The Massachusetts Parole Board is sending a message to the public. Violent criminals come first. Everyone else comes second.
That message could not be clearer.
The board has now approved the release of another convicted murderer. Patrick Grier gunned down 16-year-old De’Andre Barboza in broad daylight in Boston. He shot him, watched him fall, and then kept firing at point-blank range. Barboza died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Now Grier is going free.
This is not an isolated case. The board has been releasing murderers at a steady pace. Dozens of “emerging adult” killers have either been freed or are now eligible. More than 200 became eligible after a 2024 court ruling known as Commonwealth v. Mattis.
That ruling changed the law. It said offenders who were 18 to 20 years old at the time of a murder cannot be sentenced to life without parole. Instead, they must get a chance at parole.
But that is the key point. A chance.
The court did not order the Parole Board to release anyone. It did not say these offenders must walk free. It simply made them eligible for a hearing.
The Parole Board is choosing to open the door.
That should alarm everyone.
Public safety is supposed to be the top priority of the government. It is the most basic responsibility. But the Parole Board is acting like it is secondary. Or optional.
A man commits a brutal murder. He gets a life sentence because Massachusetts no longer has capital punishment. The public is told that justice has been served. Years later, the system changes, and he is released anyway.
That is not justice. That is a bait and switch.
It also sends the wrong message. Completely the wrong message.
What does it say to victims’ families? It says their loss has an expiration date. It says the system may care about them for a time, but not forever. It says the person who took a life will eventually get another chance, no matter how violent the crime.
That is a slap in the face.
It also sends a message to criminals. It tells them that even the worst crimes may not carry permanent consequences. That if they wait long enough, the system might give them another shot.
That is reckless.
Supporters of these decisions talk about “rehabilitation.” They point to prison programs. They cite degrees and job training, as if most prisoners aren't rearrested after they're released.
That misses the point.
This is not about minor offenses. These are murder cases. These are people who chose to take a life. In some cases, they did it in cold blood, in public, without hesitation.
The Parole Board is treating those cases like they are something less.
Even prosecutors are raising concerns. Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz criticized one recent release, noting the inmate had 19 disciplinary reports in prison. He questioned whether the man’s participation in programs was genuine or simply a way to secure release.
That is a fair question.
If someone only begins to behave when parole becomes possible, what does that really prove? It proves they understand the system. It does not prove they are safe.
But the Parole Board is willing to take that risk.
Not for themselves. For you.
The people making these decisions do not live with the consequences. The public does. The families do. The communities do.
And when something goes wrong, it cannot be undone.
Massachusetts should be protecting its residents. It should be standing with the victims. It should send a clear message that violent crime will be punished, not minimized.
Instead, the Parole Board is doing the opposite.
It is taking a court ruling that created eligibility and turning it into a pathway to release.
It is putting murderers first.
And that is as irresponsible as it gets.
