Governor Baker, DA Rollins “resolve” dispute over criminal justice reform

BOSTON – The dispute between Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins and Governor Charlie Baker has been resolved – for now. The DA says the governor called her to apologize this weekend.

There was a huge rally supporting DA Rollins Sunday in Boston after she received some backlash from the Governor’s office for her plans to end mass incarceration.

Rollins came under fire this week after releasing her 65-page plan to end racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

PREVIOUS: DA Rollins responds to Baker Administration criticism of criminal justice plan

“I’m not here to fight with people but get out of my way. We are changing the system,” Rollins said.

Rollins instructed her team to not prosecute minor crimes like shoplifting or having marijuana to decrease the number of people going to jail, while focusing on bigger crimes like solving homicides. 

“That’s a big step from standard practice and one that we believe will make it harder to prosecute and arrest,” said Mass. Governor Charlie Baker. 

Boston 25 spoke with Governor Baker Friday, after his secretary sent a letter to Rollins this week opposing her new memo. But after some back and forth with the governor, Rollins says this dispute is over.

“So actually, Governor Baker has my respect because he picked up the phone like a leader does, we had a conversation which is nobody’s business but ours, and now we are moving forward to help the communities that are impacted by the criminal justice system,” Rollins said.

The Baker Administration says the DA’s new policy is not tough enough on people charged with some crimes, including those accused of dealing heroin and fentanyl.

Related: Suffolk County DA releases detailed memo on criminal justice reform

But DA Rollins says she’ll continue to press forward on her plans to fix the system to keep people out of jail for minor crimes.

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