For those not familiar with our cause, here is a brief synopsis as written by Officer Ralph LeBlanc, of the Westminster MA PD.

"Friend and co-worker Officer Larry Jupin and I were on duty shortly after midnight on May 10, 1999. I had been on a motor vehicle stop on Fitchburg Road in Westminster when I observed a man walking towards me and my cruiser. The man had been wearing camouflage clothing and was coming from an area which I had just patrolled minutes earlier. This area of town is desolate, populated only by the landfill, state forest, an energy company and had only one residence. When asking him where he was coming from and who he was, he gave me misleading information. I had pat frisked him for weapons and located a knife. At the time I had no “legal right” to search his back pack. I had asked him to sit on the guardrail. A few seconds later Officer Jupin arrived to assist me. The man wearing camouflage suddenly got up and ran into the woods. Officer Jupin and I chased after him. After chasing him 1500 feet or so into the dense woods Rivers drew a gun in the direction of Officer Jupin. The suspect shot the gun, hitting Officer Jupin with three out of four shots. He then turned the gun, missing me with the other two shots. Officer Jupin was able to return fire, hitting the suspect in the stomach. The exchange of shots was over in seconds. Larry lay on the damp ground, suffering multiple gun shot wounds. He was airlifted to a local hospital. After a brief recovery period Officer Jupin suffered a blood clot which caused him to go into a coma for over two years. This once athletic well built man had become the size of a child before he died from complications."

There was no doubt that Rivers killed Officer Jupin. This was repeated at the trial and Rivers had confessed to the police when he was interviewed. Massachusetts law does not allow for someone to be found guilty but insane or guilty but mentally ill. We need to change this current insanity defense law to address crimes conducted by mentally ill people. We urge you to contact your local legislature and District Attorney's Office to support and help enact change.

All victims and their families should be able to sleep peacefully at night knowing that the person responsible for the crime is not out walking the streets. People who are insane or mentally ill are unstable people. The medicine they take may help them function better, but what happens when they stop taking the medicine or something else triggers a relapse? The public may have to suffer again. Don't let this continue! Support "Jupin's Law"