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Today’s decision by the Supreme Judicial Court, which embraces what we have been doing in Middlesex County since this crisis began, calls for a collaborative and individualized approach that utilizes law enforcement expertise and the medical information surrounding this pandemic to strike a balance between public safety and the risk to the individual being held.
As the rate of infection continues to grow, time is of the essence. In order to combat this virus we must work together. In Middlesex, working with the Sheriff and defense counsel, we have so far identified and released 81 pre-trial individuals from a comprehensive list of detainees who fit the criteria set forth by the SJC. We will continue to act expeditiously on this list and consider the serious health risks posed by COVID-19 when making bail recommendations.
