Apparently our man of the Shire has aspirations beyond the current cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment, medical neglect and abuse of prisoners in his “care.” So although he has no dominion over Boston Harbor, Congress has seen fit to give him $150,000 for a 25 foot law enforcement boat.

Also reported by CBS4 (I-Team Investigates Mass. Sheriffs’ Spending, 9/21/06), our overseer of hapless souls requested federal dollars for a full “marine unit” and global positioning system to “prevent a terrorist attack.” As though the quarter of a billion dollars he seeks from MA taxpayers for unnecessary jails weren’t enough!

Thank goodness the feds turned him down. Would that our own state legislators were so inclined. Instead they recently alloted him “no fewer than 7 million dollars” for new jail beds in Somerville and Lowell. This writer has been informed by credible sources that our $7 million will be used to market the counter-productive expansion to Middlesex residents and Mass. Taxpayers. DiPaola has already used taxpayer money “to fight for anti-terror powers,” traveling to conferences; preparing speeches and testimony; applying for grant money and researching homeland security.

On Sunday, October 15th the Sheriff hosted “Talent from Behind the Walls: an Exhibition of Inmate Art” at the Lowell Community Counseling Center. The writer would like to know, is this the self same community counseling center the Sheriff seeks to place 100 beds for women victims of economic and social policy? While the Democratic and Republican gubernatorial candidates duke it out using the “cons” as pawns, pitting tough-on-crime vs. Soft-on-crime, DiPaola O the Shire has figured out how to have it both ways!

While on the inside...

Inside a Middlesex County jail, in early 2002 Michael Besson was given Maalox and Mylanta for abdominal and chest pain. He repeatedly informed the medical staff, including a Dr. Pagan, of a hereditary blood disease which also causes gallstones.

In September 2002, he was placed in intensive care at the Shattuck Hospital, diagnosed with pancreatitis. Treatment was too late. Gallstones had blocked his pancreas and liver, enlarging them and causing his stomach to distend abnormally. (A Shattuck guard affirmed malpractice by Dr. Pagan in the death of a prisoner with asthma, and told Michael he would have to “take a number” to bring a lawsuit against Pagan.)

On October 28th, after further medical neglect, a portion of Michael's pancreas and the remainder of his shredded gall bladder was removed. Michael never recovered. You can read the whole story at www.massjeffdicks.com/michael.htm.

On May 18th, 2003 Michael left this world, after a dark journey through Massachusetts “correctional health care,” begun in the custody of Sheriff James DiPaola.

No wonder the prisoners “like to bang their heads against the walls,” to quote the Sheriff.