Bill Keating’s Revolving Door for Violent Criminals

Washington- Bill Keating’s leniency toward violent criminals is already well-documented, but a recent case shows that his poor judgment is not only an insult to victims but also a danger to society. Just a year after Keating cut a deal and Richard Boucher avoided serving jail time in his sentence for a violent crime committed during a home invasion robbery, Boucher was wanted for committing a second robbery. Weeks later, he was charged with murder.

“Bill Keating’s failure to put criminals behind bars is not only an insult to victims, but it is a danger to the families he is supposed to serve,” said NRCC spokeswoman Joanna Burgos. “Keating’s failed record as a public servant is bad enough, but cutting a deal with a criminal who goes back on the street to commit other violent crimes is proof positive that he’s unfit to serve in Congress. Rather than launching hypocritical negative attacks, Keating should explain why he’s so willing to endanger Massachusetts families by cutting deals with violent criminals.”

CASE #4: Avoids Jail, Year Later Charged With Murder

KEATING’S PLEA DEAL: Keating’s office cut a deal with Richard M. Boucher after a 2009 home invasion in which a man holding a baby was stabbed. Keating’s office dropped two charges – home invasion and child endangerment – relating to the stabbing. Boucher avoided serving jail time in his sentence and was put on probation.

“The man charged with murdering an Abington man and paralyzing another man during a dispute over a beer last month was on probation at the time for a 2009 Quincy home invasion, according to court documents. Richard M. Boucher, 18, of Kingston pleaded guilty to the Quincy home invasion earlier this year. Boucher is at the Barnstable County Jail, where he is being held without bail on charges of fatally shooting James Tigges, 23, and shooting and paralyzing Jackson Duncan, 17, of Plymouth. Police say the two men were shot May 27 in Plymouth after a fight over a beer. Boucher is also charged with an armed robbery May 10 in Kingston.” (Alice C. Elwell, “Murder Suspect has Criminal Past; Richard Boucher was out on Probation when Abington Man was Killed,” The Patriot Ledger, 6/15/2010)

“Boucher pleaded guilty to the June 9, 2009, Quincy home invasion in which a man was stabbed while holding a baby, according to court documents. According to the court papers, Boucher and three other men – Tyson Burden, Jeremiah Rhodes and Dayshaun Tatum – knocked on the door of an apartment at 83 Doane St. at 2:30 a.m. A man, holding a crying child in his arms, answered the door. The intruders pushed open the door and hit the man over the head with a bat and stabbed him as he held the child, the documents said. On March 17, Boucher reached a plea deal for the Quincy incident. In exchange for prosecutors dropping home invasion and child endangerment charges, he pleaded guilty to three charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. . . . At the time of the May 27 shootings, Boucher was wanted for the May 10 robbery of the Kingston Cumberland Farms, where police say he stole $314 and 125 packs of cigarettes.” (Alice C. Elwell, “Murder Suspect has Criminal Past; Richard Boucher was out on Probation when Abington Man was Killed,” The Patriot Ledger, 6/15/2010)

INDICTMENT: Richard M. Boucher was charged with murder in 2010, less than a year after the Keating plea agreement. An argument over a beer led to the fatal shooting of an Abington man and left a second man in critical condition.

“An argument over a beer led to the fatal shooting of an Abington man and left a second man in critical condition early yesterday, police said, as they continued to search for the alleged gunman. Police issued an arrest warrant yesterday for Richard M. Boucher Jr., 18, of Kingston, who had crashed a small gathering of several close-knit youths early yesterday morning. The dead man was identified as James Tigges, 23. ‘He didn’t deserve to die; he was such a kind person,’ said Maliza Egan, who consoled Tigges as he lay bleeding profusely outside 7 Cortelli Court after the 1 a.m. shooting. ‘I was standing right there; I saw the whole thing,’ Egan said. ‘It was like it was in slow motion. The look on his [Boucher’s] face, he wanted them dead. He just wouldn’t stop shooting.’” (Brian R. Ballou, “Suspect in Double Shooting is Called Armed, Dangerous; One Man is Dead, Another Wounded after Argument,” Boston Globe, 5/28/2010).

“Several people who attended the overnight gathering said Boucher regularly carried a weapon. ‘He was always carrying, always showing it off,’ said Earl Stewart, 19. ‘He would pull a gun out for fun.’ He said Boucher showed up at the gathering uninvited with several friends, but was allowed to stay. At approximately 1 a.m., Boucher allegedly stole a beer from Duncan, witnesses said. Michaela Plaisted, 18, a friend of Duncan, grabbed the beer from Boucher and returned it to Duncan, touching off an argument between Boucher, Duncan, and Tigges. The argument moved outside, where the shootings occurred. Numerous residents said they heard gunshots and rushed to windows or doors to see what had happened. Boucher ran down a nearby alley to get away. Plaisted chased Boucher for a short distance, but returned to Duncan and Tigges, both of whom were lying on the ground and bleeding, witnesses said. Both victims were taken to Jordan Hospital in Plymouth and later airlifted to Boston, Tigges to Boston Medical Center and Duncan to Massachusetts General Hospital.” (Brian R. Ballou, “Suspect in Double Shooting is Called Armed, Dangerous; One Man is Dead, Another Wounded after Argument,” Boston Globe, 5/28/2010)

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

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: