Rachael Rollins

Suffolk DA Rachael Rollins Cleared in South Bay Center Confrontation With Driver

Investigators interviewed the driver and received a statement from Rollins, while also reviewing video footage

District Attorney Rachael Rollins
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A review of Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins' conduct during a confrontation at the South Bay Center on Christmas Eve found no violations of others' rights or the law, the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office said Thursday.

A woman from Dorchester, Katie Lawson, had complained that Rollins threatened her with a ticket and inappropriately flashed her emergency lights Lawson tried to merge into her lane while both were leaving the shopping plaza, according to the summary of the review provided to NBC10 Boston Thursday.

Investigators interviewed Lawson and received a statement from Rollins, while also reviewing video footage, prosecutors said. Among their findings:

According to Lawson, DA Rollins used her Chevy Tahoe to block Lawson’s vehicle, said, “Don’t try me today lady, today is not the day,” threatened to issue her a ticket, and used her emergency lights and siren. DA Rollins denies making any statement about a ticket but does acknowledge briefly using her emergency alerts to try to avoid a collision.

Lawson also claimed that Rollins, upon leaving the parking lot, drove through a red light. The video footage investigators reviewed "does not show conclusively whether the traffic light was red at the time," prosecutors said.

The case is being referred to the State Ethics Commission.

Lawson had described the exchange with Rollins as "disturbing" in a police complaint, according to The Boston Globe, but Rollins denied acting inappropriately. The incident was first reported by a Worcester-based blog, Turtle Boy Daily News.

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