Nearly 30 Years in to Life Sentence, Verdict Reduced in the Interests of Justice
DA Rollins moved to reduce verdict for man serving life in prison for his role as joint venturer
BOSTON, February 25, 2021—As the result of an assented-to motion filed by Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’ office to reduce the first-degree murder conviction of PEDRO VALENTIN, a judge yesterday reduced the verdict to second-degree murder, making him eligible for parole. This is the first court order issued under the Sentencing Integrity pillar of the District Attorney’s Integrity Review Bureau.
“Although yesterday’s decision is not everything we had asked of the court, it is an enormous step forward for fairness and justice,” District Attorney Rollins said. “Pedro Valentin’s brother murdered Timothy Bond in 1991, but was convicted of second-degree murder at a separate trial and has been free on parole since 2009. Pedro was present at the scene but inarguably less culpable. That Pedro would spend his natural life in prison, while the person that shot and killed Timothy Bond has been free for over a decade, simply does not make sense. The reduction in Pedro’s verdict is in the interests of justice, and I am proud of the work my staff has done to ensure just convictions in this case.”
Eyewitnesses testified that Pedro stood next to his brother when Simon Valentin shot and killed Timothy Bond on July 15, 1991. Witnesses testified that Pedro kicked the victim after he was shot. Both brothers fled the scene. Pedro was apprehended and convicted at trial in 1992 of first-degree murder under the theory of joint venture, which carries a mandatory term of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Simon, who had fled the state, was not apprehended until 1993, after Pedro’s trial. Simon was convicted by a separate jury of second-degree murder despite his undisputed role as the person who shot and killed Mr. Bond. Simon was paroled in 2009 when he was first eligible.
As a result of the Commonwealth’s assent, Pedro’s life sentence was stayed on November 13, 2020, amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, allowing him to see freedom for the first time in 29 years as his motion was the subject of a series of hearings over a period of several months. Suffolk Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Locke yesterday allowed the motion for a reduced verdict. While the assented-to motion had sought a reduction of the verdict to manslaughter, Judge Locke instead reduced the verdict to second-degree murder. In his decision, Judge Locke stated that Simon testified in his own defense to past encounters with the victim – impactful testimony that was not available at the time of Pedro’s trial.
“[I]t is reasonable to believe that it might have been a significant factor in the jury’s deliberations, suggesting that Simon’s decision to shoot Bond was spontaneous and opportunistic,” Judge Locke wrote. “It is inconceivable that a single jury, hearing the combined evidence from both trials, could reasonably conclude that Pedro, but not Simon, acted with premeditation.”
The court’s decision to reduce the verdict to second-degree murder makes Pedro eligible for parole, but does not guarantee that he will be allowed to remain free pending a hearing before the state’s Parole Board.
“These decisions are never easy. But they in no way compare to the pain, loss, and grief that Mr. Bond’s family has suffered since he was brutally murdered and taken away from them nearly three decades ago. As I have said before, this is not a victory. Mr. Bond is gone. His family was robbed of their ability to love and live with him. The Valentin brothers, in separate trials, were each found guilty and bear responsibility for the Bond family’s pain and suffering. I offer my heartfelt condolences to the Bond family and my Office remains and will always be available to the Bond family, and to all survivors of homicide, for support, and any other assistance they may need,” District Attorney Rollins said. “Yesterday’s ruling corrects a past disparity in Pedro and Simon’s sentences, holding each man accountable for their roles in Mr. Bond’s murder. It is in the interests of fairness, justice and common sense. No longer will we be legally right but morally wrong.”
General Counsel Donna Patalano represented the Commonwealth during recent proceedings in this case. Kate Lagana is the assigned Victim Witness Advocate. Pedro Valentin is represented by Kate Welch. The case returns to Suffolk Superior Court on March 13, 2021.
Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’ office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 25,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.