Dear Friends,
As the weather chills and we enjoy New England’s most brilliant season, I wanted to update you on how I’m settling into my second term as your Middlesex District Attorney.
We continue to protect and serve our Middlesex County residents and our core mission of enforcing the laws through investigation and prosecution of cases continues to exhibit a first rate accomplishment. For the second straight year, the MDAO has achieved more Superior Court convictions than any other District Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts.
Since I was first elected, we’ve made prevention and intervention efforts through education and training a priority at the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office. With the help of the office’s non-profit partner, Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc. (MPY), we’ve developed a very effective youth and community based focus on prevention. As I approach the second year of my second term, I continue to focus my attention on new, creative initiatives that aim to prevent and preempt crime, and have outlined a few of our newest programs below:
Texting Can Wait Program
Distracted driving is extremely dangerous, especially for youths who are inexperienced drivers to begin with. This summer, we partnered with AT&T to launch the “It Can Wait” campaign in Massachusetts. The program is an anti-texting educational presentation which includes a powerful documentary, produced by AT&T, featuring stories from individuals whose lives have been forever altered by texting while driving. The first program was held in June at Woburn High School for over 600 students. Car crashes are the number one cause of death for young people ages 15-19 and our hope is that this program will go a long way to change this troubling trend and sobering statistic.
Drug Forfeiture Spending Program
In an effort to aid the violence and drug prevention efforts of youth organizations in Middlesex County and provide youth with positive alternatives to crime, we donated over $100,000 of drug forfeiture funds to six community programs, marking what will be an annual initiative for the office. The organizations that received the donations: Lowell Summer Jobs Program for At Risk Youth; Lowell Roundtable on Substance Abuse Prevention; Wayside Youth & Family Support Network’s Tempo Program; The Boys & Girls Club of Framingham; and the Metro South / West Regional Employment Board; are positive, resourceful alternatives for our youth. From funding summer jobs, to providing transportation for kids who would otherwise not have access to go to summer camp, to sponsoring tomorrow’s leaders to attend a drug prevention forum, these monies went to truly worthwhile causes. Please see the program application, located on our website www.middlesexda.com, if you know of any youth violence and drug prevention organization that would benefit from this new initiative.
Workplace Violence Prevention Program
Most of us think of our workplace as a home away from home, but there have been several serious and fatal workplace violence incidents throughout our county and the country that have caused us to pay greater attention to our safety at work. One thing that we have learned from these incidents is the importance of prevention efforts and having policies and plans in place should such situations arise. By setting specific policies, developing and implementing plans and training staff, businesses can take critical steps towards protecting their co-workers. Everyone deserves a safe environment to work in, day-in and day-out. Because of this, over the past year, we’ve continued to use our public/private partnerships to hone our workplace violence prevention seminar that we provide free of charge to private industry and public workplaces throughout Middlesex County.
6th Law Firm Joins DV Pro Bono Program
As we celebrate the third year of this program’s existence, we are pleased to have a 6th law firm, Rich May, P.C. join the domestic violence pro bono program and are thankful to their attorneys for giving their time to a very important and critical cause. Restraining orders are crucial for victims of domestic violence to protect themselves, and all too often victims who cannot afford an attorney return to the abusive environment that threatens them and their loved ones. This program works to help and empower abused victims and their dependents to end that dangerous cycle. So far, our program has handled 78 cases, with a 93% success rate. When we first started the program three years ago, we had just one firm. We’re thrilled at this latest commitment, ensuring that even more victims will be able to be served.
16th Annual School Safety Summit Held
On September 26, we held our 16th Annual School Safety Summit in partnership with Middlesex Partnerships For Youth, Inc. In the wake of several incidents affecting youths’ safety, most recently raising the issue of teen dating violence, this year’s event focused on the importance of healthy relationships among youth. The event addressed the issues and concerns of teen dating violence, bullying, peer pressure, and intolerance, among other issues that all create unhealthy relationships amongst students. The summit is a cutting edge and informative gathering of nearly 300 professionals from schools, law enforcement, and community agencies from across Massachusetts, that highlights some of our more effective and creative programs, including our annual Public Service Announcement Project, which encourages students in Middlesex County to create a PSA on a youth prevention topic every year, and the White Ribbon Campaign, which urges young men to be part of the solution in ending violence against women.
Unsolved Homicide Program: 1969 Unsolved Homicide Solved
Shortly after arriving as DA in 2007, I assigned a full trial team to every unsolved homicide case in Middlesex County, including an ADA, Victim Witness Advocate, and MSP Trooper. This program continues to solve cases and make great strides on cases previously determined to be “cold.” Just this past spring, we made three arrests in a 42 year old unsolved homicide case. The victim, 15 year old John Joseph McCabe, was found dead in a vacant lot in Lowell after disappearing on his way home from a school dance. We were extremely gratified to bring John’s killers to justice after so much time and while his parents were still alive. We continue to speak for those with no voice, no matter how much time has gone by, and we remain committed to seeing these cases solved.
This is just a snapshot of the dual approach to protecting and serving the people of Middlesex County through prosecution and prevention efforts that we continue to engage in here in Middlesex. I’m honored to be able to continue my work as your Middlesex District Attorney and hope to see you at my annual event, which this year we’ve moved from the busy fall event schedule to the late spring.
Be well and enjoy the upcoming holiday season,
Gerry Leone
DA Leone joined First Lady Diane Patrick as the co-chair for the Melrose Alliance Against Violence 16th Annual Domestic Violence Vigil and Walk on Sunday, October 23. DA Leone was honored at the event with the first ever “Advocacy in Action Award” for his efforts to combat domestic violence. After receiving the award, DA Leone addressed the walkers and thanked them for their participation in the walk and for their commitment and dedication to the prevention of domestic violence. Before the walk began, the names of 28 victims who have been killed by domestic violence in Massachusetts were read aloud and a candle was lit in their memory.
The 16th Annual Walk and Candlelight Vigil sponsored by the Melrose Alliance Against Violence is a 2 mile Walk around Ell Pond which begins and ends at the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School. The purpose of the event is to commemorate victims of domestic violence, raise awareness and unite the community against violence. Since last October, 28 people have been killed as a result of domestic violence in Massachusetts.
Summer 2011 News
New Initiatives
- DA Leone recently donated over $100,000 in forfeiture funds to assist the violence and drug prevention efforts of youth organizations in Middlesex County. The initiative aims to help provide youth with positive alternatives to drugs and crime. This year’s donations will help fund summer jobs for at-risk youths, fund tuition for summer camps, and provide transportation for youths to the MetroWest Boys and Girls Club. Additionally, the donation helped sponsor six youth and two chaperones in Lowell to attend a national anti-drug training initiative.
- The MDAO, in conjunction with Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc., have announced the winner of this year’s PSA project. This year’s contest was on the issue of cyber safety. 77 PSAs were submitted from area schools and narrowed down to five finalists. Over 3,000 students from throughout Middlesex County voted for the winner, which was created and produced by students from Lexington High School.
- The MDAO, in conjunction with Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc., teamed up with AT&T in an anti-texting and driving initiative aimed to educate teenagers on the dangers of texting while driving. DA Leone spoke to students at Woburn and Waltham High Schools and the students took a pledge to not text and drive.
Summer Events:
- DA Leone visited the MetroWest Boys and Girls Club in Framingham on June 1 in an effort to further pro-active collaboration between the organization and the DA’s office on youth development issues. DA Leone also donated $30,000 in forfeiture funds to help fund scholarships and transportation for at-risk youth to attend the MWBGC.
- On June 22, DA Leone hosted a Workplace Violence Prevention Workshop at Draper Laboratories in Cambridge. The event was an interactive program designed to offer best practices to combat workplace violence.
- On July 12, DA Leone met with youth from the Lowell Community Health Center Teen Coalition as a send off prior to their trip to California to take part in a national anti-drug training. DA Leone donated $10,000 to the organization which helped sponsor 6 youth and 2 adult supervisors to attend the conference.
Dear Friends,
As we begin a new year, I wanted to update you on our recent efforts to do even more to better protect victims of domestic violence. On January 7, I partnered with three state legislators to file a comprehensive legislative package that addresses domestic violence.
The three crucial bills; An Act Providing for the Release of the Body of a Deceased Person to Family Members; An Act Providing for Protection from DV; and An Act to Permit the Setting of Both Cash Bail and Pretrial Conditions in Domestic Violence Matters; would reform and strengthen currently existing laws against repeat batterers and provide additional safeguards to victims of domestic violence.
These three bills address significant gaps in our ability to properly serve victims of domestic violence and ensure that victims of repeat, violent domestic batterers are protected to the fullest of our abilities. I’m proud to stand with Senator Karen Spilka, Representative Carolyn Dykema, and Representative Kate Hogan as partners in our attempts to better serve and protect those who are victimized and seriously impacted by the traumatizing effects of domestic violence. (more…)
Dear Friends,
I’m pleased to be writing to you regarding some very good news: the Sexually Dangerous Person legislation we filed in order to better protect children and communities from sexual predators has finally passed and was signed into law by Governor Patrick. Please see the Fox Morning News interview announcing the passage by clicking here, as well as the Lowell Sun article heralding its passage here.
The Sexually Dangerous Person bill, filed with the support of State Senator Steven Baddour, State Representative Charley Murphy, State Representative Peter Koutoujian, and Jane Doe, Inc, provides prosecutors and community members with a greater voice in determining whether convicted sex offenders should be allowed back into our neighborhoods after serving their sentences. (more…)
Dear Friends,
When I was elected Middlesex District Attorney, I promised that our dedicated team would work every day to protect and serve the people of this county. Our mission is to successfully prosecute the most dangerous criminals while also implementing creative and progressive-minded programs designed to proactively prevent crimes from occurring in the first place. We’ve worked hard to ensure we fulfill this critical mission on behalf of the people of Middlesex County.
It’s hard to believe that it has now been 3 and ½ years and re-election is upon us. I am very thankful to all of you for your continued support and loyalty. Because of our hard work together over the last 3 and ½ years, I am pleased to announce that I am running un-opposed. Because of this, and because the unfortunate reality is that it remains a difficult financial time for many people, I will not be actively seeking contributions from my supporters for the third straight year. Despite their being costs and bills to running a political operation separate and apart from my job as your D.A., I remain in a strong and solid financial position because of your past generosity. (more…)
Dear Friends,
I want to thank so many of you who were able to join us at our annual event this past Thursday at Anthony’s Pier 4. It was great to see so many friends and supporters.
Dear Friends,
After learning of the recent firings of 100 housekeepers at the Cambridge Regency Hyatt, we have decided to change the location of our annual event that was previously scheduled to be held at the Cambridge Hyatt on October 15. While we had already paid for and sent thousands of invitations prior to becoming aware of these firings, I believe the cost is worth it to stand with and show my support for the workers and their families.
Hi everyone,
We wanted to post a copy of an opinion piece written by Gerry that ran in today’s Boston Herald. In it, he discusses the importance of more forcefully dealing with dangerous repeat offenders in conjunction with any efforts to reform mandatory minimum drug sentences.
He urges the Legislature to pass Melissa’s Bill, a bill that we have filed with the family of Melissa Gosule and Representative Brad Hill. The bill would more effectively target repeat offenders by assuring truth in sentencing and closing significant loopholes against the most dangerous amongst us. He believes that Melissa’s Bill should be passed in conjunction with any efforts to reform mandatory minimum drug sentences to better protect the public, reduce recidivism and ensure greater fairness. (more…)
July 27, 2009
I am writing to ask for your help in passing important legislation that targets the most dangerous repeat offenders in our Commonwealth.
“Melissa’s Bill” was filed in memory of Melissa Gosule, a then-27-year-old teacher who was driving on Cape Cod in 1999. When her car broke down, she accepted a ride from a stranger who had offered to help. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to Melissa, the man who offered to help her was a repeat offender who had served less then two years in jail for a combined 27 criminal convictions. It was the last time that Melissa was ever seen alive, and she was found eight days later in a shallow grave. (more…)
April 27, 2009
Greetings,
I am going to put you at ease right from the start of this email – this is not a request for money.
In fact, I am writing to inform you that I do not intend to solicit contributions to my campaign this year from people like you who have always been there when I needed you. Because building a political operation is an ongoing battle, I won’t be shy about asking when I need your help again, but now is just not that time given how financially strapped many people are. (more…)
April 7, 2009
The issue of teen dating violence has long been an underappreciated and underreported aspect of our young people’s lives. The recent incident in which pop star Chris Brown was charged with assaulting his girlfriend, Rihanna, has placed a new spotlight on this troubling dynamic. (more…)
March 23, 2009
Times certainly have changed. And, for parents, nothing symbolizes that change more than the explosion of technology in our children’s everyday lives. There have been a number of recent cases that have clearly demonstrated the ever-evolving challenges in protecting our children in the Internet Age.
Our office has adopted a comprehensive approach to addressing these challenges and helping parents protect their children. Let me share with you some of those initiatives. (more…)
District Attorney Leone was in Townsend last week to participate in the Dunstable/Townsend/Ayer Community Based Justice Program (CBJ). The CBJ program is a school-based program run by the DA’s office. Its purpose is to keep all kids safe by identifying at-risk students and providing them with positive alternatives to violence. The CBJ program that he attended last week serves students in Townsend, Ashby, Pepperell, Groton, and Dunstable.
To read a Sentinel and Enterprise article on his visit, please click here.
We just wanted to update you and let you know that Gerry was in Waltham on Tuesday to address the Waltham/Newton Domestic Violence Roundtable.
Yesterday’s forum was focused on the impact of domestic violence on gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender citizens. In his remarks, Gerry discussed the unique barriers against disclosure for victims as well as strategies for law enforcement to better respond to those instances of domestic violence. According to Jane Doe, Inc., one in four GLBT individuals are battered by a partner at some point in their life. That number is consistent with the one in four heterosexual women who experience domestic violence in their lifetimes.
Gerry was also pleased to be joined by Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy at the forum.
To read an Daily News Tribune article on the event, please click here.
District Attorney Leone will be in Hopkinton tomorrow, January 27, to host an Internet Safety Forum for parents. Specifically, the forum is focused on providing parents with strategies to help protect their children online. If you are interested in attending the forum, it will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, January 27, at the Hopkins School, 104 Hayden Rowe Street, Hopkinton. The forum will run from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Hope you can attend.
Thank you.
Today’s Boston Globe ran a profile on Gerry and his work as Middlesex District Attorney. It not only discusses his leadership as his office prosecutes critically important cases, but also many of the innovative crime prevention programs that he has implemented as District Attorney.
Enjoy your weekend. The article is below. (more…)
May 2, 2008
I hope you are enjoying the nicer weather we’ve been having.
We’ve had a busy month here in the DA’s office. I thought we’d update you on some of the things we’ve been doing here as well as let you know about some upcoming events. (more…)
March 6, 2008
Over the past month, we have been working on a number of initiatives that we believe will help better protect all of our children.
I wanted to update you on a few of these efforts. (more…)
January 7, 2008
I hope you had a fun and restful holiday season. (I know two young kids in the Leone household who had a “successful” holiday when they picked up Leo Leone, our new Golden Retriever puppy, and then found the new Wii game that Santa had left for them under the tree!) (more…)
