‘NO-PROSECUTE’ OFFENSES
Top prosecutor vows thawing of cold cases
The incoming Suffolk District Attorney is pledging to revamp the cold case squad — pumping more resources into the unit — in an attempt to reduce the backlog of unsolved homicides in the city.
Newly elected DA Rachael Rollins outlined her plan with community activist Mary Franklin yesterday on a special Boston Herald Radio presentation.
Franklin, founder of Women Survivors of Homicide Movement, hosted the segment devoted to issues relating to justice — with a focus on cold cases and post traumatic stress suffered by families affected by violence in the city.
Rollins said there are nearly 1,000 unsolved homicides in Boston, and only one staffer in the DA’s office to work on them.
“That unit is not fully funded, number one, and it doesn’t have several (assistant district attorneys) who’s exclusive role is looking at cold cases,” Rollins said.
She told Franklin — whose husband, Melvin, was killed in 1996 while reportedly trying to break up a street robbery — that the survivor community can help. Melvin Franklin’s killer has never been found.
“We need to be more inclusive of these communities we need to hear what they have to say,” Rollins said. “It isn’t smart to only speak to prosecutors, without involving public defenders, the judiciary, probation and then obviously involving the people who are touched by the system.
“We have to educate the community of survivors to keep you active and say this is what we are proposing but before we do it are we missing something?” Rollins told Franklin. “Is there a glaring, gaping hole that we’re not focusing on for you to say what else can we do to help?”
Rollins said the access to the community is just as critical as funding the unit.
“Before we implement changes in a cold case unit, I think it would be foolish for us to do so without involving the survivors in the community because as we have the expertise with prosecution, there is so much more that goes into that,” the incoming DA added.
“We need to mend relationships with communities in general that might have information about these unsolved homicides,” Rollins said, adding the people who are closest to the problem often have the solution.
Franklin suggested a group made up of family members of victims could meet with the DA’s office regularly to talk about issues surrounding unsolved homicides — including witness protection.
Franklin added it “would really give families the voice in that office.”