(NECN: Brad Puffer) - For the first time, Massachusetts Congressman Bill Delahunt spoke about why he did not charge Amy Bishop in the shooting death of her brother.
Bishop is charged with murdering three colleagues at the University of Alabama Huntsville on February 12th.
Recently released police reports show Bishop could have faced weapons or assault charges when she killed her brother in Braintree in 1986.
Seth Bishop's death was ruled an accident. Delahunt was the Norfolk District Attorney at the time.
Reporter: Do you feel you should be held responsible in any way for what happened?
Delahunt: Its tough to be held responsible when you dont have any information before you.
Congressman Bill Delahunt is breaking his silence, speaking out about why his office never charged Amy Bishop in 1986 when he was Norfolk County District Attorney. Bishop is now accused of shooting six colleagues at the University of Alabama, three fatally.
Reporter: Mistakes were made?
Delahunt: Oh, of course mistakes definitely were made
But Delahunt says those mistakes were not made by his office. While Bishop shot her brother, because state police determined it accidental, Delahunt says the information never crossed his desk.
Local
Reporter: It cant be that often that a person is shot in Braintree. A young person. Often when that happens the DA shows up on the scene, to find out what happened?
Delahunt: Thats not the role of the DA. It is the role of police to investigate.
Braintree police released Bishop that day. She was not reinterviewed until 11 days later. Delahunts office apparently never told about allegation she held up two people at an auto dealership and had to be arrested by Braintree police at gunpoint.
Delahunt: She should have been charged. There was no basis, no rationale for her to be released.
Delahunt insists, had Braintree police not made critical mistakes, had they pressed charges for Bishops action after the shooting, his office would have become involved.
Delahunt: We would have sought a psychiatric evaluation of Amy Bishop which could, and again this is only speculation, which could have been very revealing.
State police eventually wrote their report three months later, ruling it an accident. That report was reviewed by Delahunts first assistant.
Reporter: Reading the report wouldnt have raised questions?
John Kivlan: Well it wouldnt raise question about what was not in the report because we would expect an experienced homicide detective to put all the relevant information in the report.
All these questions come at a time when Delhanut is still deciding whether to step down, or run for reelection..
Delahunt: My decision will be entirely unrelated to this particular case.
