By Milton J. Valencia
Boston Globe
PLYMOUTH, Mass. — Saying more criminals have become so brazen they will shoot at police officers, Plymouth’s district attorney and state representative joined forces yesterday to introduce legislation that would establish a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison for anyone who fires a weapon at an officer in the line of duty.
State legislators and local police chiefs from throughout Southeastern Massachusetts supported the move by Plymouth District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz, who partnered with state Representative Vinny deMacedo, a Republican from Plymouth, in drafting the legislation.
“Police have a very difficult job now more than ever, and we need to protect them more so they can protect us,” Cruz said.
The proposal has the support of other legislators and district attorneys throughout Massachusetts, Cruz said.
“A lot of these criminals don’t care,” he added, “and we can’t allow people to have guns and point them at police officers so they can get away.”
DeMacedo said more than two dozen legislators have already signed on as sponsors of the bill, and he foresees more support.
“We have police to protect us, and we need to give them as many tools as possible to show they’re being as pro tected as can be,” he said.
The measure comes after Brockton police felt “insulted” by what they called lenient sentences for two Boston men who led officers on a high-speed chase from Brockton into Quincy last year after shooting a woman in the foot. One of the men then fired at officers from the front passenger seat of the car while the driver fled.
The car ended up crashing, but even after the arrest the men started to joke in their native Cape Verdean Creole - not knowing that officers also spoke the language - about how they led police on a massive chase and even fired at them, Brockton Police Chief William Conlon said yesterday.
“There was no remorse on their part,” he added.
Cruz’s office had recommended a sentence of more than 20 years on all counts for the driver and the man who fired the shots. But in a plea arrangement, Superior Court Judge Carol S. Ball sentenced the shooter, later identified as Antonio DaPina, to four to five years in prison. The driver, Salamao Teixeira, 31, was sentenced to two to three years.
Conlon said that the law would give judges no discretion in such cases.
“We need judges to take this seriously,” the chief said. “We’re the last line between a civilized society and lawlessness, and if courts don’t seek to protect those who protect others, chaos will result.”
Joan Kenney, a spokeswoman for the state Superior Court system, said yesterday that Ball was not available for comment, but that the judge was required to follow sentencing guidelines. There currently is no mandatory minimum sentence for firing on a police officer.
Conlon said about 80 police officers had attended the sentencing hearing in January and were dismayed by the judge’s decision.
In an incident in January, a man is accused of firing at police officers during a chase after he had killed two people in Brockton. That incident followed one in November where a man being arrested on drug charges fired at an officer. The gun misfired and the man, John Earl Parks, 25, attempted to shoot again, police said. He was eventually shot and killed by officers. A review by Cruz’s office cleared the officers of any wrongdoing.
Conlon said yesterday that the proposed law is a way to support police who are working under the strain of cuts in jobs and units, while criminals are growing more brazen.
“The thin blue line is only going to become thinner in the economic crisis we find ourselves in, and we can’t afford to have any of our officers at any time used as target practice,” the chief said.