In the early hours of July 27, 2018, a man fell victim to an alleged unjustified assault by an MBTA Transit Police officer at Boston's Ashmont MBTA Station, which would soon unravel a tale of police misconduct and deceit. Fast forward to August 31, 2023, former Sergeant David S. Finnerty was indicted, according to a Justice Department announcement.
Finnerty, 47, faces two counts of false reports, with the potential consequences of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy emphasized the rarity of police misconduct, concurring with the FBI that it needs to be thoroughly investigated, especially when supervisors such as Finnerty are involved.
The indictment alleges that Finnerty was the Transit Police Officer in Charge during the Ashmont station incident, supervising Transit Police Officer D.B.
It is claimed that Finnerty falsified an arrest report and a Duty Supervisor/OIC Command Staff shift briefing regarding Officer D.B.'s actions, which included statements that were false and misleading and omitted crucial information. As of now, the details in the indictment are allegations, and Finnerty is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
