Boston Marathon Bombing

Hero’s Ending: Watertown Police Sergeant Who Helped Capture Boston Marathon Bombers Retires

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown Police Sgt. Jeff Pugliese is interviewed along with FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard DesLauriers at the press conference for the 2016 movie “Patriots Day.” The final day of May 2021 also marked the final day in a long career for one of the heroes of the Watertown Police Department who faced off with the Boston Marathon Bombers. Sgt. Jeff Pugliese worked his final shift on Memorial Day, and received congratulations from family, friends and fellow officers at the Watertown Police Station.

Boston Marathon Bombing

Watertown Police Disheartened by Courts Overturning of Tsarnaev Sentence

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The day after a Federal Appeals Court overturned the death sentence for convicted Boston Marathon Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the Watertown Police Department released a statement saying its members are “disheartened” by the ruling. The Watertown Police statement reads:

“The members of the Watertown Police Department are disheartened by the decision of the United States Federal Appeals Court to overturn the death penalty sentence of the Boston Marathon bomber. His unconscionable acts of terrorism during the 2013 Boston Marathon and subsequent days, has forever altered the lives of so many. We continue to mourn the loss of thosewho died; our hearts are always with their families and the hundreds of survivors impacted by this tragic event. #watertownstrong #bostonstrong”

The First Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the sentence, and said that Judge George O’Toole didn’t do enough to make sure jurors were not tainted by pretrial publicity, according to a WBUR report.

Police/Fire

Watertown Police Say Goodbye to a Hero & a Good Guy

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Sgt. John MacLellan greets one of the many people who came out to say goodbye to him at his retirement ceremony on Tuesday. Watertown Police Chief Michael Lawn summarized Sgt. John MacLellan’s career saying “The world would be a better place if there were John MacLellans in it.” Tuesday afternoon, one of the men involved in the shootout with and capture of the Boston Marathon Bombers got a hero’s farewell at the Watertown Police Station.

Boston Marathon Bombing

Career Highlight for One of the Heroes of the Watertown Shootout: Helping Others

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As Watertown Sgt. John MacLellan approaches retirement, he said the best part of being a police officer is helping others. Here he looks for toys with a young boy during the Shop With a Cop event at Target in 2015. When asked about the highlights of his career with the Watertown Police Department, Sgt. John MacLellan did not point to the night that he tangled with Boston Marathon Bombers, but rather being able to help people.

Around Town

Boston Marathon Bomber Appeal Coming Up; Court Docs Show Brother Suspected in Waltham Murders

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The case of convicted Boston Marathon Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will be in court soon to appeal the conviction, and recently unsealed documents related to the case show that the FBI believes his older brother Tamerlan was a prime suspect in the killing of three men in Waltham in 2011. Dzhokhar’s appeal of the death sentence for his role in the Boston Marathon Bombings is scheduled to go before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit on Dec. 12. The Boston Globe reported that court documents unsealed before the appeal implicate Tamerlan Tsarnaev with the the killings of three men in Waltham — Brendan Mess, 25, Erik H. Weissman, 31, and Raphael M. Teken, 37. Tamerlan died after the shootout with Watertown Police at the intersection of Dexter Avenue and Laurel Street.

Charity

Registration Open for Watertown Police Finish Strong 5K Run/Walk

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Once again this year the Watertown Police Department will host a 5K run and walk to commemorate the anniversary of the events that led to the capture of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects. 

The Watertown Police Finish Strong 5k Run/Walk begins at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 29, 2018 starting and finishing at Tufts Health Plan 705 Mount Auburn Street in Watertown. Mission: The Watertown Police Relief Association, Watertown Supervisors Association and Watertown Patrol officers Association will commemorate the 5th anniversary of the events that led to the capture of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects by inviting the community to fill the streets of Watertown in a 5K celebratory road race and walk.Proceeds to benefit the WPRA, WPSA and the WPA. Proceeds from this event will benefit the WPSA, local charity & victim funds, One Fund, Watertown Police Foundation and the new foundation to support youth community programming and school safety initiatives

Course: The course is fast and fairly flat 3.1 miles (5k). Prizes to top male/female finishers plus various age categories. Runners and walkers welcome and for safety purposes, no skateboards, rollerblades/skates, bicycles, or animals can be taken on the course.

Around Town

Discussion About a Possible Re-Trial of the Boston Marathon Bomber at the Library

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The public is invited to a lecture and discussion called “New Thoughts On The Boston Marathon Bombing.” The author of a new book that examines a possible re-trial of the Boston Marathon Bomber as his likely appeal on the horizon. Organizers sent out the following information (Note: this event is not sponsored by the Watertown Library. The organizers have reserved the space at the library as is open to all any community group):

A January 23 Lecture at Watertown Library: “The Tsarnaev Trial – Anomalies for the Appeal”

There will be a lecture at the Watertown Public Library on Tuesday, January 23 at 6pm. The speaker is Dr. Mary W. Maxwell, author of a new book entitled “Marathon Bombing: Indicting the Players.”

Almost 5 years after the 2013 Marathon bombing, people are making an effort to set the legal record straight. A student at UMass, Dartmouth, Dzhokhar (“Jahar”) Tsarnaev, was convicted of the crime.

Boston Marathon Bombing

Watertown Police Officer Gets the Hollywood Treatment for ‘Patriots Day’ Movie

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The past several months have been a whirlwind Hollywood experience for Watertown Police Sgt. Jeff Pugliese. As one of the Watertown Police officers who faced off in a firefight with the Boston Marathon Bombers, Pugliese is portrayed in the movie “Patriots Day,” by veteran actor J.K. Simmons. Wednesday night, Pugliese and his wife attended the first Boston premiere of the movie (which stars Mark Wahlberg) at the Wang Theater, and before Thanksgiving the couple was whisked off to Los Angeles for the premiere. “We got the red carpet treatment in L.A. It was an experience,” Pugliese said.