Deval Patrick nominates Springfield native Roderick Ireland to be chief justice of Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Deval Patrick nominates Springfield native Roderick Ireland to be chief justice of Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Published: Thursday, November 04, 2010, 10:03 AM    
 The Associated Press

 Justice Roderick L. Ireland embraces well-wishers after receiving the oath of office, becoming the first black Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 1997 at the State House in Boston. (AP Photo/ Victoria Arocho)

Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice Roderick Ireland through the years gallery (14 photos)
http://photos.masslive.com/4502/gallery/massachusetts_supreme_court_justice_roderick_ireland_through_the_years/index.html?fromentry=5237517&fromblog=865
GLEN JOHNSON, AP Political Writer

BOSTON (AP) — Deval Patrick, the first black governor of Massachusetts, is nominating Roderick L. Ireland to be the first black chief justice of the state's Supreme Judicial Court, two top Massachusetts Democrats said Thursday.
Ireland, currently the senior associate justice on the high court, would replace the retiring Chief Justice Margaret Marshall if he's confirmed by the Governor's Council. The Democrats confirmed Ireland's nomination on the condition of anonymity in advance of a Statehouse news conference with the governor.
The chief justice administers the seven-member court and oversees the Massachusetts trial and appellate court systems.
A principle power is the authority to decide which justice writes an opinion. Marshall reserved that for herself in 2003 when she authored the court's 4-3 decision to make Massachusetts the first state to legalize gay marriage.
In nominating Ireland, Patrick also gets a second appointment to the court. If he's confirmed, Patrick will get to pick Ireland's replacement as associate justice.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
The accomplishments of Roderick L. Ireland, who is among the judges said to be under review by Gov. Deval L. Patrick for appointment as chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court:
Education: Springfield Classical High School, 1962; Lincoln University, 1966; Columbia Law School, 1969; Harvard University Law School, 1975; Northeastern University, Ph.D. in Law, Policy and Society Program, 1997
Legal: Neighborhood Legal Services, New York City, 1969-70; Harvard Center for Law and Education, 1970-71; Roxbury Defenders Committee, Boston, 1971-73; Harvard Law School teaching fellow, 1974; Massachusetts Civil Service Commission hearing officer, 1973-75; Executive Office for Administration and Finance general counsel, 1975-77; Roxbury District Court Clinic legal counsel, 1974-77
Judiciary: Boston Juvenile Court, 1977-90; Massachusetts Appeals Court, 1990-1997; Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1997-present
Marshall announced her retirement in July, saying she wanted to spend more time with her ailing husband, former New York Times columnist Anthony Lewis. Patrick asked her to stay until after Tuesday's election to avoid politicizing his selection. The governor, a Democrat, ended up winning a second term.
Ireland was appointed to the court in 1997 after having previously served on the Massachusetts Appeals Court for seven years and the Boston Juvenile Court for almost 13 years.
He received his bachelors from Lincoln University, his juris doctorate from Columbia University Law School, a masters from Harvard Law School and a doctorate from Northeastern University.
All court nominees in Massachusetts have to be approved by the Governor's Council, a nine-member panel led by Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray.
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District Attorney: Cuts cost crime-fighting

District Attorney: Cuts cost crime-fighting

By Dave Wedge | Wednesday, September 29, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Local Coverage

Photo by Angela Rowlings

Suffolk District Attorney Daniel Conley said plummeting budgets have led to crippling crime-fighting cuts, including layoffs to community liaisons instrumental in helping prevent violence such as yesterday’s Mattapan slayings.
“Our challenge is to try and stay ahead of this stuff as best we can,” said Conley. “Year after year, this Legislature, this governor, has cut law enforcement budgets and prevention efforts. This has taken a successive toll on what’s going on in this city. As our resources shrink, we’re forced to scale back our efforts. I understand these are difficult times but these are core functions of government.”
An aide to Gov. Deval Patrick declined to comment but highlighted several anti-violence initiatives pushed by the governor, including advocating for tighter gun laws, funding summer job programs and providing grant money to community-based programs. Patrick also used $6 million in federal stimulus money to keep cops on the streets, the aide noted.
But Conley said his office, which has seen its budget slashed by nearly $1.5 million since 2009, has had to cut crucial outreach programs and is scrambling to keep up with increasing caseloads.
“There’s no denying that homicides and shootings are up this year,” Conley said. “It indicates there’s a cohort of intensely violent individuals. They are priority No. 1 - infiltrating these groups, identifying them and targeting them for prosecution.”
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1285101

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SJC rebukes DA for participating in witness reward program

SJC rebukes DA for participating in witness reward program

By Charis Anderson / The Standard-Times | Tuesday, September 28, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Local Coverage

NEW BEDFORD — The state Supreme Judicial Court on Monday upheld the murder conviction of reputed Monte Park gang member Wayne Miranda, but issued strong disapproval for the prosecution’s participation in a reward program that helped convict him.
Miranda was convicted in July 2008 of second-degree murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection with the 2005 shooting death of Christopher A. Barros.
The justices said they "expressly disapprove" of the prosecution’s involvement in the reward program sponsored by the New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce through which witnesses are paid for testimony that leads to a conviction, the ruling stated.
Two of the prosecution’s witnesses received payments through the program, according to the ruling.
The court ruled that, in the future, prosecutors may not provide, or participate in providing, conviction-contingent monetary awards to witnesses.
"The interests of justice ... are not well served when a witness’s reward is contingent on the conviction of a defendant rather than the provision of truthful information or testimony," the justices wrote in their ruling.
The chamber’s program offers witnesses a $3,000 reward if they provide information that leads to a defendant’s indictment and another $2,000 if the information results in a conviction.
Payment of the rewards is conditioned on the chamber receiving a verification letter from the District Attorney’s Office stating that a given witness had provided information that led to an indictment, conviction or both.
To read the rest of this story, go to www.southcoasttoday.com
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1284875

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