H1872 — An Act to improve transparency in alleged police misconduct

Summary

An Act to improve transparency in alleged police misconduct

Bill Text

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This bill substantially rewrites the procedures and authorities related to inquests following certain deaths, establishing new criteria and participants for inquest requests.

• Section 8 of Chapter 38

  Section 8. → Section 8. The chief medical examiner or his designee may request the attorney general or the district attorney to direct that an inquest be held. The attorney general or district attorney may, regardless of whether or not action has been taken by the office of the chief medical examiner, require an inquest to be held in case of any death. The district court which has jurisdiction over the matter shall thereupon hold an inquest. The attorney general, district attorney, police chief, executive of a city, or select board of a town may request an inquest, which is to be conducted by the attorney general or the district attorney, to be held in any case in which there is reasonable suspicion that a law enforcement officer, within their respective jurisdiction, while acting within the scope as a law enforcement officer, engaged in conduct which violated any laws or regulations of the of the United States of America, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or the city or town, and result of such violation, caused serious bodily injury to another, as defined under chapter two hundred and sixty-five. The district court which has jurisdiction over the matter shall thereupon hold an inquest. The court shall give seasonable notice of the time and place of the inquest to the department of telecommunications and energy, in any case of death by accident upon a public conveyance regulated by said department, and to the registry of motor vehicles in any case of death in which any motor vehicle is involved. Such notice shall also be given to any parent, spouse, or other member of the deceased's immediate family or to the deceased's legal representative or legal guardian. Any person who has been identified by the attorney general, the district attorney, as the case may be, as the target of an investigation in connection with the death of the deceased or serious bodily injury of another, may be present during the holding of such inquest and be represented by counsel, and may request leave of the court to present or examine witnesses, and shall at the completion of the court's report of said inquest have the right to examine said report; provided, however, that no indictment shall be dismissed nor shall any evidence be suppressed for violation of the provisions of this paragraph. All other persons not required by law to attend may be excluded from the inquest; provided, however, the complainant, the parents, guardian or next of kin of the person whose death or serious bodily injury is the subject of the inquest shall be deemed to be interested persons who may be present during the holding of such inquest. The court may order, as it deems appropriate, that witnesses to be examined during the inquest be sequestered.

  This change replaces the existing text with a comprehensive framework for inquests, expanding the list of individuals who can request an inquest and detailing the circumstances under which it must be held.

Sponsors

• Christopher M. Markey · Primary

Subjects