Middlesex Sheriff commits suicide

[Tommy Gun]

I'm going to have to disagree. I know a veteran that was a pedophile and have no problem with his suicide.

Suicide is not only about the person doing it but the family and friends. My father still has nightmares over finding my Uncle.

 

[glostamon]

Looks like Jim was on the Krispy Kremes & Gin for awhile.
More politicians should follow his example and I'm not referring to his diet.

 

[stinx]

He was being invetigated at the state level but potentially at the federal level for all the money the feds had pumped into the sheriffs dept under the guise they were a law enforcement agency,seems the feds thought they actually went out and patroled local towns etc.

 

[Big Daddy 45acp]

A corrupt politician offs himself. Maybe he wants to be a trend setter?

 

[appraiser]

I am saddened to hear that he took his own life.

I feel for his family.

Back in the days when he was a State Rep, ( after being a Malden cop) he was a leading opponent of privatizing the MBTA, back when Bill Weld had a target on every T employees back. I remember watching the hearings on Channel 44 and Jim was asking the hard questions and putting Weld's people in the hot seat. I never forgot how hard he worked to save our jobs.

Some of my friends are employed by the MCSD ( go figure huh) and my best friend was a reserve motorcycle unit officer before he died. When my friend died, Jim put a lot of resources at our disposal for the funeral, including multiple escorts. Jim personally approved me riding a MCSD marked bike with blue lights on to lead the hearse. The local PD was NOT pleased about that trust me, but they were told to go pound sand.

In the middle of a blizzard back on 12/14/2007, I was having a passenger problem on a T bus route in Malden. I was trying to resolve the issue when Jim came up and made sure I was OK, not knowing who was driving the bus, he just saw there was a problem and cared enough to make sure things were OK.

I will always have a lot of respect for the man, and what he accomplished as Sheriff, his desire for being a resource to other LEO Agencies beyond just running the county jails. He got funding for a mobile gun range that other departments were offered the use of, reducing the costs to municipalities to qualify their officers, the mobile command center had enough radio equipment to assure in any sort of emergency, departments would be able to communicate with each other. I could go on but I think I have made my point.

I'm sorry it came to this end Jim.

 

[appraiser]

He was being invetigated at the state level but potentially at the federal level for all the money the feds had pumped into the sheriffs dept under the guise they were a law enforcement agency,seems the feds thought they actually went out and patroled local towns etc.

The Sheriffs office and deputies have more power than local PD's, they are a active department. I have a friend who is on the apprehension unit and goes out and kicks in doors at the crack of dawn. Don't tell me they are not real law enforcement.

P.S. most of you know I have no love for cops, and I do know there are good ones still out there so I try not to paint them all with the same broad brush, but I liked Jim personally and professionally.

 

[cekim]

I will always have a lot of respect for the man, and what he accomplished as Sheriff,.

Respect is earned and can and lost by one's deeds...

Getting really tired of people lionizing crooks in this state because they didn't suffer directly or obviously from their graft.

Sorry, my sympathies go out to his friends and loved ones on a personal level, but whatever respect I had for anyone would be lost in the face of discovering they were an active part of the infected colon that is MA state government (i.e. not just working for it, but abusing the crap out of it and us). Particularly someone in the position of law enforcement.

 

[Squished]

A corrupt politician offs himself. Maybe he wants to be a trend setter?

As much I'd like to see many politicians lose their jobs, I can't say that I'd like to see it done by the way of suicide.

Suicide is the easy way out, and the only people really affected are family and friends, who shouldn't be affected like that at all when a politician loses their job.

 

[bolt]

Wow..... sounds fishy to me.

 

[blindfire]

What a coward.

 

[bolt]

The Sheriffs office and deputies have more power than local PD's, they are a active department. I have a friend who is on the apprehension unit and goes out and kicks in doors at the crack of dawn. Don't tell me they are not real law enforcement.

P.S. most of you know I have no love for cops, and I do know there are good ones still out there so I try not to paint them all with the same broad brush, but I liked Jim personally and professionally.

ONLY a very small % do this, maybe 5-8%.

 

[Jose]

ONLY a very small % do this, maybe 5-8%.

That may be so in your state and one or two others in New England.

Everywhere else, Sheriff's Offices are fully accredited law enforcement agencies with full police powers anywhere in their county of jurisdiction. They can and will enforce law even in the biggest of cities within their county regardless of what the city PD wants or does.

 

[stinx]

Only a small perecent actualy are out on the streets. The majority work inside walking a tier etc and for that I commend them as its a thankless dangerous job. The last MPTC class I helped out at only had 2 officers from the sheriffs dept going through, the other 60 plus were from local cities and towns. Unlike other states, in Ma the primary Job of sheriffs is the housing of prisoners.

 

[In God We Trust]

Whatever good the man may have done during his career is nullified by the fact that he abused his position for financial gain. I have no sympathy for for corrupt pols no matter what officer the work for. Too bad for his family, but eff him.

 

[PaulD]

Wow! He was 2nd only to Coakley among MA politicians that I couldn't stand. His department was unabashed in terms of how much money they wasted on unnecessary vehicles and other items. Now the state will have to pay to remove his expensively painted name from all those vehicles.

He did his family no favors by committing suicide, but I can't say I'm sorry to hear he's out of office.

 

[cekim]

this. out west it's huge. in fact, we're doing a ton of business with LA County because they're essentially absorbing most of the LE work for the defunct CA townships and cities that can no longer afford to pay for their own forces.

No, no, no, you backwoods types just don't understand that everything, everywhere is JUST LIKE it is inside 128 - which is why everyone should just accept the one-size-fits-all solutions they come up with. If only we'd stop obstructing them, they could solve all our problems... [/sarcasm]

Yeah, there are plenty of places where there is no local PD to speak of - or the Sheriff has as much or more responsibility, either as a recent budgetary development or historical division of power/jurisdiction...

 

[TomH]

Wow! He was 2nd only to Coakley among MA politicians that I couldn't stand. His department was unabashed in terms of how much money they wasted on unnecessary vehicles and other items. Now the state will have to pay to remove his expensively painted name from all those vehicles.

He did his family no favors by committing suicide, but I can't say I'm sorry to hear he's out of office.

No kidding, funny how everyone seems to forget his past actions. He may have been a "nice guy" to some of you in person, but he was flushing your money down the toilet with the best of them.

 

[Titan]

I continue to be stunned by the things folks kill themselves over.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I grew up outside Rochester, NY. Unlike MA, many police departments in NY state do not have a PD. The ones that don't pay an assessment to the county for the Sheriff's services, and the county sheriff is the primary road patrol and LE agency.

 

[GSG]

historical division of power/jurisdiction...

A very important division of power IMO. The rivalries and limited jurisdictions are a good thing.

 

[GSG]

Just saw this news story.

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...oil-Embattled-Middlesex-Sheriff-is-Found-Dead

Some interesting info in there.

 

[Maxpower]

I hope they don't try to ban pillows now.

 

[TheWookie]

I continue to be stunned by the things folks kill themselves over.

His selffish act saved his family, from a financial standpoint. If he was found guilty on some of the accusations he stood to lose his pension and a ton of money in the bank from attorney fee's.

Sure, his family is gonna feel the emotional pain, but at least they won't be homeless due to his selfishness.

Anyway, I met the Sheriff a few weeks ago at a MSA event and he seemed like a nice guy, who would have known.

Too bad for his family: Thanksgiving won't be the same for them for a very long time.

RIP, Sheriff.

 

[Titan]

His selffish act saved his family, from a financial standpoint. If he was found guilty on some of the accusations he stood to lose his pension and a ton of money in the bank from attorney fee's.

Sure, his family is gonna feel the emotional pain, but at least they won't be homeless due to his selfishness.

Anyway, I met the Sheriff a few weeks ago at a MSA event and he seemed like a nice guy, who would have known.

Too bad for his family: Thanksgiving won't be the same for them for a very long time.

RIP, Sheriff.

That may all be true, but it doesn't make it rational.

Suicide over the possibility of going to court and suffering financially remains a pretty extreme alternative, and has a slew of its own downsides.

 

[terraformer]

His selffish act saved his family, from a financial standpoint. If he was found guilty on some of the accusations he stood to lose his pension and a ton of money in the bank from attorney fee's.

Sure, his family is gonna feel the emotional pain, but at least they won't be homeless due to his selfishness.

Anyway, I met the Sheriff a few weeks ago at a MSA event and he seemed like a nice guy, who would have known.

Too bad for his family: Thanksgiving won't be the same for them for a very long time.

RIP, Sheriff.

Yup. You can't convict a dead man. This is why one of the enron guys essentially died a free man. His case was appealed and the disposition of the case is left as not convicted if there is an open appeal.

 

[BigMike]

His selffish act saved his family, from a financial standpoint. If he was found guilty on some of the accusations he stood to lose his pension and a ton of money in the bank from attorney fee's.

Sure, his family is gonna feel the emotional pain, but at least they won't be homeless due to his selfishness.

Anyway, I met the Sheriff a few weeks ago at a MSA event and he seemed like a nice guy, who would have known.

Too bad for his family: Thanksgiving won't be the same for them for a very long time.

RIP, Sheriff.

Im wondering if he had life insurance. If he did, it's nullified for sure now.

 

[M1911]

I'm sorry for his family and friends. I suspect that the pension kerfluffle was the least of his troubles. I had heard unsubstantiated rumors from a Middlesex County Sheriffs employee that there was quite a bit of graft going on. This was some years ago. People who cross that line often get more greedy and careless as time goes on.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Im wondering if he had life insurance. If he did, it's nullified for sure now.

Not necessarily. MANY years ago insurance policies had a clause that nullified benefits if the person committed suicide within x years (I think x = 3 IIRC). Otherwise it paid off. I'm sure today that "x" has changed, but his Family may be covered.

RIP and thoughts and prayers go out to his Family.

 

[Martlet]

That may be so in your state and one or two others in New England.

Everywhere else, Sheriff's Offices are fully accredited law enforcement agencies with full police powers anywhere in their county of jurisdiction. They can and will enforce law even in the biggest of cities within their county regardless of what the city PD wants or does.

Yeah. [STRIKE]Cops[/STRIKE] Sheriffs in MA have a much different role than in many other parts of the country.

For those saying he's a great guy or ran a great department, that may be so. People can be fun to be around and decent managers while being completely corrupt.

Edited to fix "Cops" to be "Sheriffs".

 

[Blitz1]

Way to punch your family, friends and anyone else who bothered to care about you in the heart Jimmy...

This

He tried to hatch a scheme, got caught at it, decided to retire instead, Feds announced probe of his office for political donation misappropriations...couldn't handle the heat, he took the cowards way out.

I feel for his family.

And this.

This guy is a POS for putting his Family and Friends through this kind of torment.