District Attorney Defends Herself in Remy Case

Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan on Monday defended herself against criticism in the case of Jared Remy who is charged with the murder of his girlfriend.

During an interview on Monday evening on New England Cable News, Ryan, a career prosecutor, said she would not resign and her office would conduct a review of domestic violence policies and practices.

Ryan’s defense comes several days after Jared Remy, the son of Red Sox television broadcaster Jerry Remy, allegedly stabbed his girlfriend, Jennifer Martel to death at their Waltham home. The killing came after Remy was released from custody, on personal recognizance, after being charged with assaulting Martel on Tuesday.

Ryan explained Remy, who has a long history of violence, was released on Tuesday without bail on personal recognizance by a bail commissioner at a police station while a restraining order was active. On Wednesday, Martel, in consultation with prosecutors, did not seek to extend the restraining order, Ryan said. 

Despite her defense, Ryan said her office would review possible changes to her office's domestic violence policies and practices. Those changes could include legislative proposals and whether a defendant can be released on personal recognizance immediately after a domestic violence arrest.

In response to criticism of the DA’s office, Ryan said prosecutors cannot directly request a restraining order for two reasons.

“In most cases, the best predictor of safety, the person most knowledgeable about how the situation will unfold, is the victim,” Ryan said.

The DA also stressed prosecutors need to keep an open dialogue with domestic violence victims so they feel comfortable in dealing with the legal system and not "feel forced,” to do something they feel is unsafe.