Plymouth County DA Supports Commutation Of Brockton Man

BROCKTON, MA — Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz expressed his support in reducing the first-degree murder sentence of William Allen during a commutation hearing that was held over Zoom Tuesday morning.

In 1994, Allen was with a friend who planned to rob a drug dealer, but the robbery instead ended with the drug dealer being stabbed to death.

Allen was charged with the felony murder of Purvis Bester and armed robbery as a result of being a joint venturer. He admitted to participating in the armed robbery before the murder, but wasn't even in the room when Bester was killed. Allen has spent 27 years in prison.

The man who did murder Bester, Roland Perry, took a plea deal and was released from prison 12 years ago, but Allen remains behind bars.

Instead of pleading guilty like Perry did, Allen decided to fight the charges, which made him lose his chance at parole when a jury found him guilty of being a joint venturer, resulting in a life sentence in prison with no possibility of parole in 1997.

“I am truly sorry for what I have done,” said Allen, who explained his transformation in prison, his deep regret that he could not prevent his own son from ending up in prison, and his hope to help prevent others from choosing similar paths. “I, and I alone, am responsible. I failed to make better choices.”

Leah Cole, Bester's daughter, said she forgave Allen at the hearing. The Enterprise also reported that Bester's brothers supported Allen's commutation.

"What we all considered a just outcome decades ago may warrant reconsideration with the passage of time, which brings with it developments in the law, forgiveness from victims, or the actions of an individual which evidences a fundamental change of character," Cruz said in a statement after the commutation hearing.

In April, New England Patriot's safety player Devin McCourty showed his support for Allen's commutation by lending his voice to Second Chance for William Allen, an organization to help his commutation, organized by Brockton Interfaith's Second Chance Justice initiative.

The board took Allen’s request under advisement. If Baker approves a commutation petition, it will go to the Governor’s Council for final approval.