In 1990, when first he ran for District Attorney of Hampden County, William M. Bennett promised to serve just two terms.
At the time, Bennett's promise came in the context of an ugly scandal that had enveloped the DA's office during the tenure of Bennett's predecessor, the late Matthew J. "Matty" Ryan, Jr. Bennett ran as a reformer who would liberate the DA's office from years under the popular but controversial and entrenched Ryan. Ryan, who chose not to seek re-election in 1990, had been accused by one of his top aides, Francis Bloom, of going easy on reputed mobsters, with whom, in some cases, Ryan had social relationships.
In his race to succeed Ryan, Bennett prevailed without the benefit of his predecessor's endorsement. In that race, Ryan endorsed former Springfield Mayor Thomas J. O'Connor, a close friend and colleague, who ultimately lost his bid to Bennett.
Bennett's campaign promise to serve only two terms turned out to be an empty one. He has remained at the helm in the DA's office for nearly 20 years. During most of that time, Bennett was viewed by his critics not as a reformer, but as a run-of-the-mill politician and prosecutor. Bennett came under criticism within local minority communities for his failure to prosecute Springfield police officers who shot and killed an unarmed young African-American named Ben Schoolfield during a traffic stop in 1994.
Last week, Bennett told his staff that he would not seek another term as DA. The race for that office is already underway, with local attorney Thomas J. Rooke and Assistant District Attorney Stephen E. Spelman having declared their candidacies and former prosecutor Brett J. Vottero, who left the DA's office due to conflict with Bennett, planning to announce his intention to run in early 2010. With Bennett out of the race, a number of other lawyers, some with ties to Bennett, are considering possible runs, including State Sen. Steve Buoniconti, a former ADA under Bennett, and State Sen. Gale Candaras.
Bennett, who had said he would not make a decision until next year, announced his decision to bow out after he completes his term next year in statements to the local media, following a meeting with his staff.
In a statement to ABC 40 and FOX 6 Bennett said, "I will be forever grateful that I have had the opportunity to serve as District Attorney and I sincerely thank all who made that possible. It has been a special honor and privilege to work with a great staff, outstanding professionals in the court system, and dedicated police officers on behalf of our community."
Bennett told reporters that he expects his last year in office to be a busy one, particularly in light of the state's financial crisis and its impact on criminal justice and law enforcement.
