Tom Reilly and the autopsy results

On the one hand, it says something good about Tom Reilly that he's willing to help a friend in a time of need (let's stop calling the guy "a campaign contributor" - he gave $300, which these days gets you a form letter from the campaign).

On the other hand, Reilly is attorney general for all six million residents of the Commonwealth. Everybody who thinks they could get such personal attention from their attorney general, please raise your hand. Didn't think so.

Plus: We're talking about Worcester County District Attorney John Conte here. From his time as Middlesex County District Attorney, surely Reilly must know that there are few public officials in the entire country with more disdain for the press than Conte. Even if Reilly hadn't called him, the odds that Conte would do anything to let the press get ahold of the autopsy results approximate those of pigs flying (back in my cub reporter days at a paper that covered part of Worcester County, we'd have trouble getting Conte to tell us whether it was cloudy out; this was, it must be said, in sharp contrast to Reilly's office, which was always helpful and recognized the public had a Right to Know).

The result? Articles saying police think one of the girls in question was drunk and a gubernatorial candidate on the defensive from attacks by people with far less regard for privacy rights. Not well done, Mr. Reilly.

Jay also discusses:

... No one is looking good in this. Romney looks too eager to score political points. Worcester District Attorney John Conte looks like he abided by Reilly's wishes. Even the Murphy girls' grieving father, while understandably protective of his daughters' innocence and image, will probably come under some fire for not using the case as an opportunity to warn other parents about the danger of teen drinking and driving. ... The only person who might come out unscathed is Northborough Police Chief Mark Leahy ...