Jared Remy, who is the son of Boston Red Sox announcer Jerry Remy, pleaded guilty today to first-degree murder for fatally stabbing his girlfriend. This horrible event happened last year while the couple’s four-year-old daughter screamed for help and three neighbors had to stop Remy.
Mr. Remy admitted that he killed the mother of his daughter at their apartment and said he wanted to take responsibility for what he had done. He was angry over her changing her “relationship status” on Twitter. He was sentenced to mandatory life in prison without parole for the murder. Massachusetts is one of eighteen U.S. states that currently do not have an enforceable death penalty statute. Remy’s long criminal record of violence and minimal punishment over the years, finally got the best of him. Besides the murder charge, he also pleaded guilty to assault and battery and violating a restraining order that his late girlfriend had on him. He pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon for lunging at a male neighbor who tried to help the wounded woman.
Remy stabbed her in the throat, legs, arms and torso and repeatedly punched her in the face. A case like this prompts questions about whether someone like Remy, who has a violent history, is overlooked by the criminal justice system. It could lead state lawmakers from around the nation to propose an overhaul of their state’s domestic violence laws. This could including new guidelines for bail and tougher penalties for serial abusers.
In this specific case, an independent law group has criticized the prosecutors’ handling of abuse allegations against Remy, feeling they were too soft on him in the past. With the outcome decided, what we should really be watching for is how a case like this will impact future law rulings.