Greater Boston; Wakefield shootings, Flynns book, Marty Sender obit

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a deadly workplace rampage in Wakefield raises questions We've heard before in these cases could anything had been done to prevent it we'll look at that case and then former Boston Mayor Raymond Flynn joins us to talk about his new novel and later We give tribute to Marty sender a valued friend and colleague who died this past weekend First Michael McDermott a hooking bearded giant who people thought posed no danger Plead not guilty today to gunning down seven of his co -workers had edgewater technology in Wakefield yesterday John Carroll as more Michael McDermott stood silent and unflinching in Middlesex County Court this morning as assistant district attorney Tom O 'Reilly Grimley detailed the seven or eight minutes that may now constitute the worst mass murder in Massachusetts history Yes, a morning at about 1114 Wakefield police started receiving 911 calls for approximately 30 40 different individuals Those calls indicated shots being fired at the workplace

at over an Albion street in the city of Wakefield Police found McDermott sitting in the reception area of the edgewater technology companies surrounded by a cache of weaponry a semi -automatic rifle a shot gun a handgun and magazines of ammunition lying just behind the reception area lay a woman who had been shot dead as she stood Just off to the side was the receptionist who was also shot an apparent indication that she was trying to flee as the wounds were to her back in their head Authorities say McDermott shot and killed seven co -workers at the Wakefield high tech company all seven four women and three men were shot in the head Carmoff would feel that this was a methodical undertaking with delivered premeditation and the method of shooting also arises to the issue of extreme atrocity and cruelty McDermott pleaded not guilty to seven counts of first degree murder this morning Defense attorney Kevin Reddington waved bail arguments and asked the court to take precautions with his clients They only concern

a request to the court right now would be that when he is remanded to the Middlesex facility that he has been undergoing psychiatric treatment and he has been on medication McDermott was ordered held without bail outside the courthouse Middlesex district attorney Martha Copley met with reporters It is a very disturbing situation. I know people are concerned We are working as a the state local police federal authorities to try and understand it And to the extent that we can solve it we will do that Cochley said authorities continue to come through the Harvard Mills office complex for clues Police have also searched McDermott's home and are investigating how he acquired the weapons Obviously these weapons can be and are available despite the fact that Massachusetts has incredibly strict gun laws other states do not It's very easy to obtain weapons in the midst of the shootings yesterday 14 employees of nearby businesses ran across the street to the North Shore pool and spa fearing for their lives Today store

employees remain shaken. I've told the story what happened a thousand times But I'm just starting to hear it for the first time, you know It's starting to really sink in that you know seven people killed right across the street at the same time The tragedy is sinking into the town of Wakefield as a whole churches are planning services and local residents are sending prayers to the families of the victims the pre -trial hearing for Michael McDermott is scheduled for January 31st And joining me now are Susan Braverman of CMG Associates and her husband Mark Braverman of the same company They work as a team with companies that have experienced some kind of workplace of violence And Susan sadly these things almost instantly become about the families and the survivors the people in the workplace What can you do to go in and Make people feel okay or better or help them explain what happened? How can you do that? Well, you know in a situation like this There really isn't a way to make people

feel better People are never the same after they experience an event like this and it will be a very long time I think before people begin to heal that healing process is a complex Process that can go on for weeks and months and for some for some people years As they try to make sense of what happened to them and put their lives back together That'll be an issue for the individuals involved. It'll also be an issue for the organization as a whole and In a mark. We saw this in the little ten Colorado shootings where People wanted to talk about the two boys who committed the crime will co -workers Want to talk about Michael McDermott? Will they talk about things that they noticed and things that they remembered now? Hopefully people will have an opportunity to do a lot of talking about it. They'll want to replay it people will go through a whole host of feelings and And thoughts people will struggle to find some way to make sense out of this They'll go back. They'll try to remember what they could have

seen should have seen They'll try to find Someone to blame they'll try to find a way to make it all make sense and to reestablish some sense of control over something that Happens that takes away their sense that they can control things. We've had this discussion here on the show now I've only been doing the show for four years. I'm gonna say this is the seventh -rate time we've done this I mean, what is this syndrome? It's Largely white middle -aged men. This is this I've been heard this guy described as the Classic profile for someone to commit this kind of problem. But what is it? What is going on there? Now, I know you don't know anything about this specific case, but well, it's a hard question to answer because you can talk about a classic profile But the description that you just went through fits about 90 % of the workforce So you have to be careful I think about talking about a profile owner and he was you know strange looking and he had you know Well things that sort of you want to say oh well, he's

innocent and harmless, but then when you look at him You think he doesn't look it of course in hindsight. He doesn't a lot of it has to do with hindsight and People want to find some people are scared employers in particular as well as employees want to know well What can we do to prevent this so can you tell us what's the profile so that somehow we can predict it or we can identify These people before they act or before they kill the fact is and we don't understand why it is that People who happen to be white happen to be a certain age happen to fit a certain sort of demographic pattern tend to perpetrate these acts, but you can't then turn the logic around and say therefore people who Fit these lists of characteristics are going to do that much as it would be nice to be able to say that we can't say Well, these are the bad apples. Let's get rid of them and we'll be safe You two have stepped into situations like this before a postal shooting crisis another What do you find what what what what what what's the what are what are people talking to you about when you go in? Well, what we find initially is that people really are in a state of shock and it takes a while for

the event to begin to sink in people are often numb People find after the numbness begins to wear off that they're fearful everywhere Once you've experienced that the world is not such a safe place It seems that no place in the world is safe even though What happened to you didn't happen in the supermarket it didn't happen in your own home at the same time? The world feels very unsafe and unpredictable things happen all the time. So people experience a lot of fear Wherever they go and tend to need a lot of support and a lot of reassurance They also need a lot of opportunity to talk to grieve To be with other people who experience the same event with them and hopefully People will be able to spend time with their co -workers grieving together and talking about what happened so that they can begin to to come to terms with it There's so much discussion that goes on in workplaces now about being sensitive about all kinds of things about people and I'm wondering if you can look at a situation like this and

say well He'd had dust steps before apparently had been had an argument But is that just an emotional outlet or can you look at that and say no like this guy looks like somebody who may be on an edge I mean, and then you have to be concerned about people's privacy But is there any way in advance you can say you know? This guy might be one Well, there are lots of things that can be done preventatively and we don't know what was done or what could have been done in this particular case But by and large when we take a look and replay these stories back We often see that there were warning signals. Yeah, people were concerned People have been involved in disputes or conflicts either with the organization or with other people and Sometimes they're handled well. Sometimes they're not handled very well If you want to talk about a profile The profile of someone who ends up acting out in such a horrible catastrophic By the way is someone who feels quite helpless Very much like nobody understands him. Nobody will listen to him It's their fault not my fault that my life is not going

well and eventually that rage Will be targeted Toward someone you know outside of himself and I know he has not been found guilty yet But when you look into the eyes of that man today in the courtroom He just look like he was gone. He wasn't there. There was nothing left but the shell And maybe he accomplished what he wanted and he's happy but you know you raise a very important Question and that is how do you support somebody in the workplace that you begin to feel maybe breaking down under stress And I think it's very important that employers and managers be sensitive to when people are beginning to break down under stress and Offer some support. Okay. Well Susan and Mark Braveerman. Thank you so much for being with us All right, and when we continue former Boston mayor and ambassador to the Vatican Reflin joins us He was the mayor of Boston from 1984 to

1993 and the US ambassador to the Vatican from 1993 to 97 It was there that Ray Flynn gained the behind -the -scenes insights for his latest venture a novel called the accidental Pope Written by Ray Flynn along with Robin Moore who also wrote the French connection and Ray Flynn is here I'm nice to be with you. So without giving away the intriguing plot here I have to see by the way the globe page you an incredible compliment They said it was well plotted and firmly paced. I got a very nice. We got a review in the London times yesterday And it was one of the best reviews. I don't know anybody in London and it was just a great A great great review It's catching on because of the fact that it's it gives you a real great insight into a lot of the intrigue within the Vatican that most People would not know about wouldn't have any understanding of I actually didn't start out writing this book about Vatican and Tric Which it's a

novel by the way. I started writing a memoir of definitive political autobiography over the past 50 years, 30 of those years. I was in politics You're going to the busing to the Stuart case in a number of other cases, but Situation but within that book that outline was one chapter about my experiences at the Vatican in Publishers weren't so interested in Ray Flynn's life story But they were interested in the Vatican story and therefore this book in another book that comes out a Comes out in April now Pope John Paul the second obviously is not dead yet and yet you're writing about what happens when he dies Was there any sensitivity about that? Well, it's interesting because of the fact that maybe seven weeks ago If somebody would say well, how is the presence of the of the United States elected people would not usually say Well, whoever gets the most votes, right? No wrong. Whoever wins the electoral college

How is a Pope elected? I found from my experiences About four and a half years at the Vatican talking with many including many scholars and noted students of Catholic Church in religion in general that very few people had any awareness Understanding of the intricacies of the politics of how it works. So I I felt that having a definitive story about how the Concave actually works and how the Pope is elected would be something The real Pope who it was still alive. So I just wondered if the Vatican had any sensitivity. No, as a matter of fact, I I gave the book several copies of the book to high -ranking Vatican officials According to the London Times, the Pope had a copy of it himself in the response has been very very positive, very favorable Look the second book that is coming out in April Clearly paints a picture that you will be surprised that many church leaders across the world

will say it might well be the best Insight of John Paul the second Yeah, that's the one that I've already written. It's already in print. It's being timed for some time in the spring So there was a very positive relationship the last thing I would ever do is say do anything just respectful Not only to this Pope who is my dear friend, but also to the Catholic Church So it's it's in good taste and I'm not interested in making money. I'm interested in telling a story That's not a bad thing, but I was more interested in telling a good positive story about the this Pope in the book You play thinly disguised The character of Ed Kirby. First of all, I have to ask you how you got that name and secondly It's my uncle. Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay. I thought maybe it was after my husband. All right But you say that he has was unfairly maligned not not your word, but mind by the hostile Chicago press who said that you were Hard drinking and you know

Excessive with beer and wine. Do you think that that was something that you were accused of here that was unfair? Oh sure of course, and I think different politicians run through the same experiences But you can get you can get away within a novel. You can get you can get away with telling the facts Well, it's like politics today. I think most politicians would say from Bill Clinton to Al Gore to George Bush Most politicians would say that the political climate is so polluted that the media does in fact take unnecessary shots at them at the process and And this is a way of and I think the people know that Maybe the press doesn't understand it but people understand it and and when people read this book They get an insight of how Ed Kirby felt About the way he was treated, but it's only a small part of the the big picture the big picture is really talking about

The insight of Vatican and State Department politics and the State Department politics is really on the money here on this book The accidental Pope most diplomats are afraid To tell this story. I'm not it's a lot of fun I won't give away the secret, but this fisherman gets accidentally elected to the next Pope after and it's a lot of fun a lot of intrigue And and you're right a lot of people did not know the politics of what goes on in the Vatican I'll find out here Ray Flynn. Thank you so much. Thank you. We'll have you back when your next book is out Okay, I'll say thank you and when we continue remembering our friend Marty sender Along with thousands of other family friends and fans we hear at greater Boston lost a dear associate and colleague this week Marty sender best known for his years as co -host of WBZ's evening magazine died

last Saturday from head injuries He suffered in a golf accident in October. He was only 53 We remember him tonight Marty sender he had a musical name and a handsome face But it was his scholarly wit and curious charm that made him a man for TV And oh yes, his daredevil antics The ground is very far away and I want out There's no feeling that I have ever had that compares to looking out into 5 ,000 feet of air And just sort of throwing my body out Marty sender and robin young hosted the enormously popular evening magazine on WBZ for three years starting in 1977 We'd call people and we'd say hello. We're from evening magazine on channel four and people would say who what not for long The show was a reading smash But

Marty's true reputorial passion was politics So he left evening in 1980 for a five -year stint at CBS news where he covered the 1984 presidential campaign He returned to Boston in 1985 and became the lead political reporter for channel seven If there's any downside to the thousands of jobs being created here and that will be created at the central artery third harbor tunnel projects Sender had unarrasable no nonsense manner which often left him at odds with local news So he quit in 1992 starting his own communications business He was also a community activist and as executive director of the Charles River watershed Association he sought to rid the river. He so loved of a malignant weed infestation But perhaps his greatest passion was golf a game. He both played and defended The folks that I play with and the folks that I observe 99 % of them are perfectly well -mannered and know the game and are respectful of it and the other players Sender who was

also an attorney spoke easily and eloquently on a range of topics Which is why so many people sought his advice with 11 candidates You're going to have a person with less than 30 % winning the primary and presumably the the general also So it's it's going to be a ground war. They'll be he was a frequent guest on this program Appearing for the last time on the evening before his golfing accident offering his usual down to earth observations If you've ever been in a riot It's very difficult for a photographer to Put his camera down and take his notebook out and go over the person to say excuse me now Your name is and your hometown is and when the golfer pain Stewart died in a plane crash in October of 1999 Marty said of Stewart he was a human being in a world of robots and he spoke of the joy He got out of watching Stewart play I must say that I had the best round of golf in my life just a few weeks ago right after the writer

club cup and The swing thought or the image that I had in my mind was pain Stewart's liquid what I call his liquid swing It was just a thing of beauty and I personally am going to miss him And we Marty are going to miss you And with me now our Robin young marty's co -host on even a magazine in a close friend of 30 or so years And George back rack a friend and client of marty's I know this is tough. I'm gonna start with you George I know when you're all I'll start with you. It's just gotta be so tough for you. Well for you too You know we've we've lost a lot in in our little television community in the last few years and And yet I have to say because marty would want us to say this in light of especially today's news in New England. I mean He'd be the first to say look we see so much. We never say Why me we say when me and who and I just never thought it was gonna be marty Because

well you know that he was so filled with life He was so passionate about life. I mean whether it was golf or the news or his friends or his family or his community or the river and You just Outsized is the word that I keep thinking of and he's also listening and you know telling me I'm using clichés Because that's that's he hated clichés. He hated clichés, but you have to don't we? Well, I mean What was also wonderful about marty wasn't in a world that has grown increasingly cynical He escaped that I mean he Wanted the world and people in it to mean something and to do their best and You know, he would never allow any of us to cut corners. He would never allow himself to cut corners He kept pushing all of us to use words that had meaning To do things that had meaning It's interesting you know you referenced that I was a client of his in fact He would never let me be a client. He never took any money from really came to me as a friend He was with me when I lost the last election on election night and drove me to my Supporters he could have been anywhere

else. I mean, there's an old saying of politics that Victory as a thousand fathers and defeat as an orphan. He would let no one be an orphan I mean he could have been with more important people. He could have been with winners And yet he wouldn't walk out. He wouldn't leave. I remember a speech I had to give that I was terrified of to a state convention that didn't want to hear what I wanted to say And Marty kept pushing me to say the things again that had value as opposed to the things that were politically expedient That was morning. You know one of the things we noticed Robin and we had him on the show probably it does in times is that He always came so studied so well prepared so well research I mean a lot of people come on the show and they wing it because they think well, you know, I'm funny I've got my you know my couple of lines that I pull out of the hat He would if it was a court case he would read the brief If that were the research that we sent him for a beat the press show He would have every single one and they'd pull out something else that he had and He really Nothing was off the cuff You know, it's they've been saying this in the papers and

it's really true that he set a standard for a lot of reporters at all three stations In town and and was somewhat erasible as the word. I love that word I mean, there's a hole in the wall at Channel 7 where an edit didn't go quite right You know, they kind of keep it there. That's the Marty sender hole and and yet that's what we loved about him Because with something like evening, I think the reason the show was so phenomenal is that we did a lot of lighter stories and a lot of You know human interest stories, but we always had to have it had to be journalistically sound and you had to find the There was a layer underneath the layer that you saw and I think to this day. That's why I mean They're just I've never seen anything like it thank goodness one of our people Chris sterling went over and is producing Chronicle over at five, but But even then I mean my favorite Marty story Sid Levin our editor and shooter reminded us of he was we called him the kid because he was 20 when we did evening We were 25 so we were the older ones and Everybody had said to him which off from Marty. He can be really tough You know, you got to get it right and he's a task mask

or he's a tough tough tough one and one night after 36 hours of working straight Sid fell asleep. He was horrified. He fell asleep in the editing room and he felt something I thought oh my god. It's Marty's gonna kill me. I fell asleep. It was Marty tucking him in with a blanket That was Marty, you know, he just he took such care of Everyone and of everything that he did and it showed in his work And you know it's interesting because he was so Cute handsome as the word I use but he really was you know so boyish in term And I think that one of the reasons he played so well in TV But I also knew him as that kind of a rassable and kind of contrarian and I wonder if he ever gave advice that you didn't want to hear Absolutely, absolutely, but you know, he was impatient because he wanted you to do the right thing You know, he he was impatient because he had a sense of where things ought to be going and and he was worried that others were gonna find these You know cut these corners and take the easy way at he was you know in journalism a true professional, but in politics You know, he was sort of

an early John McCain if I can reference him I mean somebody who just was tired of politics as usual and let's say something here that means we just say there was a softness to him too Somebody a friend called me the night and read to me a letter that Marty had sent to her son When her husband had died and this young boy was 15 at the time and Marty didn't know this young 15 year old and he sent him this Long touching personal letter Not only about the loss that this young boy had suffered, but about how he had felt how he marty had felt when he lost his own father When he was relatively young and Marty's own brother was younger brother was only 15 when Marty's father died And it was just you know this side of Marty that I think few people saw About how much he could care for somebody a young 15 year old who he didn't know, but who he knew he could help And you know all these things that we're talking about are the things that ultimately make great television Because when you care so much about people that's what it is storytelling

is really caring enough to realize that every person's story that you're carrying It's like the sacred privilege and I don't again. I'm sorry Marty, you know, but that's what he did I would like to say that of course one of his other passions was his dear wife James and her and his brothers who care deeply for him Gary bothers mom and go and have been around for a couple of months The other day said this, but you couldn't talk to Marty without him first talking about Jane I know yeah, it's a great woman, and I know it'll be tough Robin young George Backwreck. Thanks so much, and that is it for Greater Boston on Emily Rooney. Good night You