Mark: If I Was a Juror

MARK: IF I WAS A JUROR

By Mark Snyder for

I was there through much of the testimony, heard nearly all of the witnesses on both sides, weighed the facts in the case, considered the credibility of witnesses for the prosecution and the defense, and can only come to one conclusion: INNOCENT ON ALL COUNTSof Criminal Wrongdoing.

Knowing what I know about the case, it disturbs me even more that it was ever brought to trial by District Attorney William Keating. His appointment of Special Prosecutor George Jabour, and a few other special prosecutors along the way, along with all the ancillary support, has cost the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. Not only that, Stoughton taxpayers have spent an enormous amount of money in costs to replace the three officers out on leave, and to have officers—and town officials—testifying before the Grand Jury and the Superior court trial.

This wouldn’t bother me if Stoughton Police Chief Manny Cachopa (whose trial is scheduled next month) hadn’t already submitted the same materials presented here to the District Attorney AND the Attorney General’s office YEARS AGO, and they found no criminal actions to prosecute. This is well documented and known to the prosecution.

So, Town Manager Mark Stankiewicz and Acting Police Chief David Chamberlin bring these SAME materials---in the middle of a political battle in town—to the D.A. and Keating appoints the special prosecutor. Keating told me at the time, “I had really no choice. When a town manager AND a police chief request an investigation, I need to authorize it.”

Jabour’s star witness Timothy Hills, who has twooutstanding warrants in the Dallas area of Texas (accused of doing the same thing he did here)—had ZERO credibility. And, why was he not sent to Texas to face charges after his testimony? Was a deal made?

Another of his “stars”, Stoughton Police Lt. Michael Blount, testified at one point in the afternoon, that he “couldn’t recollect” what he said that morning.

If I were a juror, I’d vote not guilty on all charges. If I were D.A. Keating, after that came back, I’d drop the upcoming charges against Chief Cachopa, and apologizeto the taxpayers for wasting our money.

Of course, I’m NOT a juror. There’s no way to detect what they heard, and how they heard it. But if they measured the credibility of witnesses, they had to be impressed with people like Lt. Robert Devine and the woman from the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Compared to the Citizens Bank witness (who melted on the stand like chocolate in a heat wave), the defense witnesses seemed a lot more realand believable.

We will all know soon enough what the actual jury thought. But this “juror”—who was also off-put by Jabour’s frequent up and downs, and hovering around witnesses—votes NOT GUILTY on all counts. In this writer’s opinion, David (the diminutive Richard Egbert) beat Goliath (The Commonwealth’s hulking Jabour). I did not see any criminal behavior proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. The old saying is if you throw enough mud against a wall some of it might stick. There were a plethora of charges against Sgt. Cohen. Were any proven? Not that I could see. But, what did the jury see? That is the question.