On Wednesday, Mayor Michelle Wu of Boston apologized to the families of Alan Swanson and Willie Bennett, two Black men who had been falsely convicted in 1989 for the murder of a lady.
According to CNN, Charles “Chuck” Stuart reported to authorities in 1989 that he and his expectant wife Carol had been shot during an attempted carjacking. Carol had a gunshot wound to her head when police arrived on the scene. Stuart also had a gunshot wound, according to the Boston Globe.
Carol had a cesarean section and her baby was delivered, but she subsequently passed away in a hospital from her wounds. But the infant passed away after 17 days.
Stuart told the authorities that a Black man had attacked him and his late wife while he was recovering. This led to a massive “stop and frisk” police operation in the Black districts of the city. Racial tensions were also very high in Boston at the time.
Furthermore, a subsequent Boston Globe investigation revealed that multiple policemen at the time were aware Stuart had lied about his first description of the culprit, even though authorities had detained Swanson and Bennett in relation to Carol’s murder.
“The most striking thing to me was that we discovered 33 people had known Charles Stuart committed the murder at the time he committed suicide. Nobody had an inkling the number of people who knew was anything like that,” Adrian Walker, an associate editor and columnist at the Boston Globe, told CNN.
Stuart’s brother also later confessed and told police Stuart hatched the murder plan, adding that it was linked to an insurance fraud scheme. He also said Stuart lied about the attacker being a Black man.
“I am so sorry for what you endured,” said Wu at a news conference. “As a result, our Black residents suffered, as a result Alan Swanson suffered, Willie Bennett suffered, and their families continue to suffer. What was done to you was unfair, unjust, racist and wrong.”
Wu on Tuesday also said officials holding different positions decided to believe a lie that caused a “systemic campaign targeting Black men.” Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox also issued an apology for “the poor investigation, overzealous behavior and more likely, unconstitutional behavior.”
An official apology letter was presented to the families during the press conference. Bennett’s nephew, Joey Bennett, accepted the apology on his behalf.
“This moment is not just a personal triumph to our family,” Joey Bennett said. “The world can be informed of what transpired 34 years ago and begin the process of healing our trauma.”