Prosecutor in Waltham Police Chief Case Experienced in Domestic Violence Cases
Assistant District Attorney Suzanne Kontz is prosecuting Waltham Police Chief THomas LaCroix on domestic violence cases.
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With the domestic violence charges against Waltham Police Chief Thomas LaCroix proceeding through the court system, the lead prosecutor in the case may be familiar to some.
Assistant District Attorney Suzanne Kontz, the head of the Domestic Violence Unit for the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office, has a long and successful history of putting batterers in prison.
Kontz won the 2011 conviction of Soulemayne Yacouba-Issa, a Taunton man who killed his girlfriend Maryse Antoine, a Waltham resident, according to the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office. Yacouba-Issa is serving life in prison.
Kontz has prosecuted many other domestic violence cases including the case of a Medford man who abused his girlfriend, according to the DA's office.
Kontz was recently honored for her work. REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, A Waltham-based organization that supports domestic violence victims, recently honored Kontz with the Voice for Justice Virginia Bigwood Award, according to the DA's office. Kontz, who has been with DA's office for 14 years, was named the chief of the DVU upon its creation in 2007.
“Suzanne’s passionate dedication and commitment to combating domestic violence is an inspiration to all,” said District Attorney Gerry Leone in a statement on Kontz's award. “Suzanne handles the very complicated dynamics involved in cases of domestic violence with great compassion while serving as an extremely effective prosecutor. We are thrilled that REACH has honored her with this well-deserved award.”
Kontz lives in Somerville and is a graduate of Boston Univeristy's School of Law, according to the DA's office.
Full coverage of the case against Waltham Police Chief Thomas LaCroix.
Leanne Thornton
11:31 pm on Tuesday, July 10, 2012
What about police that serve and protect us but behind closed doors, in their own homes, they do the same actions of those they arrest? Domestic violence is 2-4% higher in homes where police live. What can be done? Iam a part of that statistic...I never called the police because my husband is the police. I kept this secret for 14 years for fear my husband would loose his job, a secret I kept from everyone that only hurt my children, myself and my husband. We have been separated for 3 years now and the physical violence stopped but he, to this present day, continues with financial, emotional and psychological abuse which has thus affected me and my children.. when does it stop and how can things be changed?
Underthebridge IP Daily
9:20 am on Monday, February 11, 2013
Give me his name, I'll beat the crap out of him for you, free of charge!
NonnyMus
11:51 pm on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Hi Leanne, it starts with abused spouses such as yourself using all the resources you can find to end the abuse. I certainly hope you are working with battered spouse programs and any programs which concentrate on abusers who are police officers.
Best of luck to you!