Mass. families call for change in handling of cold cases

BOSTON — At the State House, a call for justice for the families of unsolved murder victims.

Boston’s Louis D. Brown Peace Institute is calling for major changes in the way law enforcement handles cold case investigations.

Soon families will appeal to lawmakers with one simple message: unsolved cases deserve a second chance.

At the State House, the families of murder victims whose cases have gone unsolved, share unbearable pain.

“If I can’t have my son back, at least I want it to be solved. And I don’t want no one else’s family to have to go through this,” Relonda Ballard, mother of murder victim David Ballard said.

“I lost my only child to gun violence in January 2008, at the age of 18, and his case remains unsolved to this day, 17 years later,” Natasha Carrington said.

She is the mother of Boston murder victim Darrion Carrington.

Boston 25 Reporter Bob Ward profiled his case on New England’s Unsolved last September.

Natasha is pushing for passage of a new bill that would keep open the line of communication between families and law enforcement

“For those of us, like me, who never see the inside of a courtroom, or never saw your loved ones case investigated, our grief is heavy,” Carrington said.

The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute is behind a bill that calls for the Attorney General, not district attorneys, to review unsolved murder cases after three years.

Alexis Smith lost her son in 2017.

“We need that bill because we care about each other. There are so many people impacted by this loss that are struggling with continuing their education, their mental health isn’t good, and when we get justice, it begins the healing process,” Smith said.

The bill’s backers point to research suggesting that homicide cases of black and brown people are more likely to grow cold, than when the murder victims are white.

They believe regular review of cold cases can make a difference for everyone.

“Regardless of where you live, regardless where you are from, that your case is met with the same dignity and compassion,” Pace McConkie, Policy Director for the Louis D Brown Peace Initiative, said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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