O'Connnell Booking photo by Nancy Lane. Stay tuned for today's show, stream it online at TOUCH 106.1 FM.Issue #1: Negligent repair of City Fire truck caused Mission Hill crash and death of 30-year veteran, Lieutenant Kevin Kelly. The Contractor improperly repaired the brakes with improper parts and the untrained firefighters adjusted them. A fire truck weighs no less than 26,000 lbs. and 56,000 lbs loaded. Completely. Insane.
Issue #2: Revere teen sentenced for accessory after the fact in Daniel Talbot's apparent murder, and Sergeant Ervin Franklin (who has a history of running from police even as a cadet) was eventually fired for fleeing the scene, diverting police resources away from the scene and lying when he had a cruiser take him home, telling the driver "Yah, everything is OK...." But the issue is bloodwork and criminal charges against the LE who were drinking, after hours, at a school building. Were they tested for illegal drug use? There is no record of any discipline being meted out to them.
Issue #3: The shooting in Quincy involving firefighter Joseph Fasano -- who had cocaine in his car and Ronald O'Connell, the son of the Marina Bay developer. But the issue is again bloodwork and criminal charges against Fasano. Was he tested for illegal drug use? He does have a violent history and was on 14-month probation and was forced to attend AA meetings. We can't have people out there blowing cocaine and driving cars around, much less fighting fires you know.
Lastly, on a related note I interviewed a first responder for half an hour some time ago regarding the tragic fire that killed Firefighters Payne and Cahill. I don't believe that cocaine or alcohol was a proximate cause of their deaths but the State argued that it was, in order to prevent paying full benefit. Here's a post from my personal blog back on 26 February 2008 that addresses the Revere and Tai Ho fire situations and the use of toxicology information, and here's a quote from District Attorney Conley in the Revere case who said "we'll deal with the administrative stuff later....." Query, does he mean "administrative" or "criminal?"
Related link: Local 718's firefightthesmears blog and Chris King's "9/11 and the Negative Space."
More about the Talbot/Ervin situation:
ReplyDeleteWhen the shots rang out that killed Talbot, he ran from the scene, flagged an on-duty Revere cop to drive him home and never reported the incident. When asked about his presence at the scene and what went down by State Police investigators, he lied. Makes one think, What does Sergeant Franklin have to hide?
But that's not all, let's go for the bonus round:
Franklin and a friend (Todd Randall) were involved in a two-car accident on Route 1 in August of 1995 and fled the scene on foot. Read the last paragraph. The two men were soon to graduate from the police academy, but resigned from the force following the incident. Franklin was re-hired after going through the police academy again in May 1997. Unbelievable.
And here's the DA speaking on it:
ReplyDelete"We have developed no credible evidene that Officer Talbot or any other member of his group was engaged in any illicit activity at all beyond the minor infraction of drinking in public," (DA) Conley said, and added "And we'll deal with the administrative stuff later on."
*******
Query, did you draw blood or not? That's a yes or no question, so we will be asking that. And did you punish them AT ALL for the "minor infraction" that often leads to ordinary people being ARRESTED?
Inquiring minds want to know.
And here's a bit about Joseph Fasano's 14 month probation from the Patriot Ledger.
ReplyDelete"Fasano was on probation for 14 months and ordered to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings until May 2008 following a fight he had with his former girlfriend at his Weymouth apartment in March 2007. Police reported that Fasano flashed his firefighter's badge and later threatened to kill one of the officers who arrived to break up the fight. He was sentenced to probation for domestic assault and battery, threatening to commit a crime and disorderly conduct."
Newsflash:
ReplyDeleteThe Patriot Ledger confirms that it's okay to have a little recreational cocaine if you're the white son of a firefighter and a jake:
"Police confirmed Wednesday that a small amount of cocaine "consistent with personal use" was found inside the Jeep that Fasano was driving Saturday night. No charges have been filed in connection with the drugs."