Is a Boston Cop a Murder Suspect?

I am troubled by the police response to the information that a Boston Police officer may have been directly involved in a murder.  According to the Boston Globe (and, yes, I realize that's a powerful disclaimer), a BPD officer was in the car that his cousin, the alleged shooter, drove away from a murder scene and, what's more, it was the officer's car.  (Note that I agree with John Daley that the leak for the Boston Globe story should be plugged.) Supposedly, the officer has been suspended pending an IA inquiry.  So, what troubles me?

If there is probable cause to believe the officer was in his car when it transported a murderer away from the crime scene, then there is probable cause to arrest him for murder.  Why is he not under arrest?  Imagine the same facts, but take the officer out of it:  Two cousins from Dorchester travel to Randolph in one car, one of them kills a man, and they both drive away.  Now imagine the police can find only the non-shooting cousin.  What do they do with him?  They arrest him.  Every time.

Why no arrest here?  Maybe they don't have probable cause.  Maybe the Boston Globe story is wrong.  Maybe the leaker has an agenda. Maybe Randolph PD and Boston PD are getting wires crossed.  I don't know.

But maybe, just maybe, this case is being handled differently because the cousin is a cop.

Comments

[supercafone]

You got it. First, all cops share the same lawyer (Thomas Drechsler). They will give the BPD "suspect" rights you and I would never have.

[Juno888]

I realize that's a powerful disclaimer), a BPD officer was in the car that his cousin, the alleged shooter, drove away from a murder scene and, what's more,