Christopher Gavin of The Boston Globe appeared on this week’s episode of “Behind the Story” to discuss the capture of one of Rhode Island’s most wanted fugitives.
Christopher Gavin, a reporter with the Globe’s Rhode Island bureau, has been covering the arrest of 70-year-old Ronald Fischer, who was on the run for more than 20 years. Fischer was found aboard a sailboat off the coast of New Jersey after disappearing just before a jury found him guilty of sexual assault in 2005.
“This is somebody who was convicted by a jury of his peers 20 years ago,” Gavin said. “There’s a family here that wants to see justice done. That’s what I’ll be looking for in that courtroom, because that’s what this comes down to.”
Target 12 Investigator Tim White, who co-hosted the show, reviewed federal documents detailing the steps Fischer allegedly took before fleeing in 2005. Those actions included transferring ownership of two vehicles to his daughters, selling a Jaguar, purchasing American Airlines tickets and researching ways to change his identity.
White said he’s closely watching what defense Fischer may mount now that so much time has passed since he was convicted in absentia.
“You have to think a defense attorney is going to make a very spirited argument that the whole trial has to get tossed out and we do the whole thing again,” White said. “It’s a long shot that they’ll retry the case — a jury has already spoken. It would take a lot to overturn that verdict. But we’re going to see those motions filed.”
Later in the show, Tim and Eli discussed the “stories we wish we wrote,” including:
“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of The Boston Globe.