BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Attorneys for Suspended Police Commissioner Dennis White tried to persuade a judge to keep White in his position after decades-old domestic violence allegations surfaced in February.
White went before a judge over Zoom on Thursday, to fight against Acting Mayor Kim Janey's demand to replace him.
According to the initial complaint, White alleges that his rights are being violated because the final report from the investigation was based on hearsay, and Janey did not provide White with "due and meaningful notice" before planning to terminate him, and the allegations were already resolved in court.
Suffolk Superior Court Judge Heidi Brieger heard oral arguments from both White and Janey along with their lawyers. She did not make a ruling during the hearing.
"What I have to sort through, and I'm not sure you’ve convinced me, is that the Superior Court has any role whatsoever in Mayor Janey’s decision to terminate the commissioner or not," Brieger told White's attorney during the hearing.
"Mayor Walsh appointed him with knowledge of these two incidents and decided they were not reason not to appoint Dennis White as commissioner,” White’s attorney, Nick Carter, said during the hearing.
However, former-Mayor Marty Walsh said, "Had I known, I would not have chosen him for police commissioner or any other role."
The 32-year veteran of Boston Police Department was placed on administrative leave two days after he was sworn in. He had been selected to replace former BPD Commissioner William Gross, who announced his retirement earlier this year.
City lawyer Kay Hodge said that Janey does not want him removed from his position solely because of the domestic violent allegations, but also for how he handled the questions presented to him.
“He was not cooperative. He didn’t answer many of the questions, by the way, questions which a police officer would be forced to both cooperate and to answer. He wanted to be ordered to do that,” Hodge said.
“I respect Judge Brieger’s decision to take more time before issuing a ruling in this case and appreciate her intent to rule as soon as possible,” Janey said in a statement released after the hearing. “The people of Boston and the Boston Police Department deserve leadership that shares our goal of safety, healing, and justice. We look forward to the court’s ruling.”
WBZ NewsRadio's Karyn Regal (@KarynRegal) reports:
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Written by Edyn Jensen
(Photo: Getty Images)