Latest news with #Dedham
CBS News
15-07-2025
- CBS News
Massachusetts SJC confirms conviction of 5-time drunk driver, cites I-Team as evidence
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court confirmed the conviction of a five-time drunk driver for driving with a revoked license, citing an I-Team investigation as evidence. In October of 2021, the I-Team found William Foley Jr. behind the wheel, driving a Mercedes SUV without a license. We confronted him outside his Dedham home and asked why he was driving with a revoked license. The Registry of Motor Vehicles took away Foley's right to drive for life after the five-time drunk driver killed a young mom in 2001. Over the years, he made failed attempts to get his license back. After the I-Team's investigation aired, in April of 2022, Dedham police charged Foley with operating after revocation. Months later, a judge found Foley guilty and sentenced him to 18 months in the house of correction. The 61-year-old appealed his conviction, claiming the police did not give him a citation and prosecutors did not have enough evidence that he was driving with a revoked license. On Tuesday, the Supreme Judicial Court mentioned the WBZ I-Team and confirmed Foley's conviction. In a statement Foley's attorney Erin Opperman said, "I am disappointed by the SJC's decision in Commonwealth v. Foley today. Their opinion operates to constrict the rights afforded to individuals in Massachusetts under GL c 90C, s2, and expands the reach of a mandatory jail sentence in GL c. 90, s 23. In my opinion, there was no statutory or precedential basis for this outcome, but they unfortunately disagreed."
The Sun
09-07-2025
- The Sun
Our famous village is being turned into UK's ‘mini Glastonbury' where filthy tourists dump vapes & beer everywhere
A FAMOUS village is being turned into a "mini Glastonbury" with tourists dumping vapes and beer everywhere. The riverside beauty spot in Essex has been left blighted by litter-dropping tourists. 5 5 5 The small village of Dedham has seen an increasing number of tourists visiting during the recent hot weather. Deadham Vale nature reserve is a designated Area of Outstanding Beauty, famous for its water meadows and the River Stour. The river has seen an increase in visitors partly because of the rise of stand up paddleboards and inflatable kayaks. With a population of just 1,907, the village has been tarnished in recent weeks by tourists littering and engaging in "reckless behaviour". Conservative councillor, Darius Laws, has said something must be done to curb overflowing bins and cars parking on green spaces. The councillor posted a provocative video on social media on June 30 where he likened the scenes to last month's Glastonbury festival. "You'd be forgiven for thinking that I'm in Glastonbury," Laws said in the video. "No, f*** that, left-wing, so-called green, hippies. No, I'm in Dedham." The campaign video was accompanied by the caption "you'd think there was a headline act performing" and calls on tourists to start "following the countryside code" and pick up litter. In the video, councillor Thomas Rowe also adds: "Just remember, this isn't a festival, it's a village". 7 TOURIST DESTINATIONS - EVERGREEN LISTICLE Cllr Laws later said: "Hopefully, it gives people the confidence to tell people to pick up their litter and act appropriately. "The amount of rubbish and reckless behaviour we are seeing is really concerning. "It looked like a mini-Glastonbury. Bins were overflowing, people had dumped empty crates of beer, vape wrappers had been dropped on the ground. "We see people jumping off the bridge into very shallow water and they could so easily break their necks. "This is a beautiful part of the country, and it's not ok, it makes local wildlife sick and ruins nature. "We do approach it in a friendly way because people may just be ignorant of the damage they're causing. "The video was provocative to get people's attention and if people think twice then it's worked. "We live in a beautiful village in a beautiful part of the world. We're welcome to visitors but they've got to be responsible." Last year, the Environment Agency said the water could contain "levels of sewage, faeces from livestock and pollution from farming or industry" Cllr Laws also believes the nearby sewage water treatment plant, plastic pollution and animal waste have contributed to the water becoming contaminated. Colchester County Council said that they support the campaign and are calling on visitors to remove their waste. 5 5
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Fury as tourists and daytrippers overrun beauty spot close to river immortalised by iconic British painter John Constable
Tourists have overrun a riverside beauty spot close to the rural scene immortalised by famous British painter John Constable. The village of Dedham in Essex, just half mile away from the iconic scene of Constable's The Hay Wain, has seen an increasing number of tourists visiting during the hot weather. And the mess left behind by those enjoying the scenic views has been likened to ' Glastonbury '. Dedham Vale nature reserve is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, famous for its water meadows and the River Stour, painted by British artist. The small village, which has a population of just 1,907, has been tarnished in recent weeks by tourists littering and engaging in 'reckless behaviour' during the heatwaves. And locals have expressed frustration at the disregard to their local area with Conservative Councillor Darius Laws demanding something be done to curb overflowing bins and cars parking on the green spaces. In an expletive-filled ranting video posted on social media on June 30, Councillor Laws said: 'You'd be forgiven for thinking that I'm in Glastonbury. 'No, f*** that, left-wing, so-called green, hippies. No, I'm in Dedham.' Local residents have blasted visitors for spoiling their local area and likened the mess left behind Glastonbury due to the amount of litter The campaign video was accompanied by the social media tag line 'you'd think there was a headline act performing' and calls on tourists to start 'following the countryside code' and pick up litter. In the video, councillor Thomas Rowe also adds: 'Just remember, this isn't a festival, it's a village'. Councillor Laws added: 'Hopefully, it gives people the confidence to tell people to pick up their litter and act appropriately. 'The amount of rubbish and reckless behaviour we are seeing is really concerning. 'It looked like a mini-Glastonbury. Bins were overflowing, people had dumped empty crates of beer, vape wrappers had been dropped on the ground. 'We see people jumping off the bridge into very shallow water and they could so easily break their necks. 'This is a beautiful part of the country, and it's not ok, it makes local wildlife sick and ruins nature. 'We do approach it in a friendly way because people may just be ignorant of the damage they're causing. 'The video was provocative to get people's attention and if people think twice then it's worked. 'We live in a beautiful village in a beautiful part of the world. We're welcome to visitors but they've got to be responsible.' John Ward, the independent leader for Barbergh District Council told the BBC that the council were looking in to solutions including double yellow lines and help from police and praised the landowner. He explained that he was doing his best and has installed portable toilets and cleans up litter after visitors have left but said it wasn't enough. He added: 'You're welcome to enjoy the beautiful Stour Valley, but we can't get to the litter every night, we don't have the staff to do it as often as we can.' Mr Rowe also hit out those he believed were dressing inappropriately and visitors endangering themselves. He told the Daily Gazette: 'People are going into the local co-op without a T-shirt and kids are jumping off the bridge, which I know is something the council are talking to the police about. 'It's only a matter of time until someone hurts themselves. 'I also don't think people realise about the water quality. I wouldn't let my kids paddle around in there.' Last year, the Environment Agency said the water could contain 'levels of sewage, faeces from livestock and pollution from farming or industry' Councillor Laws also believes the nearby sewage water treatment plant, plastic pollution and animal waste have contributed to the water becoming contaminated. Colchester County Council said that they support the campaign and are calling on visitors to remove their waste.
CBS News
25-06-2025
- CBS News
Shooting at BJ's parking lot in Dedham, Massachusetts leaves one dead, one wounded
One dead, one wounded in shooting at BJ's in Dedham One dead, one wounded in shooting at BJ's in Dedham One dead, one wounded in shooting at BJ's in Dedham One person was killed, and another was wounded in a shooting in Dedham, Massachusetts early Wednesday morning. It happened in the parking lot of the BJ's Wholesale Club on Route 1 around 3:30 a.m. The Norfolk District Attorney's office said there were "multiple 911 calls" after the shooting. When police arrived, they found two people were wounded. Both were rushed to a hospital. One died and the other is still being treated, according to investigators. Their names have not been made public and there's no word yet on a motive for the shooting. There have been no arrests. The entire parking lot was sealed off overnight as Massachusetts State Police, Dedham Police and Boston Police searched for evidence. One SUV was surrounded with crime scene tape. Hours later, a silver sedan, with what appeared to be a bullet hole in the windshield, was towed away. Anyone with any information about the shooting is urged to call police at 781-830-4990. Dedham is about 40 minutes southwest of Boston.
CTV News
20-06-2025
- CTV News
Investigator and jurors speak out about Karen Read murder trial in aftermath of not guilty verdict
Karen Read weeps as the final verdict of not guilty of second-degree murder is read in Norfolk Superior Court, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool) Two jurors and the lead investigator in murder trial of Karen Read have come forward to comment about the case since a jury returned a not guilty verdict earlier this week. Read, 45, was charged with second-degree murder by authorities who said she intentionally hit Boston police officer John O'Keefe with her car after a night of drinking in the suburbs. The high-profile case culminated in a not guilty verdict on murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene charges Wednesday. The jury found Read guilty of operating a vehicle while under the influence. The trial has centred in part on lead investigator Michael Proctor, who defense attorneys described as biased against Read from the beginning. The State Police Trial Board found Proctor guilty of sending crude and defamatory text messages about Read while leading the investigation into her. He was fired and has drawn ire from Read supporters who believe he played a key role in a cover-up to frame her. Proctor told NBC's 'Dateline' that the idea he is corrupt and framed Read is a 'ridiculous' accusation. He specifically said an accusation that he cracked Read's taillight to make it look like she backed into O'Keefe is 'absolutely not' true. 'I laugh because it's such a ridiculous accusation,' Proctor told the program. 'There's not one piece of evidence or fact to support that because it did not happen.' The judge in the case announced via court papers Wednesday that the jurors' names would be sealed from public view due to safety concerns. But one of the jurors, who identified himself only as 'Jason' in an interview with TMZ, said he did not believe Read collided with O'Keefe. He also said he did not think investigators planted taillight pieces at the scene to frame Read. 'I don't really know if there was a cover-up or not. I know that's the big conspiracy about it but I don't really know. All I know is there was a lot of holes in their investigation,' the juror said. Another juror, Paula Prado, told local news stations her mind changed about the case over the course of the last three weeks. At first, she thought Read was guilty of manslaughter, but her opinion changed as the case progressed. 'As the weeks passed by, I just realized there was too many holes that we couldn't fill. And there's nothing that put her at the scene in our opinion, despite just dropping John O'Keefe off,' Prado told media. Massachusetts State Police said in a statement that it extends its 'sincerest condolences to the loved ones of Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe.' The statement said the the events of the last three years have 'challenged' the department to reviews it actions and improve accountability and oversight. 'Under my direction as colonel, the state police has, and will continue to, improve in these regards. Our focus remains on delivering excellent police services that reflect the value of professionalism and maintain public trust,' Colonel Geoffrey Noble said in the statement. The jurors, state police and Proctor are not the first to speak out about the verdict. Some of the key witnesses in the trial released a joint statement Wednesday in which they called the not guilty ruling a 'devastating miscarriage of justice.' The joint statement was issued by several people including Brian Albert, who owned the home where the party took place, and Jennifer McCabe, Albert's sister-in-law, who was with Read and O'Keefe on the night of O'Keefe's death. Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey said only: 'The jury has spoken.' Patrick Whittle, The Associated Press
