King's family joined high-profile civil rights attorney Ben Crump at a news conference on Thursday to call for "real accountability" in the case. They said King had long dealt with mental health issues and showed signs of schizophrenia and paranoia. 

Shooting of Stephenson King

Investigators said Boston Police officer Nicholas O'Malley shot King three times through the driver's side window of an allegedly stolen car while he was trying to escape from police.

O'Malley said that he fired because he believed King was trying to run him and his partner over with the car.

A Boston Police Department report after the shooting determined that "regardless of their perception, that statement was factually not true." O'Malley was arrested and pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.

Police said there is body camera video of the shooting, but it's not being released yet. King's family and several city councilors have called for the release of the footage.

"If the commissioner wanted to sit with the family tomorrow. He could sit with the family and allow the family to see this video," Boston city councilor Miniard Culpepper said.

Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said the video would be handled by Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden. Hayden explained that at the moment he is "concerned about the legal process and the integrity of our grand jury process."

"We should be able to see it on the video"

Crump repeated that request Thursday.

"We want everybody to understand that transparency is good for everybody. If the officer did nothing wrong, then we should be able to see it on the video. If the officer did something wrong, we should be able to see it on the video," Crump said. "Consequently, if Stephenson did something wrong, we should be able to see it on the video. Because transparency is good for all of us. It's good for the family, and it's good for the Boston Police Department."

Crump said that King had been struggling with mental health challenges since 2009 when his mother passed away. According to King's family, he received mental health services and medication while incarcerated, but his medication was discontinued when he was released. He was hospitalized the day of his death, but for a different medical issue. Crump said King somehow got out of the hospital and went to another medical facility in the hours before the encounter with Boston Police.

"Mental health is a very real issue. I pray that if you have family members who have mental health issues, when they have encounters with police, they will give them a helping hand and not three bullets in their body taking them from this world," Crump said. 

Stephenson King Sr. spoke at the news conference and said he had been trying to get his son help, even recently asking a judge to intervene.

"He shouldn't be dead," King Sr. said. "I'm hurt, disappointed in everything that's happened. The day I put my son in an ambulance, I wasn't expecting him to be dead that night."

King's sister Ebony said that before his death, her brother was so paranoid that he would put tape over cellphone cameras, wall outlets, and the emblems on his sneakers because he believed he was being watched.

"But the system knew he had mental health [issues] and what they did is they kept bringing him right back into the system and not helping him, treating him for his actual mental health issues," Ebony said.

Boston police officer hires Karen Read attorney

On Thursday, defense attorney David Yannetti announced that his firm will be representing O'Malley. 

Yannetti called O'Malley "a good man who finds himself falsely accused of manslaughter because he performed his sworn duty and defended his fellow officers when confronted by a dangerous criminal with an established history of violence and felonies."

Yannetti was the first attorney to represent Karen Read during her high-profile Massachusetts murder trial. He remained a key member of her defense through both of her trials. After a mistrial due to a hung jury, Read was acquitted of all charges except operating under the influence during her retrial. 

The legislation overhauls the state's Cannabis Control Commission, changes rules about licenses for business owners and doubles the amount of pot an adult can buy or possess. 

The bill will become law if it signed by Gov. Maura Healey.

Cannabis Control Commission changes

The embattled Cannabis Commission is set to shrink from five members to three under the new bill. All will be appointed by the governor, a change from the current system where the attorney general and treasurer also have a say in appointees.

Current commission chair Shannon O'Brien was suspended in 2023 and then fired by Treasurer Deb Goldberg for allegedly making racially insensitive comments. O'Brien denied the accusations, and was reinstated last fall by a judge who said she was wrongly removed. 

The current commissioners will all be removed once the bill becomes law.

Raising the license cap

The bill will let cannabis business owners hold six licenses instead of three.

"By increasing the cap, business owners are able to spread overhead costs across more stores," House and Senate leadership said in a statement.

The legislation will also create a "delinquent" list of cannabis businesses that have not paid their debts to other cannabis businesses, and prevent them from doing business with others until their debt is paid off.

Marijuana possession limits in Massachusetts

For cannabis users, the most notable change in the bill is that it would increase the amount of pot someone in Massachusetts can buy or possess for recreational use from one ounce to two ounces. 

For those under 21 years old who are caught illegally possessing marijuana, they would need to have at least three ounces instead of two to be subjected to a civil penalty or participation in a drug awareness program.

The proposed reforms come months after a law enforcement group sounded alarms about the reliability of cannabis products in Massachusetts. The New England Narcotic Officers Enforcement Association said its tests showed that THC percentages are being inflated, and alleged dispensaries are "ripping off the consumer." 

Dr. Catherine Brown with the Department of Public Health says the Lone Star tick, which is most commonly associated with the disease, has historically been found in the south. But climate change and changes in landscape use have resulted in the species moving north, she said.

"And we now know that there are some established populations on the Islands and then also in Barnstable County," Dr. Brown said. "Unfortunately, the species is also starting to make inroads into the rest of the state as well."

Alpha-gal syndrome

Last summer, a tick researcher said cases of alpha-gal syndrome were "exploding" on Martha's Vineyard, with more than 500 positive tests in 2024. Dr. Brown said it's the tick's saliva that can trigger the allergy.

"Individuals who have their immune system activated after a tick bite can end up having allergic reactions when they have a steak dinner or they have ice cream for dessert," she said.

The Centers for Disease Control says the allergy can be life-threatening, but those who have it can experience different symptoms every time they are exposed to meat or dairy. It's estimated that as many as 450,000 people are affected by the condition.

This year the state has started tracking cases of alpha-gal syndrome as a reportable condition. Dr. Brown said she's heard "increased rumblings" from local boards of health about new cases of the illness. 

"We want to have that information so that we can actually help educate ourselves, healthcare providers and the public about this new concern," she said.

Tick prevention

Is tick season starting off worse than usual in Massachusetts? Dr. Brown said it's challenging to track tick population levels.

"Ticks are a problem in Massachusetts every single year. And so if there are a few more this year or a few less the next year, it doesn't matter," she said. "There's still a lot of them."

Dr. Brown encourages pet owners to check with their veterinarians about the best tick prevention for their type of animal. She also says anyone who's been outside in an area where ticks are present should think about doing a tick check, showering, and putting their clothes in the dryer on high heat for 10 or 15 minutes.

"I want people to go and be outside and enjoy what the state has to offer," Dr. Brown said. "Just make sure that you're thinking about tick repellents and tick checks while you do it."

John Carey, 66, was sentenced Thursday in Essex County Superior Court for the murder of Claire Gravel.  

Gravel, a 20-year-old from North Andover, was a sophomore at Salem State University, when Carey strangled her with her tank top on June 29, 1986, and left her body in the woods along Route 128 in Beverly.

The case was cracked open using a DNA sample that Carey submitted in 2008 after he was convicted of attempted murder in a separate case. That sample was then linked to DNA evidence found on Gravel's tank top, according to the Essex County District Attorney's Office.

On March 3, a jury found Carey guilty of first-degree murder. In Massachusetts, that sentence is automatically life in prison without parole.

Carey did not speak during the sentencing, but Gravel's family did. Her 90-year-old father and five siblings were in court Thursday.

They described how the murder brought them pain and suffering for decades.

"I've been waiting 39 years, 9 months and 9 days for today," said Gravel's sister, Denise Foley. "I continued to have nightmares for months of my sister Claire screaming for one of us to come help her and none of us were there."

The family said they've never stopped seeking answers in this case and they believe their sister would be proud.

"She's Irish. She's feisty. She's tough. So, she is smiling right now along with my mother," Gravel's brother Jim told reporters outside court.

"Nothing's changed for Claire but it's a new day for us, to finally have this over," Foley said.

"Today, justice was served," said Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker.

Carey's attorney said they are submitting an appeal of his conviction. 

The app asks customers to enter the email address they used to buy their match ticket. But many fans on social media reported getting a "Registration Failed" message that prevented them from getting passes for the train.

"It took way too long," said John Melanson who is going to a game with his son. "It was easier to get World Cup tickets than it was to get a ride down there. I was actually second guessing getting a parking spot down there." 

The MBTA Commuter Rail X account advised users to refresh and reinstall the app.

"I've tried re-installing the app, logging out, back in (several times), a different email address, switching off WiFi, restarting my phone ... everything," one fan replied. "All I want to do is buy a f---ing train ticket!!"

"Still not working at all. Do you have an idea when it will be resolved? Not a great look considering how much you're charging," another fan wrote.

"Our team is currently working to resolve the email address verification issue and the fix is coming soon," the Commuter Rail account has been telling fans on X.

The MBTA said that the issue was resolved before 2 p.m. and more than 17,450 train tickets have been sold already.

"Customers who have attempted to purchase and have been unable to are encouraged to return to mTicket to make another attempt," the T said in a statement. "Customer service is available at 617-222-3200 for customers who still need assistance."     

The MBTA revealed the $80 round-trip ticket price on Monday, saying it would be "more affordable" than driving and parking. They cost four times as much as what the T typically charges for special event trains to Gillette Stadium for New England Patriots games, New England Revolution matches and concerts.

The Athletic reported last month that tickets would be $75 or more as the T tries to make up $35 million in investments it poured into Foxboro Station ahead of the World Cup.

Train tickets are currently on sale for five of the seven matches Gillette Stadium will host this summer. 

Kids ages 14 and 15 would need parental consent to use social media.

The bill, considered one of the most restrictive in the country, also calls for a statewide ban on cellphones in schools, which was passed by the Senate last summer.

Attorney General Andrea Campbell is tasked with implementing the social media ban starting October 1, 2026. When asked for comment about the plan to implement the ban, her office would only issue this statement:

"It is critical that we hold tech companies accountable for designing social media platforms that keep young people addicted and wreak havoc on their mental health. I am grateful that the Legislature is taking this issue seriously, and I look forward to working with them on next steps."

"Very, very complex"

Tech expert Peter Tran said implementing such a sweeping ban will be logistically challenging.

"From a technology standpoint, it is very, very complex," Tran, a cybersecurity and technology expert, told WBZ. "First, you have to define what constitutes social media. So, that in and of itself is difficult, because the criteria is very broad. Second is to determine age verification. Right now, you could sign up for an account, and you can, you know, forge your birthdate, and have a separate email address, there are a number of workarounds right now."

The bill calls for social media companies to pay a $5,000 fine for each violation – meaning, for each social media account found to be out of compliance. WBZ asked Meta, Tiktok, Snap, and X for comment but received no reply.

In addition to the challenge of implementing strict age verification systems, the bill could require enhanced technology to apply the ban only in Massachusetts. 

Tran said doing so would open a "Pandora's box" for privacy concerns.

"If you're going to try to enforce Massachusetts state boundaries you have to enforce that location services be turned on, if that's the case," Tran said. "And so that brings a lot of debate from a security and data privacy standpoint, especially for minors."

Is October 1 deadline possible?

The biggest challenge, Tran says, is the October 1 deadline. "That's very aspirational," he said.

When asked whether they've discussed the complexity of a ban with the Attorney General, House Speaker Ron Mariano said, "The Attorney General is well aware of the issues surrounding the threat to children's health and wellbeing, so I don't think there will be a real learning curve for her to get up to speed."

The bill, which is an amended version of the Senate's school cellphone ban, still needs to be passed by the Senate and signed by Gov. Maura Healey. Lawmakers told WBZ-TV that the governor has been working on her own plans to limit kids' social media access, and that they've been in touch with her about her plans.

Olivia, who did not want her last name used for this story, said her son Jojo is a happy and curious little boy. He spent years in foster care before the family adopted him.

"For everything that he has gone through, he is the most resilient little guy that we feel really lucky to have," she told WBZ-TV's I-Team.

Jojo is living with autism and has multiple disabilities. Despite his challenges, his parents said he was excited to start kindergarten last fall at the West Parish School in Gloucester.

Knowing he needed support, the couple asked for a one-on-one aide. Olivia said they were turned down by the district multiple times.

"Ultimately the school placed our five-year-old inside a room," she said. "A room with a shut door and prevented him from being able to leave."

Student put in quiet room at school

Photos of the room at the school show it's tiny with a glass pane window. The quiet room, or what some schools call a "time-out" room, has no window to the outside.

On February 9, Jojo's parents said staff members forcibly put him in the room and held the door closed for nearly 30 minutes.

"The video of it clearly shows a physical restraint that occurred. No child should have that happen, but especially a child with cortical vision impairment," she said.

Jojo's dad, Scott, described it as a tough day when he actually saw the room.

"No comfort items, no furniture. It's just an empty room," he said. "Essentially a closet converted to the quiet room."

Records show that this was not the only time Jojo was put in isolation. In some of those cases, his parents said he was denied access to his glasses.

Dr. Ellen Braaten is a child psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Executive Director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program. She said putting children in quiet rooms is "absolutely cruel."

"The rooms themselves are completely inappropriate, unless a child is at significant danger to himself, immediate significant danger to himself or someone else. And it should only be for the shortest period of time until the child has calmed down," she said.

Jojo's family said they had no idea the school was putting him in the quiet room or why, until they got the records. School notes show at times, Jojo left the classroom without permission, threw things and tried to hit a classmate.

"You trust the school to take care of your child, especially given disabilities. It's been heartbreaking," his mother said.

"I think it's horrifying," said the family's attorney, Collins Fay-Martin. "I think any parent that thinks about their child being placed in literally a closet, would be horrified to know that their child was being not only placed in a closet, but the district is intentionally not telling them. DESE is intentionally allowing districts not to have to tell parents."

New time-out regulations 

There is no law that requires districts to tell parents when students are put in quiet rooms.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) said new regulations involving the use of time-out go into effect in August 2026. The department said the rooms can be used for behavioral support, but seclusion is prohibited, unless it's an emergency.

"The new regulations related to time-out practices outline appropriate behavioral supports that should be in place for all students," the agency said in a statement. "The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is working diligently with districts to help them create inclusive, accessible, safe and welcoming school environments for all students."

"There's nothing about this kind of being solitary confinement as a student that is helpful in bringing down those behaviors that you don't want to see. There's really no data that shows that they should be used at all," said Dr. Braaten.

Statement from Gloucester superintendent

The Gloucester public school department refused the I-Team's request for an interview. Superintendent Ben Lummis sent this statement:

"We take very seriously the appropriate use of time-out and physical restraint as a last resort when other de-escalation strategies have been unsuccessful. 

Our staff are trained to adhere to state law in using these protocols. While privacy laws prevent me from discussing the specifics of any individual student, the school district is thoroughly addressing the concern, including an internal investigation. 

We are committed to ensuring the safety of all students and have been working closely with the family throughout the school year to support their child's education. We will continue to do so. We take very seriously the appropriate use of time-out and physical restraint as a last resort when other de-escalation strategies have been unsuccessful."

Jojo is now at home on medical leave. His parents filed a complaint with DESE and are demanding answers.

"We're not seeking blame. We just really want a full review of what occurred to help prevent this occurring again and because it's not just about our child but it's about so many other children," his mother said.

A DESE spokesperson told the I-Team it does not confirm or comment on open investigations. The family has a meeting scheduled with the town for Thursday to discuss an out of district placement for Jojo. 

Police were first notified about the incident at Mark G. Holye Elementary School on Monday. According to the Swansea Police Department, an anonymous tip alleged that the student brought the handgun to school on April 1.

On Tuesday, police executed a search warrant at a home on Market Street.

Guns seized from Swansea home

During the search, police found give guns. Four of the weapons were loaded, police said.

Swansea police seized three handguns, a 12-gauge shotgun, a .22-caliber rifle, and various types of ammunition.

According to police, no one who lived at the house had a valid Firearms Identification Card.

Charges were filed in Fall River District Court against Christopher Spangler, 51, and Heather Spangler, 43.

They were summonsed to be arraigned on April 22 on five counts of improper storage of a firearm near a minor and possession of a firearm without a Firearms Identification Card. They are also facing two counts of reckless endangerment of a child, and one count of possession of ammunition without a Firearms Identification Card.

Swansea police filed a report with the Department of Children and Families.

"This situation had the potential to end in a tragedy," Swansea Police Chief Mark Foley said in a statement. "Because of the work of our Swansea Police investigators, no one was hurt and several firearms that were possessed illegally and stored unsafely are now off the street."

School reviewing response

In a letter to families, Swansea Superintendent Scott Holcomb said that the school became aware of this incident over the weekend, but did not report it to police until Monday.

"We recognize that police should have been notified immediately once the report was received," he said. "The district will conduct a full review of the response to this situation to determine the procedures that should be strengthened and whether additional staff training or discipline is necessary."

Manny Miranda, a grandfather of a student at the school, said he was surprised by the breakdown in communication.

"I think there was a complete breakdown in communication. There's no reason for it," he said. "I see how these teachers are and the principal is very good. I've spoken to him several times and he seems to be right on it all the time and i just don't know how this got by anybody."

Deon Johnson, a parent at the school, added that he hopes more precautions are put into place as a result of the incident.

"Take more precaution, you know kids coming in with their bags and whatever, not to discriminate anyone, make anyone feel like criminals at all. But just be more aware of it because you don't want this to happen again," he said.

"I sit over at that gazebo once in a while just because it's nice," said neighbor John Volta. "Blown away; I was just blown away. It's sad. That's the big question, why they did it. It's just terrible. Terrible thoughts in your head."

Investigators say a small, white, terrier-type dog was found near that gazebo on Middle Street on Easter Sunday. It had a flea and tick collar, but no tags or collar and no signs of trauma. It's not considered suspicious; investigators just want to provide some closure to the owner.

Police are more concerned by the way they found a different dog the next day. On Monday, just around the corner on Lakeshore Drive, a black and white pit bull mix was found wrapped in a plastic bag.

"The circumstances surrounding this dog's recovery are considered suspicious, and we are actively seeking information from the public," Weymouth Police said.

Similar to the first dog, the pit bull mix had no collar, tags, or microchip. 

"I hope some people come forward. I hope some people have information about that. I don't want to live in a neighborhood where I think somebody is capable of that kind of crime," said neighbor Sue Marcotte. 

If you know someone who has recently lost a dog matching either description, you are asked to contact Weymouth Animal Control Officer Darren King at 781-660-3708.

Weymouth Police said any information, no matter how small, may help. They said anonymous tips are welcome. 

Mary Mbugua is one of the three victims.  She's undergoing cancer treatment and nearly lost $5,500 in a phone scam. She came to the U.S. from Kenya 22 years ago. Scammers messaged her saying she needed to make a payment on an order she made, but she didn't place the order. When she called a contact number from the message, their story got darker.

"He said according to our system, we can see you are doing marijuana and drugs and have been doing it in Kenya and in the U.S.," said Mbugua. "I told him I have never done drugs, nor do I know what they look like."

The man on the other line told her she would be arrested. He urged her to remove money from her accounts before police get to her.

"I told them according to doctor's orders, I can't drive the car because I am sick," said Mbugua. She is currently battling breast cancer, but the caller didn't care.

"I came outside and got into my car shaking and even crying. He was talking, talking, talking, and didn't give me a second," explained Mbugua.

He directed her to a bank in Lawrence and demanded she take out the cash and bring it to a specific government location.

"I told him I almost got into an accident, he said 'You need to drive fast!' Oh my God!" she said.

She took out $5,500, and went to the address he gave, but to her confusion it was a convenience store. She said six men sat outside watching her while they were on their phones. She was terrified, so she followed the caller's instructions to go to a cryptocurrency ATM in the back of the store.

"Those guys followed me. There are some seats at the back, next to the back by the bitcoin machine. They sat over there," said Mbugua.

She said one man sat right next to her. As she asked him to move aside, she dropped her cash. She said the men glared at her from the corner of their eyes. She deposited the money but refused to provide the man the receipt number from the slip. Mbugua said they continued to call and threaten her for days. They demanded the receipt number and told her they had all of her personal information.

She went to the Haverhill Police to tell them her story.  When they later called her back, she didn't believe it was law enforcement.

"I told him, 'No, I can't talk to you.' I am scared because I thought it's another scammer," said Mbugua.

Police met Mbugua and her son at her home. Detectives began looking into her case and miraculously were able to recover all of her stolen money. Haverhill Police Detective Blake Harris went before the City Council to ask them to ban the ATMs.

"Most legitimate cryptocurrency users don't rely on these machines at all," Harris told the council.

After hearing Mbugua's testimony, the council approved the request unanimously. 

The Massachusetts branch of the AARP is now calling for a statewide ban on these ATMs. 

WBZ-TV went back to the store Mbugua went to Wednesday, and the kiosk was gone. At a nearby store down the street, a kiosk had a warning on it from Haverhill Police alerting users of scammers.

"You remove the dams, get that free-flowing state of river, you can have those ecosystem conditions to support a healthy thriving area," said Lisa Kumpf, river restoration director for the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA).

"Defunct" dams across Massachusetts

CRWA is among groups advocating for the removal of dozens of "defunct" dams across Massachusetts, just a portion of the state's roughly 3,000 registered dams.

"80% of those is a hell of a lot of dams that are no longer serving a purpose and posing a flood risk as well as disrupting our ecosystems," Kumpf explained.

While some dams serve critical purposes, protection from flooding and supplying drinking water, along the 80-mile-long Charles River, Kumpf says nearly 20 dams are simply relics of the region's industrial past.

"Over time they fell into disrepair, property ownership changed, but they're still there and they still do pose a hazard," Kumpf said.

Kumpf says recently the dams have been exacerbating environmental concerns, worsening fish passage, harmful algae blooms and impairing water quality.

Natick dam scheduled for removal

Efforts to remove dams from the river are already underway. One dam in South Natick is scheduled for removal this summer, after the Select Board in the town voted for the aging dam's removal and river restoration in 2022.

The Watertown dam, the first built in the Charles River before the American Revolution, includes a 180-foot-long weir that was last renovated more than 60 years ago. Advocates say while the structure isn't failing like the one in Natick, it no longer serves a purpose.

"The real driver for dam removal in that location is to restore the aquatic ecosystem," Kumpf said, explaining it's a critical movement area for fish, mainly herring.

The Charles River Watershed Association is asking the state, which owns the Watertown dam, to fund its removal. The Department of Conservation and Recreation is currently studying potential future actions.

Kumpf said the benefits of dam removal would include reduced flood risk, improved fishing and recreation, and a more sustainable watershed in the years ahead.

"We are the Bay State, and we absolutely have the potential, and I believe the responsibility to restore that abundance that really used to be here," she said. Adding the cost to remove the dams, pales to the cost of ongoing maintenance or potential critical repairs to fix dams that no longer have a critical function.

DCR is expected to release the findings from the analysis of alternatives for the Watertown dam in the coming weeks.