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Officer Jack Maguire's Brother Speaks Out
Chuck Maguire questions Gov. Patrick's amendment to Melissa's Bill.
State Rep. Jim Dwyer testified, with Chuck Maguire, left, and Woburn Mayor Scott Galvin, in favor of Melissa's Bill in 2011.
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Although 'Melissa's Bill' won support in both the House and the Senate earlier this month, Gov. Deval Patrick has not signed the bill, which would keep felons with three convictions from receiving parole.
Many have questioned the governor's proposed amendment, including Woburn Police Officer Jack Maguire's brother, Chuck.
The bill had languished for years, but gained support after Woburn Police Officer Jack Maguire was shot and killed by a longtime felon on Dec. 26, 2010. Officer Maguire was responding to an armed robbery at Kohl's, in the middle of a blizzard, when he exchanged gunfire with the felon on Washington Street.
Officer Maguire's brother, Chuck, has testified in favor of the bill, which, he believes, would keep criminals like the one who killed his brother, off of the streets.
Chuck Maguire told Fox 25 News this weekend that he was upset that Gov. Patrick amended the bill and that he was satisfied with what passed in the House and Senate.
The bill's fate is up in the air at this point, but the legislative session ends Tuesday at midnight.
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Earnhardt
7:18 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
That's because the Governor is one of those Touchy-Feely everyone gets a trophy, no one get their feelings hurt kind of guy. Sadly, we need a take charge tough on crime and fraud kind of guy.. is there anyone out there?
OldTownie
8:27 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
I was at the Woburn post office today and saw the memorial today for officer Maguire and I had two very different feelings.
The first feeling was sadness for officer Maguire, his friends and family. His and their loss is beyond my ability to communicate.
The second feeling was rage. Rage at our governor that probably won't sign the bill and probably won't even have the guts to veto this bill. He'll take the coward's way out and let it die. This rage is also shared for the legislature. It took over a decade and lots of innocent's blood to get this bill out of committee and passed yet they couldn't get it done in time to avoid being outsmarted by the governor. If this bill dies because the governor lets it die all of the legislature owns a bit of that.