BOSTON – Suffolk County District Attorney-elect Rachael Rollins has named two chairs to lead her transition team.
Rollins was overwhelmingly elected as the next Suffolk County District Attorney last week, garnering more than 80% of the vote. Today, she named Natashia Tidwell and Martin F. Murphy to lead her transition as she builds her team and lays the groundwork to take office in January. Tidwell and Murphy are experienced criminal prosecutors and defense attorneys who have served at the state and federal levels.
Tidwell is a former police lieutenant who went on to serve as a federal prosecutor in both the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office here in Boston. She is currently in private practice at Hogan Lovells in Boston. Murphy served as the First Assistant District Attorney in the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and as a federal prosecutor, and currently serves as a trial lawyer at the Boston law firm Foley Hoag. Murphy is also Vice President of the Boston Bar Association and a member of the Board of Directors for the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts.
“The voters sent a clear message that the status quo in our criminal justice system is not good enough and it is time for a change,” Rollins said. “That work starts today. Natashia and Marty bring a diverse set of experiences to these leadership roles, and I’m so thankful that they have agreed to help us build a high-quality, dedicated team that will reflect the communities we serve. Together we are going to build a smarter, more compassionate criminal justice system for everyone.”
Rollins’ election reflects a widespread demand for change in a criminal justice system that for too long has not worked fairly for everyone. Rollins has promised to bring new solutions to the office that will break down wealth and racial disparities, keep communities safe and treat all people with dignity and respect.
As Suffolk County District Attorney she will keep communities safe and ensure justice for victims. Rollins is committed to improving our criminal justice system through best-practices and data-driven programs. That includes focusing on treatment, not prosecution, for those swept up in the justice system for minor crimes. This will also allow prosecutors to focus more resources on the serious crimes that truly undermine public safety, like domestic violence, sexual assault, gun violence, and homicides. Rollins is looking forward to working with community partners, law enforcement, and the residents of Suffolk County to transform the District Attorney’s office.
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Natashia Tidwell
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Natashia Tidwell is an attorney in the Investigations, White Collar, and Fraud practice group of Hogan Lovells US LLP’s Boston office. She began her legal career as a federal prosecutor in both the Department of Justice (DOJ) Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Natashia handled a wide variety of investigations, enforcement proceedings, and trials related to conspiracy, extortion, narcotics, and organized crime. At DOJ, she prosecuted and supervised investigations of serious misconduct by public officials throughout the United States and its territories. Natashia’s interest in criminal justice took root during her tenure as a police officer in Cambridge. While there, she rose through the ranks to become the first female lieutenant in the department's history. Currently, she applies her specialized knowledge of policing and court practices to her work as the Lead Monitor in Ferguson, Missouri where she oversees implementation of a federal consent decree following a DOJ investigation of unconstitutional police and municipal court practices.
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| Martin F. Murphy |
Martin F. Murphy is trial lawyer at Foley Hoag LLP, where he represents, individuals, companies, universities, and other institutions in civil and criminal proceedings. Marty has served as the First Assistant District Attorney of Middlesex County, where he prosecuted homicide, domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, civil rights and financial crimes cases, as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, and as a State Ethics Commissioner. He is the Vice-President of the Boston Bar Association, a member of the Board of Regents of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and a member of the Board of Directors of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. Marty lives in South Boston.
