[mcdonagh]

What does everyone think about Boston Police Sgt. Harry Byrne getting shafted with 70 months in federal prison and $7,100 in fines??

 

[luap112]

What did he get time for?

 

[Guest]

Harry "The Glove" got the biggest shaft we have seen in quite some time in these parts.

Guys (cops) who gave info to the Mob (****** etc......) which resulted in botched investigations or people getting killed got less time than what Harry did.

All Harry did was react in the booking area to a belligerent college student who was told to keep his hands out of his pockets. When he kept going into his pockets (to get a cell phone) Harry reacted as he was TRAINED to do. Sorry to say that poor drunk college @ss-#ole got his choppers busted.

Oh boy, the Feds were licking their chops when they got this one. No way anyone should do 5 years and 10 months for such a "crime." Just another sad travesty the Federal prosecutors have created in Boston. There's a long list of them if you don't already know.

All John "Zip" Connolly ex-FBI superstar got was 10 years for his 25+ years service to ****** Bulger et al. (Hope ****** gave him a good 401K plan) We all know how embedded he was with those wiseguys. Do you think what Harry got (almost 6 years) should be anywhere near what Connelly got? He got 6/10th's of what Zip got, and for basically doing his job as he was trained to do. PATHETIC.

I am not too happy with the Suffolk County D.A for nol pross-ing it as well. I don't know how those Feds sleep at night.

 

[Joe B]

What does everyone think about Boston Police Sgt. Harry Byrne getting shafted with 70 months in federal prison and $7,100 in fines??

Sounds like BS to me, McDounutz.

 

[Elusk4]

This is a rediculous decision by our court system, Housingcop is right, there are people who get less time for murder. Yes what he did is wrong, we all know that. Everybody knows how hard people can be in the booking area, especially drunk ones. Yes we get heated and want to hit the person but we know we can't. Well mabey sgt. Byrne was having a bad day, still unexcusable. But to give him jail time for a simple A&B is a little harsh. Maybe a suspension or some other disiplinary action would be more sufficient. Know a respected seargent has to do time with many people that he may have put there. whether or not he got this punishment because the kid was a "Harvard" student, I don't know but my thought and prayers are with Sgt. Byrne.

 

[msp2845]

It's getting to the point where the criminals and the idots have more rights than LEO's. I love this job, but the worry of litigation is always somewhere in the back of my mind, even when I know I'm doing the right thing.

Speaking of litigation, I saw Newsweek on the magazine rack today, and the cover had to do with jobs that have high lawsuit rates against them. A LEO was on the cover. Anyone read it yet? I will probably pick it up tomorrow.

 

[SRRerg]

It is scary how an overzealous prosecutor can drop a hammer so hard. I don't know the whole story. From what I've read, I believe what got the Sgt in trouble was an alleged attempt to broom it afterwards. There is a lesson there, but there is an even more important lesson about helping out a fellow officer, and I don't mean the blue wall of silence. Protect each other! I will not second guess the officers in this incident, but keep the end result in your head next time you have a real winner in custody. If the guy is in custody and things are still escalating, or if you see it getting to a fellow officer STEP IN. No need for a big production, walk up, tell the officer, "I'll watch him, why don't you get your notes in order." or something along those lines to help immediately defuse the situation. You can transport, or stand by for the wagon.
If you are the officer dealing with the prisoner, and someone offers to take him from you - let them. Get your notes in order, talk to witnesses, or go around the corner and kick a trashcan or something. Don't let them win by getting to you. If your guest insists on being a jerk in the booking area, nothing says you have to book him immediately, let him cool his heels in a cell. Distance = safety, that works in litigation also.
Finally, if something does happen, the feds are going to go after everyone, so the best way to avoid paying for someone else's sins is to prevent it in the first place. Watch out for each other, help each other. Give the officer immediately involved a chance to gather his thoughts. Backup doesn't end once the cuffs are on.

 

[jtsmh]

IT REALLY MAKES ONE WONDER WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN THIS COUNTRY. ALL THE YEARS THIS SERGEANT GAVE TO HIS DEPARTMENT AND CITY MEANS NOTHING. SADDAM WILL GET MORE SYMPATHY FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PUTTING THIS SERGEANT AWAY, IT'S A DAM SHAME. I KNOW THERE IS TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY, BUT THIS DESCISSION IS OFF THE CHARTS. GO IN, TAKE YOUR R/C'S, GET YOUR CHECK, AND GO HOME TO YOUR FAMILIES. WHY RISK GOING AWAY FOR 70 MONTHS FOR DOING YOUR JOB. JUST A THOUGHT!

 

[raedawn]

Unbelievable! Great advice SRRerg, sometimes you need an outside source to step in and bring you back to reality. Not only in LE but in life in general.

 

[MVS]

Very good point SRRerg!!

Also might indicate why "hot heads" may not belong in LE. As it is Po's that are normally layed back, cool and relaxed sometimes have a hard time keeping their 'cool' with the shi#bags.

When you see things heating up: Step in, not back.