Cases & Verdicts

RJA Receives Victory at Summary Judgment for Two Worcester Police Officers in an Excessive Force Case

In August of 2016, an individual went on a violent crime spree in Worcester, Massachusetts. This individual, in a short period of time, committed multiple sexual assaults, a carjacking and kidnapping as well as an armed robbery. Worcester police officers were able to locate and to arrest this individual at the scene of the armed robbery. The individual later was convicted criminally and sentenced to

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RJA Prevails In Precedent-Setting Civil Service Commission Decision

In a recent decision from the Civil Service Commission, RJA Attorney Andy Gambaccini successfully represented a New Bedford police officer in a case of first impression that now has set the legal standard regarding the effect of an employee’s reinstatement as concerns an existing civil service promotional list. After a civil service promotional examination process in 2021, this New Bedford police officer was placed on

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First Circuit Court Of Appeals Affirms Judgment In Favor Of Fall River Chiefs Of Police And Police Officer

The First Circuit Court of Appeals recently affirmed a judgment entered in favor of three members of the Fall River Police Department represented by RJA. The plaintiff in the civil rights case alleged that he had been assaulted by the police, that the police had committed fraud and engaged in a conspiracy to frame the plaintiff and that the police improperly caused the destruction of

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Federal Court Dismisses Claims Against Fall River Chiefs of Police and Police Officer

In 2016, members of the Fall River Police Department were involved in a criminal investigation of an individual based upon allegations of abuse perpetrated on the individual’s siblings and the neglect of the individual’s mother, who subsequently passed away.  After his arrest and criminal conviction, the plaintiff brought suit against members of the Fall River Police Department.  The plaintiff claimed, among other things, that he

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RJA SUCCEEDS IN IMPORTANT CASE OF FIRST IMPRESSION DEALING WITH A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER’S ABILITY TO USE FORCE TO PREVENT THE DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE

In a case of first impression in Massachusetts, RJA attorney Andy Gambaccini recently was successful in establishing important precedent concerning the ability of a law enforcement officer to use force in order to prevent the destruction of evidence. Deptula v. City of Worcester is a federal civil rights case in which narcotics officers with the Worcester Police Department sought to execute a search warrant on

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Arbitrator Reverses Suspension of New Bedford Police Officer

RJA Attorney Andrew Gambaccini recently secured an arbitrator’s reversal of a three day suspension that was imposed upon a New Bedford police officer based upon an allegation that the officer improperly failed to document the disposal of an arrestee’s property. By way of background, the officer had arrested an individual for various offenses, including the possession of a knife of illegal length. After the arrest,

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Federal Judge Finds In Favor Of Members Of Worcester Police Department SWAT Team

The Massachusetts State Police secured a search warrant for an apartment in Worcester; that warrant was based upon information received from a confidential informant that dangerous individuals had been observed in the residence and that firearms also were present in the apartment.  The combination of dangerous individuals with access to firearms made the warrant a high risk endeavor, so the State Police contacted the Worcester

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Discrimination Claims Against Waltham Police Lieutenant Rejected By The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination

In this case, the complainant, a female dispatcher with the City of Waltham, filed a lengthy charge of discrimination with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (“the MCAD”) alleging that she was the victim of sexual harassment and a sexually hostile work environment, and also that she was subjected to gender discrimination, disability discrimination (arising out of severe chemical sensitivities) and illegal retaliation by a police

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Superior Court Judge Dismisses All Claims Against Two Waltham Police Officers In Civil Rights Lawsuit

In 2018, the plaintiff amended his complaint in an existing civil rights lawsuit to name two Waltham police officers as defendants. In the amended complaint, the plaintiff alleged that he was defamed by the police officers’ filing of false police reports about him, that one of the officers sought a criminal complaint against the plaintiff without prior notice or respecting his right to a show

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