Posted on 02/22/2010 11:43:47 AM PST by outpostinmass2
QUINCY — U.S. Rep. William Delahunt, the former district attorney whose office investigated the fatal 1986 shooting of Seth Bishop by his sister Amy, said Monday he does not feel his office “bears any responsibility” for Bishop being freed without charges.
In a telephone interview with the Patriot Ledger, the Quincy Democrat said State Police Trooper Brian Howe correctly concluded that Amy Bishop shot and killed her 18-year-old brother, Seth, by accident. But Delahunt said he has “very serious concerns” that Braintree police never alerted Howe or his prosecutors that, after the shooting, Amy Bishop fled with a loaded shotgun and allegedly tried to steal a getaway car from two men at gunpoint. He also raised concerns that Howe and the district attorney’s office were not told that Bishop was arrested after a brief armed standoff with police.
“We never had that information,” said Delahunt, who was Norfolk County district attorney at the time.
Because the shooting was ruled an accident, Delahunt said, the case was never brought to his attention.
That said, Delahunt called it “inexplicable” that Braintree police did not charge Bishop for assault with a dangerous weapon or other lesser charges.
“There clearly was an opportunity missed for a psychiatric evaluation,” Delahunt said.
Had Braintree police charged the 21-year-old on lesser charges, an evaluation could have been sought in the district court, he said.
The aftermath of the shooting is spelled out in Braintree police reports. Asked whether his investigators should have requested those documents as part of their own investigation, Delahunt said that “goes without saying.”
He said that current Norfolk County District Attorney William R. Keating, his successor who is now probing the handling of the 23-year-old investigation, should find out whether those details were purposely withheld from the district attorney’s office.
Alabama authorities charged Bishop this month in a stunning triple homicide. Police said the professor shot and killed three colleagues on the University of Alabama campus and wounded three others after being denied tenure.
Delahunt, who until this morning remained silent on the case, returned this weekend from a trip to Israel. He said he initially had no recollection of the case, but has since reviewed police reports from the investigation.
Took him long enough to respond- in fact, the whole case has kind of gone quiet... hmmmmm.
QUINCY — U.S. Rep. William Delahunt prepared these remarks on Amy Bishop – who shot and killed her brother in Braintree in 1986, when Delahunt was the Norfolk County district attorney, and weeks ago allegedly killed three people in Alabama – and voiced them Monday, shortly before fielding questions from reporters.
“First, before we respond to any questions and express our concerns about this case – I think it’s important to review the roles and functions of the relevant agencies involved in this matter, as I think it is essential that the public understand the responsibilities tasked to the different law enforcement agencies.
“Let’s begin with the police. Local and state police investigate crimes. The police are responsible for processing the crime scene. Police collect evidence for forensic tests. Police initially interview witnesses.
“The police have the power to arrest. Or, if probable cause exists that an individual committed a crime, the police seek complaints in the relevant district courts.
“The police can also request that the district attorney present the evidence to a grand jury, for the purposes of seeking an indictment.
“Police departments have a ‘military-like’ chain of command. Local police act under the direction and authority of the police chief. In the case of the state police, a colonel is in command.
“Prosecutors – if warranted – take the evidence developed by the police, and present that evidence to a grand jury to secure an indictment. Or, if a criminal complaint is issued in the district court – at the request of the police – the prosecutor will try the case before a district court judge.
“It is also important to note that the vast majority of complaints in our courts are sought by the local police departments.
“So let’s be clear: District attorneys do not initially interview witnesses. They don’t process the crime scene. Nor do they collect the evidence for forensic tests. They do not seek criminal complaints in the district courts. They do not have the power to make arrests.
“However, in those cases of death, due to violence – whether by accident, suicide or homicide – the district attorney or his law enforcement representative shall direct, control and coordinate the investigation of that death with the office of the chief medical examiner and the police department in whose jurisdiction that death occurred.
“This is the law in Massachusetts. I know, because I authored it.
“And in Massachusetts, the state police detectives assigned to the individual district attorneys offices are his law enforcement representative, pursuant to this statute (with the exception of Suffolk County). It is also important to note, that it is the statutory responsibility of the medical examiner to establish the cause and manner of death.
“Now the death of Seth Bishop was initially investigated the Braintree police department, as evidenced by the numerous police department reports – including the ones that have been missing for the past 22 years – that all stated the death was accidental.
“Even public statements to the media, such as the report in the Boston Globe on December 8, 1986, where Chief John Polio stated ‘every indication at this point in time leads us to believe that it was an accidental shooting.’“
“This statement was made after the Braintree police had interviewed both Amy Bishop and her mother Judy Bishop on the date of the shooting.
“It is also critical to note that the medical examiner, Dr. William Ritter, filed a death certificate indicating that Seth Bishop had died from an ‘accidental discharge from a shotgun.’“
“The state police detective, Brian Howe, subsequently on December 17 – along with two Braintree detectives, Captain Buker and detective Mike Carey – interviewed the father, the mother and Amy Bishop. (They) concluded that the death was accidental and ‘no further investigation was warranted.’“
“The events that occurred subsequent to the shooting of Seth Bishop fell within the primary jurisdiction of the Braintree police department. It is the handling of that matter that gives rise to serious concerns and raises questions, which must be answered.”
Shot him three times with a pump shotgun...
Total accident....
actually it was once. The other two shots didn’t hit him.
Fired the gun 3 times. Shot him once.
This case was called accidental totally on the word of her mother who wasn’t in the room at the time, as I read the report.
I want to know more about the mother and her background and connections. More than what we’ve heard so far that she was on the town personnel board and that she kept an unwelcoming home.
She was on the league of woman voters and was active in town politics. To get someone off on murder charges you usually need more than that. Even Ted Kennedy had to appear in court for a day. Delahunt is as sleazy as they come, if Judith had some dirt on him it wouldn’t surprise me. I remember him dating a 19 year old back in 1996. Others on here have seen him with other young girls. Howie Carr has written about Delahunts jaunts to HedonsimII. Delahunt got divorced in 1986, the same year as this incident.
And here I thought it was the county prosecutor who made those decisions.
Eyes Innuhcent!
They never mentioned it to him.
And I don’t know when I’ve heard a bigger whopper, even from a gubmint official.
Oh well, his own view of his own culpability is clearly all that is needed here (sarcasm).
So Delahunt is saying that the DA doesn't review any findings where accidental death is concerned, leaving that to his "representative"?
Yes, but what kind of person was/is she? SHe sounds like a strange woman. What kind of mother lies to coverup the murder of her son?
Other people have come forward to say what a talented and nice and shy boy he was. Nobody from that era has come forward to say anything nice about Amy.
Nobody has come forward to say anything nice about the parents either — just that their home was dark and foreboding. Certainly not a place where the kids gathered.
It took him long enough to come up with that answer which I think is BS!
The Globe is still in “lockdown” mode. They aren’t allowing any comments on this case. The Globe did slip-up over the weekend and allowed comments on an op-ed piece. Lots of Delahunt stooges commented surpisingly what Delahunt said today. No-one is buying it and people around here know what a sleaze Delahunt is.
The Globe most likely knows the link Judith Bishop has with Delahunt. That paper is the Massachusetts Democrat head-quarters.
Make him prove that the DA was not responsible.
some answers for you, especially the comment section.
You imply rationality on Judith's part. I think she may have been just as unhinged as Amy turned out to be.
No, Delahunt is saying that he didn’t receive all of the information on the case. He only looked at the State Police report and the medical examiner’s report.
No-one is buying this B.S. by the way. No-one interviewed Amy Bishop for eleven days? A gun homicide takes place and no-one talks to Amy while in custody? They let her go because her mother came down to get her? Even Ted Kennedy had to talk to the police after he killed a girl, that day.
Delahunt is one sleazy guy, I can only imagine what kind of dirt Judith Bishop had on him.
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