Bruce Tarr on Crime Bill

But yesterday I don't know how many -- you heard last -- On the thirteen year anniversary of his daughter Melissa's -- inner. -- console -- on he. His voice was shaking. What's frustration and rage at one point during our interview and you can find it on my FaceBook page Mitchell with one L and TP HEE. His voice shaking with rage and he started to Tierra. Because. In 2000. Months after his daughter was buried his 27 year old daughter with a teacher and some it was very loving gave back. A great deal to the community she was somebody who packed into the stream of -- fragment -- From the community issue than -- -- crap she was somebody who actually did a lot of people and she was raped and murdered. By your career criminal who had 27. Can convictions. Convictions. Tweeted and conviction which means he probably had a 127 arrests and that's how it works in Massachusetts. And -- mine and he talked about how in 2000 sat down with then governor Paul Cellucci. And he said it lawmakers at that time hugged him in reassured him. And sympathize with him less common sense we're gonna pass legislation to make sure that guy it's like I daughter's killer -- out of jail again. That was twelve years ago. And since then there have been countless people murdered. I can think of right now there was a police officer named Tommy rose who shot to death but his own gun at a precinct right here in Boston. Tommy -- -- -- guy who it -- murdered a woman and a robbery in Dorchester. Massachusetts he served a lousy two areas that murder of this young mom in Dorchester. Get so gets locked up again but of course any grab Tommy roses gun. And shot him dead in the middle of that police station. I believe it was. Right in the south and and guess what. Now up as he killed the young mom in a robbery gone wrong he killed a police officer and that -- got -- -- again. Only to get locked up in Providence, Rhode Island. Where he had been ripping flat screen TVs out of a Veterans Hospital. And any -- his vehicle at police officers in an attempt to kill it again. The real stories. Jack McGuire should be enjoying his time right now but instead he was shot and killed. -- somebody who has both be serving three life sentences super star you know all too familiar senator. With these terrible story that I just recount for everybody. And we are. Tomorrow. A week from tomorrow the crying bill has to be on Deval Patrick's desk. To make it a lot this year how we look and senator Bruce -- and I know that you have been huge advocate. Let's got to give a lot of props just today what's going on. Well let's -- also has been one of the most inspiring figures to be on Beacon Hill in recent memory in terms of his courage in telling the story of his daughter's death. Over and over and over again and -- also I would do reciprocate. And say that he's been a driving force here. And I think it's actually not an option that we don't put this bill on the governor's desk and we don't -- would as soon as possible. I think I remain optimistic that we are gonna do that there are a couple of issues remaining in the conference committee. There are a lot of issues that are being discussed in this context that don't really focus on the main essence of the bill which is that three time. Violent felons. Do not receive parole eligibility for the third felony and a lot of folks have tried to distort them -- a lot of critics of the bill and critics of the process. Would have you believe that this is a trap for the unwary and we're gonna have people who just make a mistake wind up in jail for the rest of their lives none of that is true. And what lifted a really good job of reminding us yesterday as we stood in the garden -- Whether or memorial to over 600 folks -- -- converted in the commonwealth. Was to remind us that what we're talking about is very simple and very necessary. That if you commit three violent felonies on the third felony conviction you won't be eligible for parole that's fit. And I think that is very good chance they'll move to the governor's desk very shortly. Perturbed by that language that forced to use senator optimistic. We're hoping I mean -- no brainer you know I think this poor woman in Brockton. Who was recently raped by a guy who had stabbed his first wife to death. Why -- federal parole for that homicide he raped a little girl on fox borrow over and over and over again. Any disturbed a lousy fifteen years so that horrific crime he got out and grabbed a stranger. And that he beat this woman so severely with a hair brush. I mean think how violent that attack had to be. He broke her facial bones and hair brush and raped her I think that woman feels about the words optimistic media will do at this time. Words that -- -- heard since 2000. The twelve almost thirteen years he has been promised by the Massachusetts legislature that's something would be done to prevent these sort of horrific stories from happening and yet once again. Where -- is a wave six business days away from having real legislation make it to Deval Patrick's desk. In -- lawmakers to how could anyone in the world be opposed to what we're talking about. Well -- you know Michelle I wish I could use words like guaranteed and this is definitely gonna happen but it's alleges that a process and can't do that because it would be irresponsible. So the best I can do was to tell you that I'm optimistic and ultimately that I am committed as are many other legislators to getting this done. And let me take a step back and remind everyone that these -- bills that were passed in the senate. By a vote of 36 to nothing. And the house by a 142. To twelve. So we need to get this done it's a moral imperative that the public safety imperative. But unfortunately there are a number of issues against the rounding. The core of the bill that are being discussed like what should we do with -- minimum sentences minimum mandatory sentences for so called nonviolent drug offenders. Why aren't even in legislation why can't we just separate out the crime bill. And make one simple process where if you are rapists who will already killed one like art acts. -- a little girl. And then went on to rape somebody else you'd never get out of jail again if -- popular you never get out of jail again anyway this is common sense why can't we just have a single piece of legislation. That's not. -- 200 pages crammed full of other people's agendas. Just have one thing Melissa's bill that represents. One segment of the population the violent -- Because we're dealing with a legislative process and folks saw that this is the only crime bill that was gonna move this year it clearly has been the only crime bill that's moved. And as a result of that they've tried to add different elements to the bill will light. Things like wiretapping and something you and I would agree on that they should be more ability to wiretap in the commonwealth. We just heard folks talking about that in relation to the high profile drug bust that occurred. Yes we agree that there should be greater wiretapping it doesn't mean that it necessarily has to be part of this bill would we like it to be yes but should it hold up the bill. The answer is no. And that's what the conferees are working on right now to say what absolutely has to be in this bill. And it is the political process that we need to make sure that the bill can garner support. As it did in the past when it comes out of conference committee and that they can get to the governor's desk and by the way Michelle. I'm hoping and I believe and I would implored the governor to sign the bill. We -- has to get to his desk early so that it can withstand a V don't we can override the veto. But I would hope that the governor of the commonwealth who have expressed an interest in this kind of legislation would sign it when it lands on his desk and we won't have to worry about that time element. You know it's he absolutely in theory yesterday the house the house -- epidemic honeymoon that's -- in the house. But they overrode every one of his vetoes which means -- state hospital will remain open. Which means an illegal copy of the register car. It which means that you won't be able to get tramp stamp on the taxpayer. Well you know it's interesting the governor of the commonwealth has an extraordinary power in the formidable line item veto and when that power comes responsibility. And you have to -- with things you want a veto carefully and unfortunately. I don't think he did that in this case I don't think he looked at this situation where both the house and the senate overwhelmingly. Passed reforms to EDT and welfare to say that you can't buy tattoos with welfare benefits in the city can -- it. Bloody piercings of welfare benefits and he chose to use that extraordinary power that he has been extraordinary opportunity. To keep us on course to Vito those common sense reforms that's what the house was overwhelming it overriding and by the way. And a narrative is senate stand because we need a cent over as well. We're gonna take those things up in all likelihood this afternoon and I think you're gonna see is similar result because. This wasn't an issue that divided view of the house or the senate along party lines. These were issues that it went makes sense and by the way. You know as part of a veto message the government used the verbiage grandstanding. Well I don't think that we were grandstanding when we enacted some very common sense reforms I think you might argue. They're picking out some of them for a high profile beetle might fit that category but certainly not with the legislature did. -- he's infuriating actually infuriating while I promise Bruce starts in less console. That if this legislation doesn't make it to the balls desk by Friday a week from tomorrow excuse me next Friday. I stand with him at the Statehouse. And make some noise -- I hope that there are a lot of people out there listening because Bruce Starr has been a steadfast supporter of this legislation. It was it was. Also supported by the it's by then state senator Scott Brown -- Jim Dwyer you have a bipartisan collection of people who was saying this is common sense we need to protect people. And I hope they did the rest of the moon bats following line. Well you know this isn't an issue that's been fought for number -- by a lot of people wanted to and that -- sometimes isn't recognized enough to state representative Brad heal from it switched. Who filed the original version of Melissa's bill twelve almost thirteen years ago now. And there are a lot of people but it isn't again a partisan issue. This -- Republican caucus has been proud to lead the fight on some of these things and to put together a lot of language that is in the bill. But it is not something that is solely the province of one party or the other and this is something where we would say. As my friend and your reference manager -- It's dead at the outset of this discussion. Public safety is the most important responsibility of state government that we can't keep people safe. And very little else is going to matter in the long run and this is public safety and we need to get it done. We'll check card gets -- you know why because they're old ladies in his neighborhood that are getting killed by junkies. Junkies that have been arrested a hundred times. Well and that's part of the problem and again I hate to come back to this but I feel like -- need to because as some of the misrepresentations. That have been made about the bill that's before us. The bill that's before us will not be a trap for the unwary it won't say that. Because you made a mistake in life and because you what they stole something or committed some other crime that you gonna go to jail for life and in fact. The only people that -- stay in jail for life under our bill other folks that have more than one life sentence. And that's what happened with Dominic and only the individual who killed officer Jack McGuire he was serving I believe three light sentences and was parole. So in that case we would say you are in eligible for parole you're serving multiple life sentences and that those sentences need to something. They can't be just in it operated judged only to be altered by the Parole Board several months -- several years later so in that case yes but -- other cases what we're saying is read. Violent felonies and if you want to was Michelle -- entity you can read it on the air I've been posting it on a number of the blogs in the web sites. I'm gonna post a blog and and senator -- gonna I wanna ask you quick other question please go to a break in we have representative Dan Winslow who's also -- to join us did you hear this. Does the latest abomination. That are ready the public housing development sent letters to its tenants saying that there is that -- offended by the American flag. They have been. Flooded with complaints about displayed American flags and now and rent them public housing digital eleven on us living on us. In because they're offended by the American flag that provides them and everything that they have. They are asking people not to display the American flag and in their income housing authority have to put this nonsense and writing. We -- you know first of all it's important understand that only one person complained and and from what I seen we don't even know -- detonated a person but the identity that we do know. Is of the 82 year old that put up the flag whose brother was involved in the and I would suggest you -- that it's a pretty sad day. Which in this state in the place where the American revolution started so people could have expression. And freedom of expression. That we would limit the display the American flag I personally think. That any kind of ruling to that effect is unconstitutional because it on necessarily. In impermissibly restricts freedom of speech. And I think that it would be struck down a bit of a -- to the courts but beyond that. As a moral issue I don't think we should never tell anyone that the symbol the greatest nation that this world that this is -- known. And the symbol of that nation and freedom and liberty and democracy should be restricted from display in any way shape or form. But they can -- -- are tired all of you you heard Bruce you heard that's console. I urge all of you calling us state -- calling a state senator and save this crime bill -- to get to the governor's desk. If he vetoes it. Well they'll be upheaval I think in my decent upheaval on the John -- we ran succeed -- New York 100 come back. The state representative who represents. Those constituents and rent them who told the American flag is offensive on the stomach feet.