Alison Bosma |The Milford Daily News MILFORD — A Worcester law firm sent out a letter Tuesday defending Milford Police Chief Michael Pighetti, after selectmen placed him on paid leave last week. “I want the community to hear directly from me on these issues,” the letter, marked from Pighetti himself, read, “so that the record can be set straight and the facts can be known, including community
From Jim Russell | Special to The Republican November 9, 2020 GRANBY – An arbitrator on Wednesday determined the Selectboard lacked justification to suspend, without pay, the town’s former fire chief, John Mitchell, while he was still an employee earlier this year. The Selectboard’s office has not responded to a request for comment. “The Town is hereby ordered to immediately rescind the suspension, remove all
From masslawyersweekly.com By: Pat Murphy October 22, 2020 Lawyers who defend police accused of misconduct are alert to the potential impact that the death of George Floyd and other alleged cases of officers using excessive force against minorities could have on their own clients’ cases. “You are always concerned about the public climate and how it affects any case,” says Leonard H. Kesten, a Boston litigator who
In a case of first impression in Massachusetts, RJA attorney Andy Gambaccini recently was successful in establishing important precedent concerning the ability of a law enforcement officer to use force in order to prevent the destruction of evidence. Deptula v. City of Worcester is a federal civil rights case in which narcotics officers with the Worcester Police Department sought to execute a search warrant on
Dalton police chief’s exit package worth $141K By: Larry Parnass | The Berkshire Eagle DALTON — The cost of resolving a dispute with its former police chief cost Dalton $141,339. And 60 cents. The amount represents the time left on Chief Jeffrey E. Coe’s contract, which ran to June 30, 2021, as well as nearly $30,000 in accrued vacation and unused sick time and a
Dalton Chief Jeffrey E. Coe takes settlement, bows out amid review of conduct By: Larry Parnass | The Berkshire Eagle DALTON — Dalton’s police chief is out but will pocket what his attorney characterizes as a sizable severance payment, after town officials conceded they did not have grounds to carry through with a disciplinary action. Chief Jeffrey E. Coe and the town’s Select Board reached
Granby fire chief suspended over reckless behavior, online comments By: MICHAEL CONNORS | Daily Hampshire Gazette GRANBY — Fire Chief John Mitchell, who has been suspended without pay for the month of June due to accusations of speeding and recklessness while driving town cars, will continue his suspension into July after coming under fire for questionable Facebook comments. Mitchell was placed on unpaid leave after
In a February 13, 2020 decision from the Massachusetts Civil Service Commission, RJA Attorney Andrew Gambaccini obtained a favorable decision in which a terminated Chicopee police officer will be returned to work. Fired over sharing photos of murder victim Amanda Plasse, Chicopee police officer wins back job By: Jeanette DeForge | Mass Live CHICOPEE — A former police sergeant who lied about his role in
RJA Attorney Andrew Gambaccini recently secured an arbitrator’s reversal of a three day suspension that was imposed upon a New Bedford police officer based upon an allegation that the officer improperly failed to document the disposal of an arrestee’s property. By way of background, the officer had arrested an individual for various offenses, including the possession of a knife of illegal length. After the arrest,
The Massachusetts State Police secured a search warrant for an apartment in Worcester; that warrant was based upon information received from a confidential informant that dangerous individuals had been observed in the residence and that firearms also were present in the apartment. The combination of dangerous individuals with access to firearms made the warrant a high risk endeavor, so the State Police contacted the Worcester
