BOSTON — A Walpole man who spent more than a month in jail after he was wrongfully accused of killing a 75-year-old relative in a town park has been awarded $400,000 by a federal jury that found that his rights had been violated by the state trooper who made the arrest.
Edmund Burke, 56, was accused of the December 1998 stabbing and beating death of his sister-in-law's mother, Irene Kennedy of Foxborough, in Bird Park in Walpole.
"It took a long time for true justice to be achieved for Ed Burke," said his lawyer, Robert Sinsheimer. "We're grateful that 12 conscientious citizens could see the truth. ... This jury said he was wronged. No one has ever said that before formally."
The jury in U.S. District Court found Monday that Trooper Stephen McDonald violated Burke's rights because he made the arrest despite knowing that DNA evidence excluded Burke as a suspect.
Burke was held until a new district attorney decided authorities lacked evidence to prosecute.
Joseph Kittredge, McDonald's lawyer argued in court that his client did not get the DNA report until after the arrest. Kittredge said he plans an appeal.
Burke and McDonald both refused comment after the verdict.
Martin Guy, 44, of Norwood was convicted of murder in Kennedy's death in September.
ma police, boston ma police, massachusetts police, massachusetts police, mass state police, mass police, ma, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts, massachutes, massachusetts law, massachusetts polece, police, officer, police officer, cops, police gear, law enforcement, police duty gear, state police, sheriff, law, police supply, police agency directory, police agency, police department, traffic officer, police dept, state trooper, dispatcher, massachusetts county sheriff, massachusetts sheriff, massachusetts department of corrections, ma doc, doc, dept of corrections, police information, civil service, ma civil service, massachusetts crime, police training, police academy, ma police academy, massachusetts officers, masscop, masscops, mpa, bpa, ibpoa, police association, massachusetts police news, massachusetts crime news, mass most wanted, police career information, police patrol, police administration, police books, crime scene training, police discussion, crime discussions, cops
About MassCops, the home for Massachusetts law enforcement.
The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network opened in 1998 and is now a part of the New England Police Network The site is a pro-police discussion forum intended for sworn police officers and civilian law enforcement officials as well as those interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement here in Massachusetts.
The goal of The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network is to provide an informal network of law enforcement officials here in Massachusetts for educational and informational purposes.
The forum covers many topics such as Police Related News Articles, Agency & Profession Discussions, Police Training as well as Law Enforcement Career Information.
The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network and The New England Police Network (NEPN) and it's network sites are privately owned websites/domains and are not affiliated with or endorsed by any government association or agency.
MassCops (masscops.com) and (masscop.com) are privately owned are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Massachusetts Coalition of Police (masscop.org)
ma police, boston ma police, massachusetts police, massachusetts police, mass state police, mass police, ma, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts, massachutes, massachusetts law, massachusetts polece, police, officer, police officer, cops, police gear, law enforcement, police duty gear, state police, sheriff, law, police supply, police agency directory, police agency, police department, traffic officer, police dept, state trooper, dispatcher, massachusetts county sheriff, massachusetts sheriff, massachusetts department of corrections, ma doc, doc, dept of corrections, police information, civil service, ma civil service, massachusetts crime, police training, police academy, ma police academy, massachusetts officers, masscop, masscops, mpa, bpa, ibpoa, police association, massachusetts police news, massachusetts crime news, mass most wanted, police career information, police patrol, police administration, police books, crime scene training, police discussion, crime discussions, cops