25 Investigates

AG: No civil rights violations in parking lot incident involving Suffolk Co. DA Rachael Rollins

BOSTON — The Attorney General’s Office has found no civil rights violations or violations of criminal statutes regarding an incident on Christmas Eve involving the Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins, 25 Investigates has learned. The incident is now being sent to the State Ethics Commission.

The AG’s office says it took statements, reviewed surveillance video, and documents in the case, and did not find evidence of any criminal or civil rights violations.

Last month, Boston 25 News spoke exclusively with Katie Lawson, the woman who filed the citizen’s complaint with the Boston Police Department following the alleged incident. According to Lawson’s claim, Rollins confronted her at the South Bay Mall when she tried to merge her vehicle in front of the DA’s as both were trying to exit the mall parking lot. She says Rollins briefly activated the government-issued SUV’s emergency horn and lights, said: “Today is not the day to try me!” and threatened to write her a ticket.

25 Investigates obtained a letter the AG’s office sent to the State Ethics Commission on Thursday.

According to the letter, video shows Rollins “drive straight through an intersection… from the right-turn-only lane. However, the footage does not show conclusively whether the traffic light was red at the time.” and “Many of the facts surrounding the events that occurred between Lawson and DA Rollins... are undisputed, with a few key exceptions.”

Rollins says she never threatened to write Lawson a ticket and never sped through a red light as Lawson alleged.

Rollins sent Boston 25 News the following statement Thursday night:

The AG’s office sent the file to the State Ethics Commission; it will be up to the commission to decide if they want to take up the case or not.


BACKGROUND from previous Boston 25 News report


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