Today we're publishing the first of a three-part series by WBUR's Deborah Becker, who traveled to Italy to visit the famous San Patrignano addiction treatment community that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy has pointed to as a model for how the U.S. can tackle the opioid epidemic. Part 1 is below. But first, let's run through some local news: In court: Cedric Lodge, the former longtime morgue manager at Harvard Medical School, is set to be sentenced today in Pennsylvania for his role in the school's stolen body parts scandal. As WBUR’s Ally Jarmanning reports from Williamsport, Lodge admitted to stealing and selling heads, skin, hearts and bones from bodies donated to the school for anatomical study by students. He and his wife, Denise, have pleaded guilty to one count each of interstate transport of stolen goods. - What to expect: Prosecutors are seeking the maximum penalty for Cedric Lodge: 10 years in prison. But he argues he should receive a lesser sentence because he’s taking responsibility for his actions and agreed to a plea deal. His lawyers have argued for a sentence closer to the six month range.
- Why did he do it? Lodge himself hasn't said. But in court documents, his wife said he was looking for ways to make money after she became ill and couldn’t work. He had argued the body parts were just “medical waste.”
- Denise Lodge is also scheduled to be sentenced today. Prosecutors are asking for one year in prison for her; her lawyers hope she gets off with probation.
- Why is the hearing taking place in Pennsylvania? That's where the investigation originated, after local police in the township of East Pennsboro found a bucket of body parts in the basement of a collector and reseller named Jeremy Pauley. The discovery led investigators back to the Lodges, who they say were a hub in a nationwide network that sold or traded human remains. (Listen to Ally's award-winning podcast, Postmortem - The Stolen Bodies of Harvard, for the full story.)
Meanwhile in Massachusetts: A jury in Dedham yesterday found Brian Walshe guilty of killing his wife, Ana, who was last seen nearly three years ago. A first-degree murder conviction carries a potential sentence of life in prison without parole. Walshe is set to be sentenced this Wednesday. - Catch up: Ana's remains have never been found. Prosecutors relied heavily on Brian Walshe's online search history after her disappearance, which included terms like "ways to dispose of body parts after murder," "how long before a body starts to smell” and “hacksaw best tool to dismember." Surveillance video showed a man resembling Walshe throwing what appeared to be heavy trash bags into a dumpster. Walshe's lawyers tried to convince jurors that he panicked after discovering Ana dead at their Cohasset home following a New Year’s Eve gathering. Read more about how the trial played out.
On campus: Several Boston-area colleges are stepping up security in the wake of the mass shooting over the weekend at Brown University. As WBUR’s Suevon Lee reports, the measures come as many students take final exams. For example, at Harvard, university police told the Crimson it will increase patrols on campus and require ID card swipes for buildings that are typically open-access. MIT leaders also say they will be increasing campus police patrols. Harvard senior James McAffrey says a review session for his economics class was moved to Zoom Sunday after some students said they didn't want to attend in person. "It's a scary time to be a student at a college campus, especially with a shooter still at large, sadly," McAffrey told Suevon. Meanwhile at Harvard: It looks like Alan Garber will stay on as president for the foreseeable future. Harvard announced yesterday that its governing boards had voted to extend Garber's term indefinitely beyond 2027, as the university continues to navigate a pressure campaign from the Trump administration. P.S. — Did you know Massachusetts is one of three states with an official state cookie? It's the humble chocolate chip cookie — and we want to know which place does it best. Tell us in this form and your response could be included in a future newsletter. |
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