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DA wants Jassy Correia's killer tried in Boston; police increase patrols downtown

Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins said today that justice, and Jassy Correia's family, deserve to see the man charged with her murder be tried in Boston, whether by her office or by federal prosecutors - who could seek the death penalty.

"Jassy was and is a part of our community," she said at an afternoon press conference. "Her family is a part of our community and her community deserves the chance to see justice done in this city."

But noting that law-enforcement officials in both Rhode Island and Delaware are also investigating the death of the 23-year-old Dorchester woman and Louis Collins's possible role - he has been charged in Rhode Island with several crimes involving Correa's disappearance, but not yet murder - both Rollins and Police Commissioner William Gross said they will accept a collaborative decision on where to try the suspect.

Rollins said she has spoken to US Attorney Andrew Lelling ten times in the past 24 hours about the case. She added that in addition to police in Boston, Providence and Delaware, the FBI has been active in the investigation into what happened after Correia left Venu on Warrenton Street early Sunday.

Rollins said that if a federal prosecutor - such as Lelling - does not take the lead role in prosecution, Coleman could face trials in more than one jurisdiction. At the very least, she said, preliminary evidence shows whatever happened to Correa started in Boston, that suspect Louis Colman III may have first interacted with Correia inside Venu even before she got into his car several blocks away, on the other side of the turnpike.

Acknowledging that Correia's disappearance was the second such incident this year, Gross said District A-1, which covers downtown and Chinatown, has stepped up patrols around local bars at night. But he added BPD is also working with the community - everybody from late-night livery drivers to people exiting clubs and bars - to get people to look out for each other and to report anything that looks out of place.

Rollins and Gross both said there is no place for victim blaming in the case.

Corriea, who leaves a two-year-old daughter, was not in the wrong place at the wrong time, Rollins said. "She was right where every woman has a right to be: Celebrating her birthday with her friends."

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Comments

Everyone wants him ...

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"Gross said District A-1, which covers downtown and Chinatown, has stepped up patrols around local bars at night." until two weeks from now when Gross will announce that while there is still a problem, they will be returning to their regularly scheduled routine of construction details and reactionary policing, similar to how they handle all traffic fatalities.

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Let the Feds deal with his sick arse.

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How would increased patrols have prevented this tragedy?

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Rollins sounded petty in claiming that Coleman should be tried first in Boston and then giving a dig to US Attorney Lelling, saying something like, "he will decide on the death penalty but he's not here" even though they have been in constant contact by phone. The states and feds generally work well together and if Rollins wants the suspect back here, she should merely identify the crimes (if any) that occurred in Suffolk County and apply for an arrest warrant. The warrant stops the statute of limitations, so whether he is brought back here tomorrow or years from now, after Delaware and Rhode Island try him, Suffolk County will eventually have their opportunity. Since he was arrested by Delaware authorities after a chase, with the body in the car, it makes sense to start the process there. I'm positive that Delaware will give access to RI and MA detectives at any time, just might have to wait to try him in those states.

As for federal charges, they are a good safety net. IIRC, the LAPD officers in the Rodney King case were cleared in California state courts, only to be tried and convicted at the federal level. Double jeopardy was argued unsuccessfully because the state charges are different counts than the federal ones. Conversely, if Tsarnaev or Sampson were somehow cleared in federal court, they could still be tried at the state level.

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Let's get real justice for Jassy. Rollins is the wrong prosecutor for the case. We need someone else who is competent and qualified to do it.

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How is Rollins NOT competent and qualified? Her record is pretty damn solid.

So is it ... Vagina not qualified? Not white not qualified? C'mon - be honest.

Or, better yet, run against her next time. She's elected after all. I'm sure you are far more ... qualified.

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Has nothing to do with her vagina. What sort of weird thought process is going on in your head? This has to do with Rollins' brain. All she has to do is issue a warrant which she has chosen not to do. The crime happened in Rhode Island then he crossed state lines which could bring in the Feds. Rollins is a grand standing idiot.

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These charges against Coleman are complex and require a lot of communication and cooperation among these agencies.

Also, let DA Rollins do her job. Your tepid hot take of "this crime could bring in the feds"...durrr, why do you think Rollins was on the phone with a United States Attorney about this case?

The U.S. Attorney's office (for the District of Massachusetts) *is* the feds.

Forensic evidence will determine, in part, where these crimes happened. Kidnapping and assault in Boston, homicide possibly occurred in Rhode Island, and crimes in Delaware...and those are just the federal crimes. Trying Coleman at a later time on state charges hasn't been ruled out either.

Why not do something constructive with your raging misogynoir hateboner for Rachel Rollins and...I don't know, donate to the fund for Jassy Correira's family? Nuanced understanding of the law, due process, etc. isn't really your thing, Jon.

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She's in her second month as the Suffolk DA. IIRC, her experience as a federal prosecutor was primarily with civil cases.

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lines will most likely be taking up by the Feds in the end.

In gun cases, the state usually drops the charges in Superior/District court and the Feds take the case since the sentences are usually longer/stricter. I'm guessing something like that happens here unless each state can charge separate and the Feds do their own charges. I'm not sure what crimes become federal and at what point.

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I'm no lawyer, but since Correia entered the Ocean State breathing and left the state in a bag and most likely dead, Rhode Island would appear to be the best place to try the guy. Besides, I don't see an impartial jury being impaneled in Boston.

Rollins is totally grandstanding with this case. Conley struck me as a bit of a showboat, but I couldn't see him pulling (or trying to pull) this.

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He could be charged with kidnapping in Massachusetts. It isn't clear what they know that we don't.

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Which is a graver crime? Which has the harsher punishment?

I gotta put the murder charge on the top of the list, but that might just be me.

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This could be kidnapping and murder, or a case of club pickup dropping dead from OD, a freakout and a coverup attempt that has gone too far. Remember, this was a Raytheon engineer with security clearance who had a lot to lose if this was an OD on his drugs. Or even her drugs for that matter.

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I'm betting that there is information not yet shared with the public that is driving this investigation.

While these are possibilities, sure, there has to be more to this for law enforcement to be proceeding with this level of suspicion.

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but kidnapping, in addition to murder, is an even more serious crime, which deserves harsher punishment.

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Do we actually know he killed her, or are we all having a juicy smollett media outrage moment before all facts came out? Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? This could very well be a case of death from OD with a subsequent freakout and an attempt to cover the tracks that has gone way too far.

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According to a report on Ch. 25 last night.

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Stopped many states away from original location.

Looks ... bad. Really bad.

Someone smart enough to have an engineering career at Raytheon should be smart enough to know that if your GF ODs, you call an ambulance. That's why he is charged with what he has been charged with so far - note the lack of a murder charge as yet.

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not to drive around with a body in the trunk.

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He can be tried in both MA and Federal Courts for the same crimes under the separate sovereigns doctrine.

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