Suffolk DA Rips Judge After Straight Pride Parade Arrests

BOSTON — Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins accused a judge of "overstepping ... his role" after he denied several of her office's requests for leniency for protesters arrested at this weekend's Straight Pride parade in Boston. Rollins, whose effort to reform criminal justice by refusing to prosecute many low-level crimes has stirred controversy, accused Boston Municipal Court Judge Richard Sinnott of punishing free speech.

"The judge punished the exercise of individuals' First Amendment right to protest," Rollins said in a statement Tuesday.

Rollins' office said it moved to dismiss charges against seven people before they were arraigned — subject to the individuals completing community service. The people were arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and in some cases resisting arrest. Sinnott denied each motion to dismiss.

Prosecutors also moved to drop three cases in which they said police reports did not show probable cause to bring charges. Sinnott accepted such filings in two cases and set bail in the third.

Prosecutors did move to arraign seven people accused of assault and battery on a police officer, carrying a dangerous weapon, and accosting. The seven will return to court over the next three months.

The Boston Globe reported the two people Sinnott dropped charges against of the 16 he saw Tuesday were a 63-year-old Vermont woman charged with disorderly conduct and a 21-year-old Worcester man accused of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Five people were held on bail between $100 to $750, while a Stoneham man was held without bail because he faces charges in other cases, The Globe reported. Nine people were released without bail.

"Make no mistake: some people were appropriately arraigned and will be held accountable for actions that put the safety of the public and law enforcement at risk," Rollins said. "For those people now tangled in the criminal justice system for exercising their right to free speech — many of whom had no prior criminal record — I will use the legal process to remedy the judge’s overstepping of his role."

About three dozen people were arrested at Saturday's parade. Fewer than 300 marchers took part and there were about double the amount of protesters. Four police officers were injured.