2 days ago
25 Investigates: Cost of investigation into MA State Police recruit death surpasses $300K
It's been nearly 9 months since the Massachusetts officials brought on an independent attorney to investigate the death of a state police recruit at the academy. 25 Investigates now knows how much that investigation has cost you, the taxpayers.
We obtained invoices showing work started in September and as of May this investigation tallies $309,777.03.
But the questions around what exactly happened and why still haunt the family of Enrique Delgado Garcia who died after a boxing training exercise at the state police academy.
'It's been about eight months, more than eight months, and we still don't really know what happened,' Jose Ramon Perez Garcia told Boston 25's Kerry Kavanaugh in Spanish during an interview in May.
Enrique was 25 years old when he died in September. Sources familiar with the investigation told 25 Investigates that he suffered broken bones, damaged or missing teeth, and a spinal injury.
By October, the Attorney General Andrea Campbell named an attorney to lead an independent investigation into his death; David Meier, a trial attorney for over 30 years and a partner at Todd & Weld LLP.
Through a public records request 25 Investigates obtained contracts and invoices documenting the cost of this investigation.
For his work, Meier was paid $500 an hour. His partner Melinda Thompson $400 an hour. There are also billable hours for various investigators.
Invoices tally $309,777.03 through the month of May, the month we submitted our request.
There are invoices showing hours worked. But details of the investigation completely redacted.
This independent deemed necessary because of conflict of interest.
'I'm looking for someone who can look at this with an independent view who doesn't have a stake in its outcome,' said Worcester County District Attorney Joe Early in September 2024.
Worcester County would have had jurisdiction over this case. But in September, Early said Enrique was a beloved victim advocate in his office, so this needed to be outside the scope of any district attorneys' office.
'It's a lot of taxpayer money,' said Paul Craney is with the government watchdog group, Mass Fiscal Alliance. 'I think what the public really wants in here is when they're asked to be put on the hook to pay for something like this, is they want to know what did we pay for.'
The contract shows an end of June 30th. 25 Investigates asked the attorney general's office if that means that is when the investigation will conclude. We've learned that is just an end of the fiscal calendar year.
Meantime Enrique's family continues their painful wait for answers.
'A young man just 25 years old, they shattered his dream,' Perez Garcia said.
According to the records we obtained, the state has paid about half the cost of the investigation so far. The balance is about $153,035.42. Twice, attorney David Meier offered a discount for his services, reducing the total cost by $74,350.00.
In May, Massachusetts State Police announced major reforms at the state police academy. Changes include dividing the upcoming class into two smaller cohorts, appointing new academy leadership and completing an hour-by-hour review of the training curriculum and recruits' academy experience
Boxing remains a suspended activity.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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