ED: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
IT IS TIME TO GO ON THE RECORD.
BARRIERS BROKEN.
RACHAEL ROLLINS TAKES THE HELM,
PROMISING AN ERA OF CRIMINAL
REFORM.
>> MR. TRUMP, YOU TOOK AN OATH
LIKE I DID FIVE DAYS AGO.
YOU DISHONORED THAT OATH.
ED: WHAT AYANNA PRESSLEY’S EARLY
DAYS ON CAPITOL HILL ARE TELLING
US.
REPORTER: A RECORD NUMBER OF NEW
WOMEN IN POLITICS.
IS THERE STILL A DOUBLE
STANDARD, THOUGH?
>> FROM WCVB CHANNEL 5, THE
INSIDE WORD FROM WASHINGTON TO
BEACON HILL.
TODAY’S NEWSMAKERS ARE GOING ON
THE RECORD.
[CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE
NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE,
WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS
CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.
VISIT NCICAP.ORG]
ED: VERY GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
ALONG WITH POLITICAL REPORTER
JANET WILL, I AM ED HARDING.
OUR GUEST IS RACHAEL ROLLINS,
THE NEW SUFFOLK COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY.
SHE IS THE FIRST WOMAN OF COLOR
TO HOLD THAT POSITION, ONE OF
MANY HISTORIC STORIES FROM THE
2018 ELECTION CYCLE.
SHE IS A GRADUATE OF AMHERST AND
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY LAW
SCHOOL.
SHE SERVED AS THE GENERAL
COUNSEL TO MASSDOT AND THE MBTA.
SHE IS ALSO A PRESS CANCER
SURVIVOR.
HAPPY NEW YEAR.
MS. ROLLINS: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU.
JANET: THANK YOU FOR JOINING.
ON THE DAY YOU WERE ELECTED MANY
VOTERS KNEW VERY LITTLE ABOUT
YOU.
BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNEW ONE
THING ABOUT YOU, WHICH IS THAT
YOU FELT MANY TIMES ON THE BOOKS
SHOULD NOT BE PROSECUTED.
CAN YOU SUMMARIZE WHAT YOU MEAN
BY THAT?
MS. ROLLINS: YES, OF COURSE.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME HERE.
I BELIEVE WE CAN HOLD PEOPLE
ACCOUNTABLE WITHOUT SENDING THEM
TO JAIL.
I WAS VERY VOCAL PRE-PRIMARY
ABOUT THE FACT THAT I WAS GOING
TO LOOK AT CRIME DIFFERENTLY
THAN WE HAD.
IF WE LOOK OVER THE LAST 16
YEARS, DAN CONNOLLY DID A VERY
GOOD JOB AS DISTRICT ATTORNEY,
BUT LET’S THINK ABOUT WHAT HAS
CHANGED IN OUR LIVES.
WE HAVE SEEN UBER, AIRBNB
COMPLETELY DISRUPT INDUSTRIES.
WE ARE STILL PROSECUTING THINGS
IN THE SAME WAY WE HAVE IN THE
1970’S, 1980’S, 1990’S.
WHAT WE ARE SEEING ASHLEY IS
THAT DATA SHOWS -- NATIONAL IS
THAT THE DATA SHOWS OUR TOUGH ON
CRIME APPROACH THINGS AREN’T
NETTING THE SAME RESULTS WE
THOUGHT THEY WERE.
I SAID WITH RESPECT TO LOW-LEVEL
NONVIOLENT CRIMES --
ED: BE SPECIFIC.
MS. ROLLINS: I WILL BE VERY
SPECIFIC.
LIST OF 15 -- TRESPASSING,
SHOPLIFTING, POSSESSION OF
DRUGS.
I EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO SAY
POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO
DISTRIBUTE, THAT A LOT OF
NONLAWYERS DON’T UNDERSTAND
THERE IS NO WAY TO ASSOCIATED
WITH THAT AND IT IS NOT
DISTRIBUTION, IT IS INTENT.
IN THOSE 15 CIRCUMSTANCES, AND
THERE ARE A FEW OTHERS --
STANDALONE RESISTING ARREST
CHARGE, FOR EXAMPLE, OR BREAKING
AND ENTERING INTO A VACANT
PROPERTY FOR THE PURPOSE OF
SEEKING SHELTER -- I DON’T THINK
PEOPLE NEED TO BE IN THE FIRST
INSTANCE INCARCERATED FOR,
BECAUSE OVERWHELMINGLY THOSE
CRIMES ARE CRIMES OF POVERTY,
MENTAL ILLNESS, AND ADDICTION.
I THINK WHAT THESE PEOPLE NEED
HIS SERVICES, NOT SENTENCES.
WE WILL LOOK AT EACH OF THESE
CIRCUMSTANCES IN A CASE-BY-CASE
BASIS AND HOPEFULLY GET THEM THE
TREATMENT THEY NEED RATHER THAN
COSTING TAXPAYERS TO THE $5,000
A YEAR TO SEND THEM TO NASHUA
STREET OR THE SUFFOLK COUNTY
HOUSE OF CORRECTIONS.
ED: MASSACHUSETTS, WITH
MARIJUANA BEING LEGAL,
POSSESSION BECOMES AN EVEN MORE
INTERESTING --
MS. ROLLINS: VERY INTERESTING
MOMENT.
MOVING OFF OF THAT, WE HAVE A
LOT OF WORK TO DO WITH RESPECT
TO MARIJUANA, AND THE EXCELLENT
ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S IN
MY OFFICE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU
ARE OPERATING A VEHICLE AND YOU
HAVE INGESTED CANNABIS, WHICH IS
LAWFUL, HOW ARE WE TO TELL THAT
YOU ARE IMPAIRED?
WE HAVE THE LASER  --
BREATHALYZER TESTS WITH RESPECT
TO ALCOHOL.
WE HAVE TO PLAY A SPECIALIST TO
DETERMINE IF SOMEONE IS UNDER
THE INFLUENCE OF CANNABIS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN
THESE AREAS TO CATCH UP WITH
INNOVATION.
ED: THE OBVIOUS QUESTION TO THAT
WOULD BE HOW DO YOUR COMMENTS
SIT WITH POLICE OFFICERS?
MS. ROLLINS: VERY CANDIDLY,
THERE ARE SOMEPLACE THAT ARE
UPSET ABOUT THIS, BUT MANY
POLICE WILL TELL YOU THAT
ALREADY THE LIST OF 15, IN THE
FIRST INSTANCE PEOPLE ARE NOT
BEING INCARCERATED.
WE HAD A GREAT COMMISSIONER AND
COMMISSIONER EVANS AND WE HAVE A
GREAT COMMISSIONER IN
COMMISSIONER GROSS.
THE COMMISSIONER’S STATEMENT IS
CUFFS AS A LAST RESORT.
ALL I’M SAYING IS THAT WITH
NONVIOLENT OR LESS SERIOUS
CRIMES, INCARCERATION IS THE
LAST RESORT.
JANET: IN YOUR INAUGURAL YOU
MADE A POINT OF LOOKING AT THE
COMMISSIONER AND SAID THAT I
KNOW WHAT  A LOT OF WHAT I’M
PROPOSING IS MAKING FOLKS
NERVOUS, BUT NERVOUS IS GOOD, IT
BRINGS CHANGE.
HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO TALK
PRIVATELY WITH COMMISSIONER?
MS. ROLLINS: FOR SURE.
SUFFOLK COUNTY IS NOT JUST
BOSTON -- IT IS CHELSEA,
WINTHROP, AND REVERE.
I NEED TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THE
CHIEFS OF THOSE PARTS OF SUFFOLK
COUNTY.
I HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH OF
THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
THEY ARE UPSTANDING MEN, THEY
ARE  OUTSTANDING AT
THE JOBS.
WE MIGHT NOT AGREE ON
EVERYTHING, BUT WHAT I WANT IS
TRANSPARENCY, AND WHETHER YOU
ARE IN WEST ROXBURY OR ROCKS
VERY, TO BE RECEIVING THE EXACT
SAME TREATMENT WHEN YOU WALK IN
WITH AN OPIOID ISSUE OR MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUE.
JANET: CAN YOU SAY WITH
CONFIDENCE THAT AFTER MEETING
WITH ALL OF THESE POLICE CHIEF
THEY ARE "LESS NERVOUS" THAN
BEFORE THE MENU?
-- BEFORE THEY MET YOU?
MS. ROLLINS: PERSONALLY I THINK
THEY ARE LESS NERVOUS BECAUSE
THEY ACTUALLY MET ME AND I AM NO
LONGER BUSINESS WE WOMAN -- THIS
MYSTERY WOMAN WHO IS ALLEGEDLY
SOFT ON CRIME, THE WORDS THEY
TRY TO USE ON ME.
I AM SMART ON CRIME.
I HAVE PROSECUTED CASES BEFORE.
I AM A FORMER FEDERAL
PROSECUTOR.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH
RESPECTIVE ISLAND AND SERIOUS
CRIMES, REMOVING PEOPLE FROM THE
COMMUNITY.
BUT WE SEND PEOPLE AWAY TOO LONG
AND WE DON’T DO ENOUGH.
JANET: DO YOU THINK THEY AGREE
WITH YOU?
MS. ROLLINS: I THINK THEY AGREE
WITH MANY THINGS ON THE LIST.
ARRESTING PEOPLE ON A STANDALONE
CHARGE, THEY BELIEVE THAT IS NOT
RESPECTFUL OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
FOR I WILL SIT DOWN AND TALK
ABOUT THEM.
AND THEY BELIEVE THAT POSSESSION
WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE MAY BE
A STEP TOO FAR.
BUT OVERWHELMINGLY THESE LAW
ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS KNOW
THAT THE OPIOID CRISIS IS OUT OF
CONTROL, AND PEOPLE STRUGGLING
WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER
NEEDED TREATMENT.
ED: YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT
VIOLENT CRIMES.
HALFWAY THROUGH JANUARY AND WE
HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF MURDERS IN
BOSTON, AND I WILL BE PERFECTLY
HONEST WITH YOU, WEDNESDAY NIGHT
ON NEWSCENTER 5, WE HAD A WOMAN
CRYING SAYING SHE COULD NOT SIT
IN HER OWN NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE
THERE ARE SHOTS BEING FIRED IN
HER OWN NEIGHBORHOOD.
A PHILADELPHIA DA SUGGESTED THAT
SOME FIRST-DEGREE MURDERS
SHOULD BE PROSECUTED AS
MANSLAUGHTER OR SECOND-DEGREE.
DO YOU HAVE A FEELING ON THAT?
MS. ROLLINS: YEAH, FOR THAT
WOMAN, SHE IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
SHE DESERVES TO HAVE A COMMUNITY
--
ED: IT IS HEART WRENCHING.
MS. ROLLINS: WHERE SHE AND HER
CHILDREN CAN WALK OUT AND CHECK
MAIL AND PLAY IN THE STREET AND
NOT BE FEARFUL OF BEING SHOT AND
ATTACKED.
OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT HAVE AN INCREDIBLY
TOUGH JOB AND I AM DEEP RESPECT
FOR THEM.
WE WILL BE WORKING ON MAKING
SURE WE SAW THESE CRIMES AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, THAT WE ARE
HOLDING PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE.
I WILL BE VERY ACTIVE.
WHAT I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW IS
WITH RESPECT TO HOMICIDES, IN
MASSACHUSETTS WE ARE FORTUNATE
WITH RESPECT TO SUFFOLK COUNTY
-- I OVERSEE ALL OF THE HOMICIDE
INVESTIGATIONS.
SO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY RUNS
FROM INVESTIGATION TO
PROSECUTION, EVERYTHING, AND I
WILL BE WORKING VERY CLOSELY
WITH THE COMMISSIONER ON THAT.
JANET: BUT TO GO TO THE ORIGINAL
QUESTION, DO YOU THINK THERE ARE
SOME FIRST-DEGREE MURDER’S THAT
SHOULD BE PROSECUTED AS
MANSLAUGHTER IS AN SECOND-DEGREE
NOT FIRST-DEGREE?
MS. ROLLINS: WE NEED TO LOOK AT
EVERYTHING IS NOT A REFLEX,
SAYING FIRST-DEGREE,
FIRST-DEGREE, FIRST-DEGREE.
THERE ARE SOME CIRCUMSTANCES
WHERE A SECOND-DEGREE CHARGE
MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE.
BUT I HAVE FULL FAITH IN MY
CHIEF OF HOMICIDE AND HIS
ASSISTANT.
THIS OFFICE HAS EXCEPTIONAL
LAWYERS IN IT THAT ARE MAKING
THOSE DECISIONS, AND WE ARE
ALREADY DOING THAT IN MANY
INSTANCES.
ED: I UNDERSTAND THE TOPIC WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT.
I WANT TO CHANGE THE MOOD
DRAMATICALLY AND GO TO THE POP
QUIZ.
MS. ROLLINS: OH MY GOD,, I’M SO
NERVOUS.
[LAUGHTER]
ED: WAIT A MINUTE, WE JUST ASKED
YOU ABOUT --
MS. ROLLINS: NO WHAMMIES.
THAT SHOWS MY AGE.
ED: THERE MIGHT BE ONE IN HERE.
WHAT VINTAGE TV CRIME DRAMA WAS
ACTUALLY SET IN BOSTON?
"MANNIX," "IRONSIDE," "SPENCER:
FOR HIGHER."
MS. ROLLINS:  "SPENCER: FOR
HIRE."
ED: DING DING.
AT YOUR SWEARING IN CEREMONY YOU
ENTERED THE ROOM TO "
CELEBRATION" BY KOOL AND THE
GANG.
NAME ANOTHER HIT BY KOOL AND THE
GANG.
"SEPTEMBER," "GET DOWN ON IT,"
"THREE TIMES A LADY."
MS. ROLLINS: "GET DOWN ON IT."
ED: A FEW BARS?
MS. ROLLIN
