Legal Question in Criminal Law in Massachusetts
Secret lists
A friend was repairing a flat tire when a cop pulled up. The cop (instead of helping) asked for his license and registration, then started asking him about a complaint filed 15 years ago by his ex-wife, who claimed he was abusive. He was never convicted of anything, do they really keep a secret list of domestic violence accusations that law enforcement can check up on? I'm not sure I buy this.
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: Secret lists
Yes, they do... it is called the CORI and is accessible by law enforcement, courts and certain government agencies. Once a crime is ALLEGED, it remains on he CORI forever, even if a person is found not guilty or if the charge is dropped. Your friend may be able to expunge his record and should talk to an attorney as he has now experienced, first hand, how the CORI sets the tone for any interaction with law enforcement personnel... even changing a flat tire.
Re: Secret lists
Something about this does not make sense. There must be more to this story.