Capeless Elected President of State DA Association
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire District Attorney David F. Capeless has been elected president of the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association, which is comprised of the commonwealth's 11 elected district attorneys.Capeless was elected at the association's monthly meeting in Boston on Wednesday. He said his top priority as president will be to help ensure quality prosecutions while being fiscally responsible during the economic downturn facing the state and the nation.
"The District Attorneys Association will be looking to work closely with the Legislature and the administration to strengthen public safety while developing and implementing cost-saving measures within the criminal justice system," said Capeless in a statement. "These are difficult times, but I believe we can accomplish these goals while strengthening the current system."
He succeeds Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe as president. Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth D. Scheibel, who serves the people of Franklin and Hampshire counties, has been elected vice president.
Capeless was appointed Berkshire district attorney in March 2004 by Gov. Mitt Romney to succeed Gerard D. Downing, who died unexpectedly in December 2003. He was elected in November 2004 and re-elected to a full four-year term in November 2006. Capeless has been a prosecutor for his entire legal career — more than 26 years — having previously served as the first assistant district attorney from 1991 to 2004, and, before that, as an assistant district attorney in Middlesex County from 1982 to 1990.
In 1997, Capeless was honored as the Prosecutor of the Year by the District Attorneys Association.
He has successfully prosecuted a number of notorious cases, including serial child-murderer Lewis Lent and the 1992 shootings at Simon's Rock College in Great Barrington by student Wayne Lo. Most recently, he tried and convicted Patricia Olsen of 1st-degree murder for the 2005 shooting in Lanesborough of her husband, Neil Olsen.
Capeless, 56, also successfully prosecuted the murder of 17-year-old Krystal Hopkins of Pittsfield by Adam Rosier, which resulted in a 1997 landmark decision by the Supreme Judicial Court, the first appellate decision in the nation that recognized the use of the STR, or short tandem repeat, method of DNA testing, which has since become the industry standard for forensic testing of evidence.
A native of Pittsfield, he is the son of former Pittsfield Mayor Robert Capeless, and the grandson of former Pittsfield City Councilor and state Rep. Matthew Capeless. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Boston College Law School and lives in West Stockbridge with his wife, Betsy, and his two sons, 13-year-old Charlie and 11-year-old Sam.
During his four years as district attorney, Capeless has focused on the growing problem of gang violence and the illegal use of firearms. He has secured special legislative appropriations of $150,000 the past three years to fund special operations by a countywide Guns 'n Gangs task force, which has made more than 250 arrests and seized 52 firearms.
He also supports proactive prevention initiatives and works with local law enforcement, social service agencies, health care professionals and educators to address the social, economic and health issues facing county citizens of all ages. Capeless said he sees education and civic involvement as a key to reducing crime, and so he and his staff serve as a strong presence in community affairs, activities and events.
