Andrew Quemere

Independent journalist in Massachusetts. I make lots of public records requests.

Newsletter: andrewqmr.substack.com
Twitter: twitter.com/andrewqmr
Email: aquemere0@gmail.com

2025-05-14

This story literally took years of work!

If you appreciated it, please consider signing up for a free or paid subscription to my newsletter to get more of my writing about wrongful convictions, police misconduct, government transparency, and more.

andrewqmr.substack.com/

2025-05-14

My latest for The Appeal:

James Carver spent 36 years in prison after he was convicted of setting one of the deadliest fires in Massachusetts history. But after reviewing new scientific evidence, a judge set him free.

“They took my life away for nothing,” Carver said. “I’ve always said that I’m not the person that was involved in [the fire], and I meant it.”

theappeal.org/james-carver-rel

Andrew Quemere boosted:
2025-01-09

NEW: Essex County prosecutors will fight a judge's ruling that overturned James Carver's murder convictions in the case related to the infamous Elliott Chambers Rooming House fire in Beverly, Massachusetts.

ALSO: Reactions to the news from family members of victims.

andrewqmr.substack.com/p/james

2025-01-08

NEW: Essex County prosecutors will fight a judge's ruling that overturned James Carver's murder convictions in the case related to the infamous Elliott Chambers Rooming House fire in Beverly, Massachusetts.

ALSO: Reactions to the news from family members of victims.

andrewqmr.substack.com/p/james

2024-12-28

NEW: James Carver has spent more than three decades in prison for a deadly rooming-house fire in Beverly that he has maintained he did not start.

And on December 23, a judge overturned his murder convictions, writing that scientific advances have undermined key evidence presented at trial.

andrewqmr.substack.com/p/james

2024-12-19

The Sheriff of Nottingham's spirit is alive and well in Western Mass:

Read the absurd excuses DAs use to justify civil asset forfeiture laws, which allow police and prosecutors to enrich themselves by seizing cash and cars with little due process.

andrewqmr.substack.com/p/sheri

IMAGE: The Sheriff of Nottingham from Disney's Robin Hood.

TEXT: 

The Sheriff of Nottingham’s spirit is alive and well in Western Mass

Civil asset forfeiture laws allow police and prosecutors to enrich themselves by seizing cash and cars with little due process
Andrew Quemere boosted:
2024-12-18

NEW: Bianca Tylek dismantles that absurd WJAR propaganda piece claiming no-cost phone calls are somehow causing increased crime in jails.

The reality is that this is a wildly successful policy that's connected incarcerated people with their loved ones.

andrewqmr.substack.com/p/dont-

Andrew Quemere boosted:
2024-12-16

NEW: I wrote about the amazing story behind the Running for Innocence team, which for the past decade has raised money to help free wrongfully convicted people from prison.

The team was founded by an exoneree, Victor Rosario, and one of the lawyers who got him out of prison.

And this year, the group added a new member: Alex Rodriguez, the man who trained Rosario to run marathons while he was incarcerated.

andrewqmr.substack.com/p/a-dec

A Decade of Running to Free the Innocent
Advocates in Massachusetts celebrate 10 years of using running to help free wrongfully convicted people from prison
2024-12-12

NEW: Bianca Tylek dismantles that absurd WJAR propaganda piece claiming no-cost phone calls are somehow causing increased crime in jails.

The reality is that this is a wildly successful policy that's connected incarcerated people with their loved ones.

andrewqmr.substack.com/p/dont-

2024-12-10

NEW: I wrote about the amazing story behind the Running for Innocence team, which for the past decade has raised money to help free wrongfully convicted people from prison.

The team was founded by an exoneree, Victor Rosario, and one of the lawyers who got him out of prison.

And this year, the group added a new member: Alex Rodriguez, the man who trained Rosario to run marathons while he was incarcerated.

andrewqmr.substack.com/p/a-dec

A Decade of Running to Free the Innocent
Advocates in Massachusetts celebrate 10 years of using running to help free wrongfully convicted people from prison
Andrew Quemere boosted:
2024-12-02

James Lucien spent 26 years in prison before his murder conviction was overturned due to evidence of police misconduct that finally unraveled the dubious case against him.

But the state of Massachusetts will owe Lucien no more than $1 million for his decades behind bars unless lawmakers change the cap on compensation for victims of wrongful convictions.

andrewqmr.substack.com/p/compe

Andrew Quemere boosted:
2024-12-02

I appeared on NBC10 Boston to explain how the Mass State Police get away with not complying with public records requests and what can be done to fix this problem.

andrewqmr.substack.com/p/above

A screenshot of me speaking on NBC10 Boston. The chryon reads: "STRUGGLE TO OBTAIN DOCUMENTS UNDER PUBLIC RECORDS LAW."
2024-11-25

I appeared on NBC10 Boston to explain how the Mass State Police get away with not complying with public records requests and what can be done to fix this problem.

andrewqmr.substack.com/p/above

A screenshot of me speaking on NBC10 Boston. The chryon reads: "STRUGGLE TO OBTAIN DOCUMENTS UNDER PUBLIC RECORDS LAW."
2024-10-29

However, lawmakers on the state's judiciary committee are seeking a compromise that would also expand pretrial detention without bail — ironically linking the issue of justice for wrongfully convicted people to incarcerating people who have not been convicted of crimes.

2024-10-29

James Lucien spent 26 years in prison before his murder conviction was overturned due to evidence of police misconduct that finally unraveled the dubious case against him.

But the state of Massachusetts will owe Lucien no more than $1 million for his decades behind bars unless lawmakers change the cap on compensation for victims of wrongful convictions.

andrewqmr.substack.com/p/compe

Andrew Quemere boosted:
2024-10-01

Two #Stoneham detectives ordered a real-estate broker to his knees at gunpoint at a house he was about to show a client; jury will decide whether town violated his civil rights
universalhub.com/2024/judge-ru

#Lawsuits #Massachusetts #CivilRights #FourthAmendment

Andrew Quemere boosted:
2024-10-01

FYI: Wednesday is Wrongful Conviction Day. There will be an event at the Massachusetts State House followed by a march to Boston City Hall.

andrewqmr.substack.com/p/wedne

2024-09-30

FYI: Wednesday is Wrongful Conviction Day. There will be an event at the Massachusetts State House followed by a march to Boston City Hall.

andrewqmr.substack.com/p/wedne

Andrew Quemere boosted:
2024-08-05

Court tosses drugs as evidence because while police had the right to do a strip search to find them, they shouldn't have done it on the side of a busy #Dorchester street
universalhub.com/2024/court-to

#Boston #crime #SearchAndSeizure

Andrew Quemere boosted:
2024-08-05

Last night, I appeared on The Young Jurks to talk about the James Carver case.

Carver has spent decades in prison for setting a deadly fire in Beverly, Massachusetts. However, his lawyers say scientific evidence proves he is innocent.

Watch here:

andrewqmr.substack.com/p/video

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