Description: David Boeri reports on the Silver Shield case. Boeri reviews the facts of the case and the allegations against the officers involved. Interview with Richard Armstead (Boston Police Department), who talks about the case. Boeri notes that police officers William Dunn and William Kennefick were cleared of the allegations against them after a third investigation into the case by the Boston Police Department. Press conference with Francis "Mickey" Roache (Commissioner, Boston Police Department), Albert Sweeney (Boston Police Department), Arthur Morgan (Boston Police Department), and Minister Don Muhammad (Roxbury Community leader). Roache says that there is not evidence of a crime having been committed. Boeri reports that he has discovered two more police officers who have information on the case. The report includes footage of Boeri interviewing a man in a darkened room. The man's appearance and voice are altered. The man gives information about the rape at the Silver Shield Club. Boeri reports that the two witnesses have requested anonymity for fear of reprisals. He adds that the witnesses' story casts doubt on the story told by the accused officers. Boeri says that he will not reveal his sources.
1:00:04: Visual: Shot of Richard Armstead (Detective, Boston Police Department) walking down a street and entering a house. David Boeri reports that Armstead is "waging a one-man war within the Boston Police Department." Boeri reports that Armstead claims that an African American teenage girl was raped by white police officers at the Silver Shield Club in Roxbury in July of 1982. Boeri notes that Armstead has accused William Dunn (Boston Police Department) of perpetrating the act; that Armstead accuses William Kennefick (Boston Police Department) and six or seven other police officers of witnessing the rape. [Shots of black and white photos of Dunn and Kennifick; of the exterior of the Silver Shield Club in Roxbury.] Boeri notes that Armstead believes that Lucia Kai (murdered Roxbury resident) was the girl who was raped at the club; that Kai was found murdered in Franklin Park in August of 1982. V: Shot of a color photo of Kai; of Franklin Park. Boeri reports that Armstead claims that William Celester (Deputy Superintendent, Boston Police Department) told him about the rape; that Armstead says that Celester learned about the rape from Jose Garcia (Detective, Boston Police Department). V: Shot of Celester in uniform; of a color photo of Garcia. Boeri reports that Celester told Armstead that Jose Garcia (Boston Police Department) was sleeping in the backroom of the Club; that Garcia was awoken by screams. V: Footage of Armstead being interviewed by Boeri in his home. Armstead says that Celester told him that Garcia witnessed a white police officer forcing an African American teenage girl to perform oral sex at gunpoint. Shots of photos of Kennefick, Garcia and Dunn. Boeri reports that the Dunn, Kennefick and Garcia deny that the incident ever happened; that they have taken polygraph tests to prove their innocence. Boeri notes that Celester says that he was telling Armstead a rumor. V: Shot of a color photo of Celester. Boeri notes that the men were cleared last January after a third investigation into the case by the Police Department. V: Footage of Francis Roache (Police Commissioner, City of Boston) at a press conference in January of 1986. Roache says that there is no evidence of a crime having been committed at the Silver Shield Club. Shots of the exterior of the club. Boeri reports that the Ten O'Clock News has discovered that Garcia may have told at least three officers about witnessing the rape at the Silver Shield Club. Boeri stands outside of the former Silver Shield Club. Boeri says that he has spoken to two police officers who claim that Garcia was visibly upset while telling them about witnessing the rape. Boeri says that the two officers have insisted on anonymity because they fear reprisals; that one agreed to speak on camera if his voice and appearance were altered. V: Shot of police officers taking an oath. Footage of Boeri interviewing an unidentified man in a darkened room. The man's words are written out in text on screen. The audio has been altered to prevent recognition of the man's voice. The man repeats what Garcia told him about the rape at the club. The man says that Garcia witnessed a girl to perform oral sex on several white police officers; that he is sure that the girl was being forced to perform oral sex. Boeri reports that the man told him that Garcia drew his gun and rescued the girl from the club at gunpoint. V: Footage of Boeri interviewing the unidentified man. The man says that Garcia told him and three or four other people about witnessing the rape. Boeri reports that a second police officer refused to appear on camera; that he recalls Garcia making explicit accusations against the officers at the Silver Shield club. V: Shot of a uniformed police officer on a motorcycle. The Text of Boeri's questions and the officer's answers appear on screen. Boeri reports that the officer says that Garcia rescued the girl because she was being sexually assaulted by the police officers. Boeri reports that both officers say that Garcia told the story to Celester. [Shot of a color photo of Garcia. Shot of Celester in uniform. Footage of Armstead saying that Garcia told Celester about witnessing the rape. Shot of Celester. Boeri reports that Celester says that he was only passing on a rumor to Armstead. V: Footage of Albert Sweeney (Boston Police Department) at a press conference in January, 1986. Sweeney praises Celester for investigating the rumor about the alleged rape. Footage of Boeri talking to Armstead about a Police Department internal report. Boeri notes that the report says that Celester informed Armistead of the rumor. Armstead says that the report is not true. Armstead adds that Celester never told him that the account of the rape was a rumor. Footage of Roache, Sweeney, Minister Don Muhammed (Roxbury community leader) and Arthur Morgan (Boston Police Department) at a press conference in January of 1986. Boeri reports that Garcia has denied to investigators that the incident ever took place. Boeri notes that testimony of the two unidentified police officers casts doubt on Garcia's story. V: Shot of Boeri interviewing the unidentified man. Boeri stands on a street corner in Upham's Corner in Dorchester. Boeri says that Garcia's car was firebombed in Upham's Corner in August of 1982. Boeri notes that Garcia says that drug dealers were responsible. Boeri adds that others contend that Garcia's car was firebombed in order to keep him quiet about the rape at the Silver Shield. Boeri notes that the two unidentified police officers told him that Garcia changed his story after his family was threatened. V: Close-up shot of a cloth uniform badge on an officer's uniform. The text of the second police officers testimony is written on the screen. Boeri reports that Armstead says that Garcia asked him to drop the investigation. V: Footage of Armstead saying that he refused Garcia's request to drop the investigation. Shots of the photo of Kai; of Franklin Park. Boeri notes that Armstead says that Garcia approached him again after seeing photos of Kai after she was murdered. V: Footage of Boeri interviewing Armstead. Armstead says that Garcia told him that Kai might be the girl who was raped at the club. Shot of the exterior of the Silver Shield Club. Boeri sits in an office at WGBH. Boeri says that the officers and their lawyers will not comment on the case; that the US Attorney's office had not been aware of the two unidentified police officers who spoke to Boeri; that the men have not been approached by any investigators. Boeri says that he will keep his promise not to reveal the names of the men.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 12/02/1986
Description: Christy George reports on the outcome of the US Attorney's Silver Shield rape investigation. George notes that a grand jury determined that there was no case to be made against the officers involved. Frank McGee (attorney for William Dunn) and Peter Dowd (attorney for Juan Garcia) speak to the media about the grand jury's findings. Interview with Sadiki Kambon (Boston Black Coalition) about the reaction of the African American community to the findings of the grand jury. The African American community is still pushing for indictments in the case. George reviews the facts of the case and talks about the officers involved. George's report includes photographs of Lucia Kai (Roxbury resident), William Dunn (Boston Police Department), and William Kennefick (Boston Police Department). George's report includes footage of Jose Garcia (Boston Police Department) and Richard Armstead (Boston Police Department) and footage of a press conference with Francis "Mickey" Roache (Commissioner, Boston Police Department), Albert Sweeney (Boston Police Department), Arthur Morgan (Boston Police Department), and Don Muhammad (Roxbury community leader). Following the edited story is additional footage of Dowd and Garcia speaking to the media.
1:00:25: Visual: Footage of Frank McGee (attorney for William Dunn) saying that he is delighted that William Dunn (Boston Police officer) has been cleared by a full investigation by the US Attorney. Footage of Sadiki Kambon (Boston Black Coalition) saying that he did not expect any indictments from the investigation; that the investigation is a victory for the African American community; that the African American community will not allow anyone to murder people on their streets. Footage of Peter Dowd (attorney for Juan Garcia) saying that the allegations of a cover-up by the Boston Police Department have been proven false. Christy George reports that there have always been differing opinions on the Silver Shield rape case; that a federal grand jury has decided that there is no case. V: Shot of an African American man and a white man leaving a public building. Footage of Richard Armstead (Boston Police Department) walking down a street toward a house. George reports that Armstead said that an eyewitness told him that two white police officers raped an African American woman at the Silver Shield Club. V: Shots of black and white photos of Dunn and William Kennefick (Boston Police Officer. Shots of the exterior of the Silver Shield Club in Roxbury. Shots of Jose Garcia (Boston Police Department) and his lawyer walking outside of a Boston Police Department building. George reports that Armstead said that Garcia witnessed the rape. George notes that Garcia denies telling Armstead that he witnessed the rape or that he identified the victim as Lucia Kai (Roxbury resident). V: Shots of a color photograph of Kai. Footage of Garcia and Dowd approaching microphones set up outside of the police department building. Footage of George interviewing McGee. Shot of Armstead entering a house. George reports that Garcia will bring Armstead to court for slander. George notes that McGee says that Dunn may do the same. George notes that the African American community is still pressing for indictments in the case. V: Footage of Kambon being interviewed by George. Kambon says that the African American community did not expect indictments to be brought against white police officers for the rape and murder of an African American teenage girl. Kambon says that the grand jury did not have sufficient evidence to indict the officers. Footage of McGee saying that the grand jury had no probable cause to believe that a crime was ever committed. McGee says that the grand jury has exonerated Dunn. George reports that the findings of the grand jury echo investigations by the Boston Police Department, the District Attorney and the Attorney General. V: Shot of Dowd and another white man in the lobby of a building. Shot of a press conference with Francis "Mickey" Roache (Police Commissioner, City of Boston), Minister Don Muhammed (Roxbury community leader), Albert Sweeney (Boston Police Department), and Arthur Morgan (Boston Police Department). Footage of Kambon saying that David Boeri (WGBH reporter) came up with more evidence than the investigation by the office of the US Attorney. Kambon says that the official investigation was not aggressive enough. Footage of Dowd admitting that WGBH reporters found two police officers who had never come forward; that the officers should have known to come forward; that the testimony of the officers was taken into account by the grand jury. Dowd says that he does not know why the officers did not come forward at the beginning. George stands outside of a Boston Police Department building. George says that there are questions in the case which still need to be resolved. George notes that no one knows who killed Kai or why she was killed; that no one knows which police officer is lying.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 03/24/1987
Description: Interview with two members of Boston Police Tactical Patrol Force (TPF), explaining their tactics in making arrests, use of force, countering resistance.
Collection: Evening Compass, The
Date Created: 09/11/1975
Description: Boston police car marked “towing enforcement.” Sign at tow lot on Albany Street listing charges of $12 plus hourly storage fees. Interview on creation of Parking Violations Bureau to consolidate enforcement and collection of fines. Cost of unpaid ticket will double after 21 days. Denver boot used to immobilize cars of scofflaws. Police commissioner Joseph Jordan announces clamp down on illegal parking in city. Cavalcade of police tow trucks enter lot carrying vehicles.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 04/26/1977
Description: David Boeri reports that Boston Deputy Superintendent of Police William Celester has been accused of sexual assault by a female employee of the Police Department. Boeri reviews the allegations. He notes that neither the department nor Celester will comment on the ongoing investigation. Interview with Rafe Kelly of St. John's Missionary Baptist Church. Kelly talks about the case from the victim's point of view. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: Callie Crossley reports on the documentary film Street Cop, set in Roxbury
1:00:05: Visual: Footage of William Celester (Boston Police Department) in uniform, sitting behind a desk. David Boeri reports that Celester has been attacked by community activists in the past; that he has been accused of ineffectiveness at fighting drug dealers. Boeri notes that Celester has been cleared of an accusation that he participated in the cover-up of a rape of an African American girl by white police officers. V: Shot of Celester in plain clothes as he enters a building; of Celester in uniform as he speaks to a reporter. Boeri reports that Celester's 19-year career in the police deparment has been threatened by another accusation. Boeri stands in the rain, outside of a residential house. Boeri reports that he obtained a copy of a Boston Police Department internal complaint, which accuses Celester of sexual assault against another employee in 1984. Boeri notes that the alleged victim says that Celester and a friend sexually assaulted her at the home of the friend. Boeri adds that the victim says that she went to the home because Celester had offered to help her study for a police entrance exam. V: Footage of Reverend Rafe Kelly (St. John's Missionary Baptist Church) being interviewed by Boeri. Kelly says that he believes the woman. Boeri says that Kelly listened in on a phone conversation between Celester and the victim in 1984. V: Footage of Kelly describing the conversation between Celester and the victim. Kelly says that Celester was making sexual advances to the victim over the telephone. Kelly says that he is sure that the voice on the telephone was that of Celester. Boeri stands outside of a police department building. Boeri reports that police department spokesmen will not comment; that a hearing of the charges against Celester is ongoing. Boeri says that Celester will not comment on the charges. Boeri says that Celester has told The Boston Herald that the victim is "half nuts" and that she came up with the story when he tried to fire her.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 03/31/1987