Stories Jupin's Law

Jupin's Law

by Jen Shenk

Jupin’s Law

has been officially endorsed by:

Ashburnham Police Department

Central Mass Chiefs

Clinton Police Department

Devens Federal Prison Union

Fitchburg Police Department

Gardner Police Department

Hubbardston Police Department

Leominster Police Department

Lunenburg Police Department

Mass Chiefs

Oakham Police Department

Princeton Police Department

Worcester County Sheriff's Union

Verbal endorsements

have been received by:

Massachusetts Correctional Officer's Union

State Police Association of Massachusetts

Boston Police Association

MPA

MassCop

Why Jupin's Law?

Most people in Westminster were safely asleep at midnight on Monday, May 10, 1999 while Westminster Police Officers Ralph LeBlanc and Larry Jupin were on patrol. Right around midnight, just as he was finishing up with a car he had pulled over, Officer LeBlanc spotted a man dressed in camouflage walking toward his cruiser along the stretch of route 31 near the Fitchburg/Westminster landfill. Upon asking him who he was and where he was coming from, Officer LeBlanc became suspicious and believed the man was not being truthful with him. He asked the man to stand near the guardrail while he returned to the cruiser and checked him for warrants.

However, before Officer LeBlanc could run the records check, Officer Jupin had arrived at Officer LeBlanc's location to assist him. When he noticed Officer Jupin had arrived on scene the man, Jason Rivers, ran about 1,500 feet into the woods with Officers LeBlanc and Jupin in pursuit on foot. Jason Rivers was wanted for a parole violation, although that was not learned until after he fled. Soon into the chase, Jason Rivers unexpectedly turned and, aiming a gun that he'd stolen from his father's gun cabinet, opened fire at Officers Jupin and LeBlanc.

Within seconds, Rivers had unloaded his gun--4 shots fired at Officer Jupin and the other two at Officer LeBlanc. Three of his shots were accurate, all striking and severely wounding Officer Lawrence 'Larry' Jupin.

Larry Jupin never recovered from his injuries. He died after spending the last few years of his life in a nursing home, no longer the healthy and active police officer that he had been, but rather shrunken to a mere 125 pounds upon his death at the age of 34.

After ten years of delays and repeatedly being declared incompetent to stand trial, on September 1, 2009 Jason Rivers, in a jury-waived trial that lasted just two hours and was attended by the majority of the Westminster police force, was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Current Massachusetts law does not allow for someone to be found guilty but insane, although several other states do allow this verdict. Officer LeBlanc, along with many others, are working to change this state law to allow for a “Guilty, But Mentally Ill” verdict.

In the week since Jason Rivers was found not guilty by reason of insanity, Ralph LeBlanc has met and talked with state legislators to see how people who are so outraged by this not guilty verdict can actually go about changing the Massachusetts General Laws. He has started a Facebook page called Jupin’s Law, which has become an online meeting spot for concerned citizens and has grown to more than 2,800 members in less than a week. Watch this page for updates on this movement. Officer LeBlanc can be reached regarding these efforts to honor his partner Larry Jupin at jupinslaw@yahoo.com.

Please visit the website www.JupinsLaw.com for more information on this cause.

Jupin's Law Updates

Updated: 03/02/10 09:49 PM

March 2, 2010

Westminster Police Detective Ralph LeBlanc, Westminster Police Chief Sam Albert and State Representative Lew Evangelidis testified in support of House Bill #4484, An Act Relative to the Insanity Defense on March 2 at the State House. Jupin's Law would provide for a verdict of "Guilty, But Insane" and would provide for a period of confinement of at least ten years, with subsequent commitments occurring every year.

February 26, 2010

“JUPIN’S LAW” TO CHANGE INSANITY DEFENSE LAWS TO GO BEFORE THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE ON TUESDAY, MARCH 2ND

BOSTON- State Representative Lew Evangelidis announced today that the Judiciary Committee will be hearing testimony regarding House Bill 4484, An Act Relative to the Insanity Defense on Tuesday March 2nd. The hearing will take place in room A-2 at the State House in Boston. Any individuals who would like to testify before the committee are welcome to participate in the public hearing. Written testimony can also be submitted by contacting the Judiciary Committee or Representative Evangelidis’ office at 617-722-2263.

Evangelidis filed this legislation with the Westminster Police Department following the trial of Jason Rivers, an individual who shot Westminster Police Officer Larry Jupin in 1999. Rivers was found not guilty by reason of insanity and under the current laws could be released in as little as six months following the date of his verdict.

Evangelidis’ legislation would remove the current defense of “not guilty by reason of insanity” in cases of murder and replace it with “guilty, but insane.” Under the proposed legislation by Evangelidis, an individual found guilty except insane would be committed to a period of confinement for at least ten years, with subsequent commitments occurring every year.

February 11, 2010

House Bill 4484 An Act Relative to the Insanity Defense (Jupin’s Law) has been reported out of the House Rules Committee. With the help of Senator Flanagan we were able to have the bill referred to the Judiciary Committee and will be begin to advocate for a public hearing this spring.

February 10, 2010

Current Massachusetts law allows those facing charges of a crime to plead “not guilty by reason of insanity”. Cases with these findings sentence defendants to a mental institution where they are evaluated and can eventually be released back into society when deemed fit by evaluators. Jupin’s Law is currently before the House Committee on Rules and Representative Evangelidis' office is advocating that it be released from the Committee so it can be assigned a bill number, referred to the Judiciary Committee and have a public hearing scheduled. The advocacy process can be challenging later in the two year session but they are going to continue to push the Chairman to move this bill forward and recognize the importance of this bill, which would allow for a verdict of 'Guilty but Insane' in Massachusetts.

January 20, 2010

Jupin's Law is making wider headlines and was written up in the January 2010 issue of American Police Beat magazine. Jupin's Law was filed by State Representative Lew Evangelidis after working with Westminster Police Officer Ralph LeBlanc and other lawmakers on the wording and intent of the law that would allow a verdict of Guilty But Insane. We'll keep readers posted on the progress of Jupin's Law.

November 19, 2009

Exciting news about Jupin's Law, which has become my quest to change the way the insanity defense is used in Massachusetts. This is the official notice that it will be filed as a bill. On Thursday November 19, 2009 at 1:00pm, the announcement of "Jupin's Law" was held at the Worcester County Court House in Worcester, MA.

November 18, 2009

From State Representative

Lew Evangelidis

I would like to invite you to a press conference we will be holding this Thursday, November 19th at 1PM outside the Worcester County Courthouse on Main Street in Worcester. At this time we will be announcing the filing of legislation aimed to change the Commonwealth's Insanity Defense Laws. We have been working on this legislation for the past few months with local law enforcement officials after the shooting death of Officer Lawrence Jupin of the Westminster Police Department. As many of you know, the individual who fatally shot Officer Jupin in 1999 was recently found not guilty by reason of insanity. Under the current laws of the Commonwealth, Officer Jupin's assailant could be back on the streets in only a few short months or years. I believe that the current laws that all ow someone to be found not guilty by reason of insanity are simply crazy. It is outrageous that a murderer could be released from incarceration after only a few months or years of treatment in a hospital setting without any criminal record whatsoever. I hope that if you are around Worcester tomorrow afternoon you will join us as we announce the filing of this legislation in memory of Officer Jupin.

Thanks to Representative Lew

Evangelidis and Senator Jennifer Flanagan for their support! For more information please visit www.jupinslaw.com or Jupin's Law on Facebook.

The long sleeve Jupin’s Law T-Shirts are available for sale at the Police Department. There are sizes from Small to XX-Large. They are $14 each.

Jupin's Law bumper stickers are *FREE* and available at the Westminster Police Department.

The Jupin's Law Facebook page has reached 4,376 fans. A website has been created at www.jupinslaw.com.

Click here to see Detective Ralph LeBlanc's September 19th interview with Mike Cooley of Leominster Cable Access TV show CoolTalk.

Our next step in gaining support is to ask any and all Unions, Associations and Groups to sign on as being supporters. If you are a member of a Union, Association or Group please help me gain their support. Recognition of the support should be drafted in a letter form and could be mailed to the Westminster Police Association, P.O. Box #697, Westminster, MA 01473.

We need to show the House of Representative and Senate that we have extensive backing throughout the state of Massachusetts.

Thank you all for your continued support of Jupin’s Law! Continue to forward our cause to your e-mail contacts and Facebook friends to spread the word.

Bumper stickers are available at the Westminster Police Department FREE of charge. T-shirts are also available for $12.

Any cares or concerns please send an email to jupinslaw@yahoo.com.

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