Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn criticizes a judge's decision to overturn the unanimous jury conviction of Shawn Souza, a former Dartmouth police officer sentenced for child rape. Souza was sentenced to 10 to 15 years after being found guilty. DA Quinn emphasizes that the judge's ruling undoes the jury's thorough deliberations and undermines public confidence in the justice system. The judge cited trial joinder issues and external influences, but Quinn argues that these factors were not raised during the trial.
In my over 36 years of practicing law, I have never seen a Judge deliberately nullify a unanimous jury verdict without giving the District Attorney's Office the right to a full hearing.
The Judge's decision sets aside the jury's six-hour deliberations and takes away a verdict that was well supported by the evidence.
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