Press Release: 11/8/2024
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and the Family of Eurie Stamps, Sr. Release Jointly Produced Police Training Video
DA Ryan Publishes Independent Review Concerning Prior Administration’s Investigation into Mr. Stamps’ Death
POSTED ON: NOVEMBER 7, 2024 - 3:39PM
FRAMINGHAM – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan today announced the release of a new training video that her Office will use for Middlesex County Police Officers on the execution of search warrants. The video features Aaron Wilkins, the grandson of Eurie Stamps, Sr. In the video, Wilkins powerfully shares insights into the profound and long-term impact that his grandfather’s death during a police department’s execution of a search warrant in 2011 has had on him and his family. Wilkins also reflects on the critical role that police officers play in their communities and the need for officers and civilians alike to understand one another. This video will be shown to every officer in the county trained by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office as part of ongoing instruction regarding search warrants and safety during their execution. The video is viewable [here].
Relatedly, DA Ryan has also published a report that followed an extensive and independent review of the prior administration’s investigation into Mr. Stamps’ death. This independent review was conducted by former United States Attorney Carmen Ortiz. Attorney Ortiz served as the U.S Attorney for the District of Massachusetts from 2009-2017. She was appointed to that position by former President Barack Obama. Attorney Ortiz is now with the firm of Anderson& Kreiger. The full report is available [here].
“As District Attorney, I am committed to making meaningful changes that increase transparency and accountability regarding incidents involving use of force by officers,” said District Attorney Ryan. “I am grateful in this case to have the tremendous support of the Stamps family. Throughout this process they have been generous with their time and open and forthcoming about their personal stories. This work, which was both painful and detailed, reflects our shared desire to create some small but significant element of progress from a tragic situation. Just as importantly, I wanted to provide the Stamps family with an opportunity to honor their beloved Dad and Grandfather. Today’s announcement and publication reflects the keeping of our promise to fully examine this incident as well as an improvement in the way that we train officers to perform their important work in this County. I also want to thank Attorney Carmen Ortiz and her team for conducting an independent review of the prior administration’s investigation of the incident. This report reflects many hours of work and was an important act of public service.”
Today’s announcement is a part of District Attorney Ryan’s mission to model compassion, fairness, transparency, and innovation in prosecution. Towards those ends, since 2018, her Office has adopted a policy of requesting an inquest— a judicial inquiry overseen by a District Court judge—into all officer-involved fatalities, providing an independent level of review in these cases.
Additional records, including hundreds of documents, videos, and audio files related to the incident, can also be accessed on the Middlesex District Attorney’s website [here].