Two former administrators of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home were arraigned Thursday on criminal neglect charges for their roles in the deadly COVID-19 outbreak at the state-owned long-term care facility.
Former superintendent Bennett Walsh and medical director Dr. David Clinton had not guilty pleas entered during the Hampden Superior Court hearing that was held remotely.
Attorney Michael Jennings, representing Walsh, argued against several pretrial conditions sought by prosecutors including that Walsh have no contact with families of victims, and that he not seek employment in the nursing home industry.
“It leaves a perception when it is reported that an individual has been placed on pretrial probation and has restrictive conditions and we think in this case it is unfair,” said Jennings.
Judge Edward McDonough imposed no pretrial conditions.
A March 22nd pretrial hearing was scheduled.
Walsh and Clinton were indicted by statewide grand jury on ten charges ten – five counts each of criminal neglect and five counts each of serious bodily injury.
When Attorney General Maura Healey announced the charges on Sept 25 she said it was the first criminal case in the country brought against people who ran nursing homes during the pandemic.
At least 76 residents of the Soldiers’ Home died from COVID-19 during the outbreak in March.
Attorneys for Walsh contend he is being scapegoated. They insist he did the best he could given the highly contagious nature of the coronavirus and the fact it can be spread by people who do not have any symptoms.
