Boston Unsolved murder (Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security - Office of the Chief Medical Examiner)
| Multi Request | Boston Unsolved murder |
| Submitted | Jan. 3, 2024 |
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Communications
From: Albert Serna Jr.
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, I hereby request the following records:
A list and or database of unsolved murders/homicides, including but not limited to:
• Datasets and/or databases that house such information
• All releasable information related to the murdered person
• Any other data structures used for the management of records: digital, paper, and otherwise
I request that you release records for this request on a rolling basis as they become available and in electronic form. If your agency does not maintain these public records, please let me know who does and include the proper custodian's name and address. If you choose to deny this request, please provide a written explanation for the denial including a reference to the specific statutory exemption(s) upon which you rely. Also, please provide all segregable portions of otherwise exempt material.
I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as we believe this request is in the public interest, as suggested but not stipulated by the recommendations of the Massachusetts Supervisor of Public Records. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, and is not made for commercial usage.
I expect the request to be filled in an accessible format, including for screen readers, which provide text-to-speech for persons unable to read print. Files that are not accessible to screen readers include, for example, .pdf image files as well as physical documents.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Albert Serna Jr.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Massachusetts Public Records Law request, copied below, and originally submitted on Jan. 8, 2024. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security - Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Greetings Mr. Serna,
I am writing in response to your public records request, received by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) on January 8, 2024. Your request seeks records, data and information relating to all unsolved murders/homicides in Massachusetts. Please be advised that although the OCME investigates the cause and manner of death in homicides/suspected homicides, the OCME is not the agency that investigates the criminal element to a homicide. Therefore, the OCME does not have responsive records. Law enforcement agencies (State and Local Police), in conjunction with the District Attorney's Offices and occasionally the Attorney General's Office, are the State entities that investigate and prosecute homicides. Therefore, the 11 District Attorney's Offices and/or the State Police and would likely be the best state entities for information relating to unsolved homicides in Massachusetts. I am sorry that I was unable to assist you at this time, but I hope this information is helpful.
If you wish to challenge this response, you may appeal to the Supervisor of Public Records following the procedures set forth in 950 C.M.R. 32.08, a copy of which is available at http://www.mass.gov/courts/case-legal-res/law-lib/laws-by-source/cmr/. You may also file a civil action in accordance with M.G.L. c. 66, § 10A.
Sincerely,
Eric B. Hogberg
General Counsel
Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
720 Albany Street
Boston MA 02118
857-377-2245
-
~WRD0300
From: Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security - Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Greetings Mr. Serna,
I am writing in response to your public records request, received by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) on January 8, 2024. Your request seeks records, data and information relating to all unsolved murders/homicides in Massachusetts. Please be advised that although the OCME investigates the cause and manner of death in homicides/suspected homicides, the OCME is not the agency that investigates the criminal element to a homicide. Therefore, the OCME does not have responsive records. Law enforcement agencies (State and Local Police), in conjunction with the District Attorney's Offices and occasionally the Attorney General's Office, are the State entities that investigate and prosecute homicides. Therefore, the 11 District Attorney's Offices and/or the State Police and would likely be the best state entities for information relating to unsolved homicides in Massachusetts. I am sorry that I was unable to assist you at this time, but I hope this information is helpful.
If you wish to challenge this response, you may appeal to the Supervisor of Public Records following the procedures set forth in 950 C.M.R. 32.08, a copy of which is available at http://www.mass.gov/courts/case-legal-res/law-lib/laws-by-source/cmr/. You may also file a civil action in accordance with M.G.L. c. 66, § 10A.
Sincerely,
Eric B. Hogberg
General Counsel
Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
720 Albany Street
Boston MA 02118
857-377-2245
-
~WRD0300