Boston Police Superintendent-in-Chief Long releases statement on having conviction of murder of Det. Mulligan overturned

“A Message from Boston Police Superintendent-in-Chief Gregory Long

The reprehensible and corrupt behavior of three former members of the Boston Police Department has caused the conviction in the 1993 murder of Detective John Mulligan to be overturned. Those three detectives not only disgraced themselves, but unfortunately their conduct was used to tarnish the reputation of the entire Boston Police Department.

The Boston Police Department does not and will not tolerate corruption. Every day the members of the Boston Police Department proudly wear their uniform to serve and protect the people of the city. In this case, the actions of a few have significantly impacted the image of the countless members of the Boston Police Department who worked tirelessly, honestly and honorably to bring justice to the Mulligan family.

As Justice Carol Ball stated in her 2015 decision granting the defendant a new trial, “…the conclusions reached here should not be read as an indictment of the many honest and honorable Boston Police officers who worked on the Mulligan murder investigation. Moreover, twenty years after these events, this judge is acutely aware of the strides made by the Boston Police Department in the professional handling of the investigation and prosecution of their cases. This is particularly true of the Homicide Department, which is deservedly held in particularly high regard by this judge.”

Recognizing the issues that surround this case, the Boston Police Department’s belief remains the same, that there was sufficient credible evidence to support a conviction for illegal firearm possession. As Judge Ball stated in her 2015 decision, “[the motion for new trial is] denied as to the firearm convictions as no real doubt as to the justice of those convictions has been established.”

In closing, and most importantly, the Department wants to acknowledge the continued pain and suffering of the Mulligan family. Our support for them has never wavered.”