The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office has announced a grand jury investigation into a case after a Boston Globe report raised questions about the office's handling of it.
The case centers on an April 2021 incident involving an off-duty MBTA Transit Police officer who allegedly got into an altercation with another driver. According to the Globe, the officer is accused of pulling a gun.
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Then-District Attorney Rachael Rollins launched an investigation, but the Globe reported that it stalled under her successor, Kevin Hayden.
Earlier this week, Hayden responded to the Globe report with a statement, saying the investigation was ongoing and calling the controversy "political theatrics."
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On Wednesday, Hayden announced that the case would be reviewed by a grand jury, adding that this was part of the timeline and not prompted by any media reports.
"There have been reports of discussions regarding this investigation between members of my office and people outside my office. Those reports may have led to the perception that this investigation was not moving forward. Nothing could be further from the truth. This case has remained open and active because I never had any intention of closing it, or made any decision to close it,” Hayden said in a statement Wednesday.
“I would not jeopardize my integrity, or the integrity of this office, by agreeing in any way to end an investigation because of campaign donations, as has been suggested. Nor would I jeopardize my integrity, or the office’s integrity, by not pursuing charges because the suspect is a police officer," he added.
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Hayden, who was appointed as district attorney by Gov. Charlie Baker when Rollins stepped down, is running for another term and will appear on the ballot in the Sept. 6 Democratic primary.
