Massachusetts high court reinstates charges for officials at COVID-ravaged Veterans' Home

Massachusetts' Supreme Judicial Court has overruled a county judge's decision to drop charges against two top officials at Holyoke's Veterans' Home.

In their ruling, the majority of the justices found that the facts presented to the grand jury constituted probable cause to believe that Walsh and Clinton violated the elder abuse statute and that Hampden Superior Court Judge Edward McDonough Jr. erred in dismissing the charges.

"Of course, sometimes bad things happen for no discernable reason, and no one is to blame. At any subsequent trial, prosecutors will need to prove their case. We conclude only that they will have the opportunity to do so," the court ruled.