In Massachusetts, it is rare for police to be prosecuted for killing civilians. Most victims families are not even given a day in court.  The prosecutors have not tried any case or pressed criminal charges against police officers, even when the facts are in question among the community.  ​​The​ ​State​ ​of​ ​Massachusetts​ ​in​ ​the​ ​last​ ​18 ​years alone​ ​had​ ​over​ ​60 ​officer​- ​involved​ ​shootings resulting​ ​in​ ​death​ ​and​ ​did​ ​not​ ​yield​ ​one​ ​single​ ​indictment​ ​of​ ​police​ ​defendants.

Until now, the grief of victims families has been suffered in isolation with no justice in sight as the police investigate themselves and answer to no one.  ​The​ ​relationship​ ​of​ ​the​ ​District​ ​Attorney​ ​to​ ​the​ ​local​ ​police​ ​forces​ ​in​ ​their​ ​respective​ ​jurisdiction has​ ​represented​ ​a​ ​problematic​ ​conflict​ ​of​ ​interest​ ​when​ ​investigating​ ​officer-involved​ ​shootings.  The municipalities have proceeded this way ‘business as usual’.  

Now the despair of the families has been shared by the community as their stories are being told more and more.  Innocent people have been killed in Massachusetts despite lack of media attention. ​Families​ ​have​ ​cited​ ​bias​ ​and​ ​discrepancies​ ​in​ ​the​ ​investigations​ ​of​ ​officer​ -​involved​ ​shootings, such​ ​as​ in ​the cases of Terrence​ ​Coleman,​ ​Usaamah​ ​Rahim,​ ​​ ​Burrell​ ​Ramsey-White,​​ Ross Batista, ​Denis​ ​Reynoso,​ ​and numerous​ ​other​s.

We, the people demand that the local and state prosecutors do their job as elected and RE OPEN THE CASES to bring justice for the lives that have been stolen with impunity.