BOSTON (WHDH) - Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell on Monday tapped an outside attorney to lead an independent investigation into the death of state police recruit Enrique Delgado-Garcia.
Delgado-Garcia died on Sept. 13 after suffering a medical emergency during a state police defensive tactics training exercise in New Braintree.
Following Campbell’s announcement, attorney David Meier is set to examine what led to Delgado-Garcia’s death.
“Trooper Delgado-Garcia lost his life while training to protect and serve the Commonwealth, and I want to thank his family and the public for their patience as we sought to identify the most appropriate authority to investigate the facts surrounding his tragic death,” Campbell said in a statement. “…Mr. Meier has deep experience in death investigations and will ensure independence and integrity in this matter.”
Delgado-Garcia was part of the 90th Recruit Training Troop. A Worcester resident and a former victim and witness advocate in the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, he was slated to graduate on Oct. 9 at the DCU Center in Worcester.
As friends, family members, and former colleagues grieved Delgado-Garcia’s loss, Worcester County DA Joseph Early Jr. on Monday of last week announced his office would hand off its investigation due to the fact that Delgado-Garcia was a former employee in his office.
Early did not immediately say which agency or investigator would take the case, leaving open a question of who would see the matter to its conclusion. Exactly one week later, Campbell appeared to provide an answer with her pick of Meier.
“The investigation into Trooper Delgado-Garcia’s death will be undertaken professionally, thoroughly, and responsibly,” Meier said. “The Delgado-Garcia family, their community, and the public have been waiting patiently. It is now time to get to work.”
Currently a partner at the Boston-based law firm, Todd & Weld LLP, Meier helped oversee the investigation into misconduct at the Hinton State Drug Laboratory in 2012 and 2013, as detailed in Campbell’s announcement.
Earlier in his career, Meier oversaw all homicide cases within the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
Campbell said Meier will have complete authority to pick his own investigative and legal team in his new role investigating Delgado-Garcia’s death. Campbell said he will also have complete authority to “make his own independent decisions about the facts, the evidence, and the course of the investigation.”
Campbell said her office will give its full support to Meier and his team. Campbell will receive briefings throughout the investigation but will have no role in the team’s decision-making process.
Healey calls for more action as new state police colonel begins work
Officials administered Delgado-Garcia’s oath of office and pinned him with his trooper badge before he died.
While Delgado-Garcia received medical care, Early said investigators were already getting to work.
“We have a conflict as an office,” he said last week. “But right now, we can’t stop this investigation.”
Early was joined by Delgado-Garcia’s grieving family as he spoke. Asked if he believes anything criminal happened leading up to Delgado-Garcia’s death, he declined to speculate.
Former New Jersey Lt. Col. Geoffrey Noble is set to take over as the next colonel of the Massachusetts State Police next month as the agency navigates new scrutiny following a series of controversies.
In an announcement over the weekend, Interim Col. John Mawn announced he had suspended full-contact training while officials review the state police defensive tactics program.
Speaking on Monday, Gov. Maura Healey called on Noble to go a step further once he begins his job.
“One of the things I’m going to ask the new colonel to do when he begins is to undertake an independent review of all of the academy’s programs and trainings because my goal is to make sure that we have in place the very best in terms of training for the sake of all recruits,” Healey said.
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