Inquest to Be Held in Mass. State Hospital Patient's Death

A special prosecutor in Massachusetts has called for a judicial inquest into the 2009 death of a mental health patient at Bridgewater State Hospital.

Special prosecutor Martin Murphy asked for the judicial inquest, essentially setting aside an earlier decision by Plymouth District Attorney Timothy Cruz not to pursue charges in the death of Joshua Messier, who had been sent to the prison for mental health patients for a mental competency evaluation.

Judge Mark Coven, the first justice of the Quincy District Court, will oversee the seldom used review process.

If Coven decides that Bridgewater prison guards or clinicians were criminally responsible for Messier's death, it would be up to Murphy to present the case to a grand jury.

The Boston Globe reports that Messier's parents were encouraged by Murphy's decision.