried out two warrant sweeps and brought down top-level members of one notorious street gang that police believe is behind a portion of the latest mayhem, and has been at war with two other gangs, a police source said. In all, police said 22 men between the ages of 18 and 41 were nabbed in sweeps dubbed Operation Bad Rap and Operation Summer Sweep. Nearly all of the men were arrested for distribution of cocaine, police said. Among those arrested was Jamaul Douglas, 37, of Mattapan, who was charged with the most serious offense: trafficking cocaine. He pleaded not guilty in Dorchester District Court and was held on $10,000 cash bail. A message left at a phone number listed to him was not immediately returned. “Boston police are dedicated to ensuring the safety of our residents and remain steadfast in our proactive approach to target known offenders,” Boston police Commissioner Edward F. Davis said in a statement. “The consistent execution of these focused enforcement efforts will continue to have an impact on advancing public safety.” Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1350383  

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Landlords of problem properties on hot seat

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Landlords of problem properties on hot seat By O’Ryan Johnson And Brendan Lynch  |   Wednesday, July 6, 2011 Photo by Chitose Suzuki Businessman Edward Franco of Randolph became the poster child for Boston’s crackdown on landlords of high-crime buildings yesterday when Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino began a public campaign to compel him to stem the tide of trouble at his property, starting with a press conference outside his triple-decker at 102 Blue Hill Ave. The Roxbury address has been the scene of 105 police calls and 14 alleged serious criminal complaints since May 2010, including drugs, weapons and assault cases. “As a responsible landlord, you know what’s going on in your property,” said Menino yesterday. “This guy’s totally irresponsible. A hundred and five calls? That’s wrong.” Similar to a program started in Quincy earlier this year, Boston police have assigned a special detail to the house and have installed a digital sign in front of the house to let passers-by know about criminal activity at the triple-decker and display the mayor’s 24-hour crime hot line. Franco, who could not be reached for comment, will be held accountable for the cost of the detail, the city said. In addition to the troubled triple-decker, Franco owns 16 other properties in the city assessed at more than $6 million. A spokesman for Menino said Franco’s other properties are being reviewed for the number of visits they have received from police. This is not Franco’s first run-in with the law. The Herald reported in 1994 that then-Acting Commissioner of Banks Thomas J. Curry demanded Franco’s resignation from Boston Check Cashers Inc. for misdemeanor violations of federal currency reporting laws. Franco, who the state also lists as the president of Fast Eddie’s Pizza and Subs from 1991 to 1998, has made several donations over the past decade to local politicians, including Gov. Deval Patrick and former Boston City Councilor Sam Yoon. Boston’s problem property plan, which Menino expects the city to approve next week, is identical to one passed by the Quincy City Council in April, said Mayor Thomas Koch’s office. City Councilor Brian Palmucci, who proposed the idea in Quincy, said the mere threat that police will park a cruiser in front of a landlord’s apartment building for 24 hours a day and then bill them for it, has been a deterrent. “With the threat of the ordinance we’ve been able to gain compliance from the slumlords to clean up problem properties in the neighborhoods,” Palmucci said. Boston Police Superintendent in Chief Daniel Linskey said this action should work to clean up problem properties in the Hub. “With a detail outside the home, the officers on duty are doing bigger and better things,” he said. “It’s the little things that turn into big things that this will address. It’s the drug deal that turns into a robbery, then the guns and the knives come out.” Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1349906  

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State official criticizes police response; Rep. tweets about tense traffic stop

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State official criticizes police response Representative tweets about tense traffic stop State Representative Carlos Henriquez questioned why so many officers were needed to respond when the car was missing a front plate. By Michael Levenson Globe Staff / July 6, 2011 A state representative got into a heated exchange with Boston police officers Monday after they stopped the car he was riding in for not having a front license plate. But police say they acted appropriately, and, when they checked the car’s license plate number, they discovered that the car’s owner was wanted for felony assault. Police said the owner is the driver’s roommate and was not in the vehicle at the time. They did not release the man’s name. The state representative, Carlos Henriquez, said he does not know the owner and was not aware that the man had an outstanding warrant. The traffic stop happened shortly after 5 p.m. in front of Henriquez’s house on Judson Street in Roxbury. FULL STORY HERE: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/07/06/state_representative_henriquez_criticizes_police_exchange/  

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Rep. Tweets Frustration Over Traffic Stop; Commissioner Defends Officers' Actions

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Rep. Tweets Frustration Over Traffic Stop Commissioner Defends Officers’ Actions POSTED: 6:12 pm EDT July 5, 2011 UPDATED: 6:39 pm EDT July 5, 2011 SEE VIDEO AND FULL STORY HERE: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/politics/28454703/detail.html#ixzz1RKaSyJHG BOSTON — A state representative is questioning whether Boston police used excessive response during an incident that he felt was a simple traffic stop. Rep. Carlos Henriquez isn’t the most recognizable lawmaker on Beacon Hill. He’s only been in office since January. Boston police didn’t know his job title either when they stopped him outside his house along with two friends. “Police pull up next to us and activate their lights and ask us to stay in the car,” Henriquez said. His friend’s car was missing a front license plate. “I asked why we were stopped, and the officer told the driver, ‘Tell your friend to calm down. Sit Back He has a lot of mouth.’ I was a little taken aback by that. The response I got was, ‘what does that matter to you? How dare you ask?’” Henriquez said. FULL STORY AND VIDEO HERE: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/politics/28454703/detail.html#ixzz1RKaDv5m5

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Six wounded in shootings across city this weekend

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Six wounded in shootings across city this weekend By Alexander C. Kaufman Globe Correspondent / July 4, 2011 Gunfire joined the crack of fireworks in Boston this weekend, leaving six people wounded in five separate shootings, police said. Officer Eddy Chrispin, a Boston Police Department spokesman, said no one was killed in the spate of shootings in Dorchester, South Boston, and Hyde Park yesterday and Saturday. Two males were shot in the leg, in separate shootings, at 7 a.m. on Fuller Street and 8:30 a.m. on Bowdoin Street in Dorchester on Saturday. A store owner wounded an alleged robber in the hand in South Boston on Saturday night. FULL STORY HERE http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/07/04/six_wounded_in_shootings_across_city_this_weekend  

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Brave boy ‘doing great’ Shot tot can’t wait to go home

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Brave boy ‘doing great’ Shot tot can’t wait to go home By Christine McConville  |   Monday, July 4, 2011  |  http://www.bostonherald.com |  Local Coverage Photo by Faith Ninivaggi After spending a harrowing week in a medically induced coma, the tough little boy who was shot in a Dorchester park last week is awake, chatting with his mom, and even looking forward to coming home. “He’s doing great,” said Barbara Dulin, a reverend with the Greater Love Tabernacle Church, where the wounded boy’s mother and grandmother worship. “He’s talking with his mom, and he’s telling her he wants to go home.” On Monday night, 4-year-old A.J. and his mom were catching a break from the summertime heat at Harambee Park at the intersection of Talbot and Blue Hill avenues with many others when two people opened fire into the crowd at about 9:20. Little A.J. was hit in the back with a stray bullet, police said. Since being rushed to Boston Medical Center, the kid — who has been described as a fighter who is naturally protective of his younger cousins — has been operated on twice. And now, as A.J. recovers, Boston police continue to search for the shooters. No arrests have been made, but Boston police spokesman Officer Eddie Crispin called the search “very active.” “We are still very much looking for people with information to call,” he said. Yesterday, in a crowded corner of Harambee Park, near the George Robert White Youth Development Center, determined locals said last week’s brazen shooting wouldn’t stop them from enjoying the park, and celebrating the community. “This is my community, too,” said a proud Gloria Avila, 53, as a crew of smiling kids rolled by on bikes. “I’ve lived in the same place for 23 years,” she said, “and I’ve seen a lot of changes, and they aren’t good. There are a lot of kids running around, unsupervised, and we all need to speak up about it.” Edward Burks, also a reverend at Greater Love Tabernacle Church, which sponsored the Sunday afternoon cookout and concert, agreed. “We need peace in our community, and we won’t stand for violence,” he said. Boston police, who promise to protect witnesses’ identities, are asking that anyone with information about the shooting call detectives at 617-343-4470, or leave anonymous tips by calling 800-494-8477, or by texting the word “tip” to 27463.  

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