Keating’s Record on Rape Leads to More Troubling Evidence

October 21, 2010

Keating’s Record on Rape Leads to More Troubling Evidence
A Pattern of Plea Bargaining That Confirms Keating Let Violent Criminals Off Easy

Washington– As new evidence emerges about Bill Keating’s appalling record as Norfolk County District Attorney, his desperate campaign is losing traction by the day. With reports circulating on Keating’s disproportionate and excessive leniency toward dangerous criminals – including keeping criminals accused of rape off the state’s sex offender registry – new information confirms that his record disqualifies him from protecting and serving Massachusetts families as a member of Congress.

“The more information that emerges about Bill Keating’s appalling record, the more apparent it is that his campaign has lost any law-and-order credibility it claims to have,” said NRCC spokeswoman Joanna Burgos. “As Keating continues to run a negative campaign, it’s time for him to come clean and admit that he has made a career out of letting criminals off the hook by giving them shorter sentences for their crimes. These are not the actions of a candidate who is fit to serve Massachusetts families in Congress or in any other capacity.”

A report confirms that Keating has a record of going easy on criminals, with only 16 of 235 defendants going to trial in 2000:

“In Norfolk County, 190- or 80 percent- of the 235 defendants whose cases were resolved last year in Superior Court pleaded guilty, while 16 went to trial and nine had their cases dismissed. The office of District Attorney William R. Keating chose not to prosecute the cases of 14 others, and charges against six other defendants were disposed of in some other fashion.” (Gary V. Murray, “Plea Deals Keep Courts Functioning,” 2/25/01)

An investigative report shows that defendants who pleaded guilty to rape under Keating’s jurisdiction repeatedly served more lenient sentences than they would have in a neighboring county:

“Among the findings: Defendants who copped to pleas in Norfolk County to forcible rape and attempted rape were sentenced to less than half the amount of time as those in Plymouth County.” (Karen Eschbacher, “Investigative Report; Bargaining For Justice; Do A Crime, Serve Less Time In Norfolk. DAs Take Different Routes To Justice,” The Patriot Ledger, 6/25/05)

Additionally, the report also shows that defendants who admitted guilt in cases that involved drugs and robbery were less likely to receive incarceration than those who pleaded guilty to similar crimes the same neighboring county:

“Norfolk defendants who admitted guilt in cases that involved drugs and robbery were less likely to receive incarceration than those who pleaded guilty to similar crimes in Plymouth. At least some charges were dropped or reduced in nearly half of Norfolk County robbery cases. Only two robbery cases had charges reduced in Plymouth County.” (Karen Eschbacher, “Investigative Report; Bargaining For Justice; Do A Crime, Serve Less Time In Norfolk. DAs Take Different Routes To Justice,” The Patriot Ledger, 6/25/05)

With a record like this, it’s clear that Bill Keating is unfit to serve.

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