BOSTON (WHDH) - Standing with district attorneys and police chiefs, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker introduced a bill Thursday he says would give judges more tools to hold a dangerous person accused of a crime.
It comes months after Yarmouth Police Sgt. Sean Gannon was allegedly shot and killed by a career criminal and months after Weymouth Police Sgt. Michael Chesna was allegedly shot and killed by a drug suspect out on bail.
“The judges are only as good as the information that’s in front of them,” Baker said. “There are a number of elements in this bill to ensure they have more information.”
The bill would change state law by giving judges the ability to consider a defendant’s entire criminal history instead of the charges before the court at the time.
Baker says he has been gathering information from district attorneys, law enforcement, and people in the court system on ways to improve the process.
“It would be the whole thing, but the most important element to this is it would be more than just the case for which that person is currently in front of the court,” Baker said.
Yarmouth Police Chief Frank Frederickson thanked Baker for the bill, calling it “a big deal” and asking, “With this current situation that we’re working under, was that fair to the Tarantino family? Was it fair to the Gannon family? Was it fair to the Chesna family?”
The bill creates a felony for those who cut off a court-ordered GPS ankle bracelet.
Because the legislature isn’t in formal session right now, there’s no telling when the bill will be taken up.
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