The State Supreme Court will hear pleas from the American Civil Liberties Union to release prisoners from state and county jails because of the Covid 19 virus. The District Attorneys, including the Hampden County DA Anthony Gilluni say that the effort is faulty and ill conceived and would trample on the rights on victims.
The District Attorneys say that the pleadings by the ACLU do not point out a controversy. backed by fact or statistics.
And according to the filings by the District Attorneys "By allowing a motion to revise or revoke sentences when the parole board does not act in accordance with a judge's expectations, the judge is interfering with the executive function. The judge cannot nullify the discretionary actions of the parole board”).In addition, by providing the broad relief of authorizing the release of inmates before the full terms of their validly imposed state sentences have been served, this Court would essentially be usurping the clemency powers that are held solely by the Governor of Massachusetts."
The State Supreme Court is not likely going to rule today although it is unclear when they will rule.