Contact a legislator:
Gov. Deval Patrick
Massachusetts State House
Office of the Governor
Office of the Lt. Governor
Room 360
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617.725.4005
Fax: 617.727.9725
Senator Anthony Petruccelli
State House
Room 413B
Boston, MA 02133
(617) 722-1634
Anthony.Petruccelli@state.ma.us
Senator Steven Tolman
State House
Room 312C
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1280
Fax: (617) 722-1069
Steven.Tolman@state.ma.us
Senator Patricia Jehlen
State House
Room 513
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1578
Fax: (617) 722-1117
Patricia.Jehlen@state.ma.us
State Representative Timothy Toomey
State House
Boston, MA 02133
(617) 722-2380
Rep.TimothyToomey@hou.state.ma.us
State Representative Alice Wolf
State House
Room 167
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-2810
Rep.AliceWolf@hou.state.ma.us
State Representative Eugene O’Flaherty
State House
Room 136
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-2396
Rep.GeneOFlaherty@hou.state.ma.us
State Representative Marty Walz
State House
Room 473G
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-2070
Rep.MartyWalz@hou.state.ma.us
Governor’s Council
Carole A. Fiola – District 1
307 Archer Street
Fall River, Ma 02720
GC: (617)725-4015 x 1
Res: (508)674-9200
Fax: (508)674-9201
email address: carolefiola@aol.com
Kelly A. Timilty – District 2
52 Murray Hill Road
Roslindale, MA 02131
GC: (617)725-4015 x 2
Res: (617)325-6569
email address: kellytimiltygc2@aol.com
Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney – District 3
98 Westminster Avenue
Watertown, MA 02472
GC: (617)725-4015 x 3
Res: (617)923-0778
Fax: (617)727-6610
Christopher A. Iannella – District 4
263 Pond Street
Boston, MA 02130
GC: (617)725-4015 x 4
Bus: (617)227-1538
Fax: (617)742-1424
Mary-Ellen Manning – District 5
P.O Box 4444
Salem, MA 01970
GC: (617)725-4015 x 5
Bus: (978)740-1090
Fax: (617)727-6610
email address: maryellenmanning@earthlink.net
Michael J. Callahan – District 6
500 Salem Street
Medford, MA 02155
GC: (617)725-4015 x 6
Res: (781)393-9890
Thomas J. Foley – District 7
27 Ridgewood Road
Worcester, MA 01606-2506
GC: (617)725-4015 x 7
email address: tjfoley512@charter.net
Thomas T. Merrigan – District 8
23 Plum Tree Lane Greenfield, MA 01301-9687
GC: (617)725-4015 x 8
Bus: (413)774-5300
Fax: (413)773-3388
email address: merrigan@valinet.com
Sample Letter
Dear Governor Patrick,
I write to ask that you commute the sentence of Joseph Donovan Jr. who is serving a life’s sentence in the Massachusetts Department of Correctional system.
In 1992, fifteen-year-old Shon McHugh murdered Yngve Raustein, a 21-year-old exchange student from Norway attending MIT.
Joseph Donovan, then 17, and another young man accompanied McHugh that night. Joe was charged with “felony murder,” a legal theory which holds an “accomplice” accountable for the acts of another.
Even though he did not murder the MIT student and was unarmed during the confrontation, Joe was tried as an adult, convicted and sentenced to a life sentence behind bars.
Despite his situation, Joe Donovan accepted responsibility for his actions. He certainly has paid for them. The harshness of Joe Donovan’s sentence is evident.
Joe has also expressed true remorse for his actions, without reservations and continues to express empathy for the terrible loss experienced by the Raustein family.
The murder of Yngve Raustein was crime in which the culpability of one person far exceeded others. The disparity between Donovan’s and McHugh’s sentence, as well as Joe’s limited participation in the offense, gives rise to a question: Does continued incarceration of Joe Donovan serve anybody’s best interests?
Eighteen years in prison satisfies the appropriate charges for his role in Raustein’s tragic death. The great expense the state faces for further imprisonment and the loss of any useful role Joe could play in the world.
I urge you to commute Joe’s sentence.
Sincerely,
