New England Public Radio

New Hampden DA Withholds Judgment On Accused Perjurers From Wilhite Trial

The incoming district attorney of Hampden County says he knows little about the high-stakes prosecution of two Springfield residents facing perjury charges.

Nathan Perez and Giselle Albelo are accused of lying after testifying for prosecutors in the murder trial of Charles Wilhite, and later saying those statements were coerced by police.

Wilhite was acquitted in a retrial, but the witnesses face up to life in prison if convicted of perjury. DA-elect Anthony Gulluni says he is withholding judgment for now.

“Perjury is a very serious offense,” he said in an interview with week. “It has serious ramifications for investigators in the court system. I will review those cases with all,and make sure that they are cases we should be prosecuting and are based on the law and are fair and just prosecutions, for sure.”

The trial is scheduled to begin in February.

New England Public Radio’s Henry Epp and Kari Njiiri contributed to this report.

Awaiting Senate Confirmation For Judgeship, Mastroianni Mum On ‘Concerns’ About Process

Hampden District Attorney Mark Mastroianni says he accepts that there’s a long process he must endure before becoming a federal judge. That’s after a Senate committee okayed his nomination to the U.S. District Court Thursday.

It’s been more than five months since the president nominated Mastroianni to the bench, which is not all that long in U.S. Senate-time.

“I’m not really frustrated, because I understood going into this how long the process…takes,” Mastroianni said Friday.

The Judiciary Committee’s approval this week is a big step in that, but Mastroianni still needs approval from the full Senate. And if he’s concerned it could get derailed by political wrangling, he isn’t explicitly saying so.

“Well, my concerns about the process and where it’s going to go, I’d rather not share with you publicly right now,” he said. “But it is a process and I accept the fact that it’s  a long process.”

In the mean time, he sits and waits.

“That’s all I can do and so I become used to it at this point,” Mastroianni said. “But I love my job…as district attorney. And so, if this doesn’t go through, I’m very happy to continue my job as district attorney.”

But if confirmed, Mastroianni would help ease the workload at Springfield’s federal court, much of which now falls on longtime Judge Michael Ponsor. Ponsor is technically on “senior status,” which allows him to work somewhat lighter hours.

New England Public Radio’s Susan Kaplan contributed to this report.

Mastroianni’s Nomination To The Federal Bench Clears Judiciary Committee

Western Massachusetts is one step closer to having a new federal judge. The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday voted on the nomination of Hampden District Attorney Mark Mastroianni to serve as a district court judge. It was approved on a voice vote.

Mastroianni’s nomination now goes to the full Senate.

If approved, he will work at the federal court in Springfield. Much of the work there now falls on Judge Michael Ponsor, who three years ago opted to reduce his caseload.

Feb. 27, 2014: Senate Judiciary Committee Delays Vote On Mastroianni’s Federal Court Nomination
Feb. 12, 2014: To Light Crowd Of Senators, Mastroianni Defends Positions On Marijuana, Gun Storage Laws
Feb. 10, 2014: Hampden DA Mastroianni To Appear At Senate Confirmation Hearing
Oct. 7, 2013: Federal Judge Ponsor Happy With Replacement Pick, Frustrated By Slow Process
Sept. 25, 2013: Hampden County D.A. Nominated For Judgeship

To Light Crowd Of Senators, Mastroianni Defends Positions On Marijuana, Gun Storage Laws

Hampden District Attorney Mark Mastroianni faced questions Tuesday in Washington about his views on marijuana and gun safety laws. Mastroianni appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is considering his nomination to the federal bench.

The hearing was sparsely attended by senators, with the bulk of questioning coming from Republican Charles Grassley of Iowa. He asked about Mastroianni’s support for a gun storage law, requiring Massachusetts residents to lock up their firearms.

“In my view, the right to self defense doesn’t mean a whole if you can’t access your firearm in a real big hurry,” Grassley told Mastroianni.

In his reply, Mastroianni described why the legislature was spurred to create the law.

“There is rarely a good outcome when a youngster of teenager gets a hold of a gun, doesn’t really know how to use it and takes it out of the home,” Mastroianni said.

Mastroianni also defended his support for Massachusetts’ move – by ballot question – to decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

The judiciary committee has not scheduled a vote on his nomination. He would need approval from the full Senate before taking the bench in Springfield.