Marblehead posts ad for independent review of Castner crash investigation

MARBLEHEAD – Selectmen have advertised for proposals for an independent review of the Allie Castner investigation.A legal ad published in at least one weekly newspaper, described as “exploratory,” requested proposals for “an independent assessment of the Marblehead Police Department” and “an evaluation of a recent police investigation.”The ad said proposals would be received Thursday, May 13 (the day the ad ran) through Friday, May 28 at 10 a.m.Former Selectmen Chairman Jackie Belf-Becker, who was still chair when the ad was placed, called it “exploratory” in nature and confirmed that the investigation it referred to was the investigation into the death of Allie Castner.Castner was a Marblehead High student who died when she was hit by a car on Pleasant Street at 7 p.m. on Aug. 24, 2009 setting off a storm of controversy about the handling of the investigation and the fact that no charges have been lodged against the driver of the car. Due to a potential conflict of interest regarding one of the driver’s relatives, the Essex County district attorney referred the investigation to the Worcester County district attorney’s office and Worcester found no fault with the local investigation. Worcester investigators concurred that no charges could be lodged against the driver, Thomas Larivee, 19, of Salem.The ad appeared four days after the town election and the day after a new Board of Selectmen was sworn in.Belf-Becker said there was no board vote to place the ad, which she described as “a request for proposals,” and no vote to request the review, and said a board vote would probably take place after the proposals are in on May 28.So far there is no cost estimate for the work and there has been no discussion about where the money is coming from.”We’re waiting to see what numbers come back,” Belf-Becker said. She said the evaluation was something she had discussed with Town Administrator Tony Sasso “and other board members discussed with him individually.””This is something I’ve been thinking about and other people have been thinking about,” she said, “but we didn’t want to do anything during the course of the investigation.”