Almost four years after attempting to murder Boston EMT Elania McAlister and Rob Lord in the back of an ambulance, Julie Tejeda is set to be released back to the public. The reason, the Department of Mental Health thinks she’s too crazy to stand trial, but not crazy enough to remain locked up.
Taking to Facebook in a public post to express her frustration, McAlister says, “So, I guess you can attempt to murder me, play stupid about the legal system, and get away with it all.” It’s shocking how right she is. In her post, McAlister also says that she was told that her attacker would be placed into a voluntary halfway house. The catch? Julie Tejeda will be free to leave at any time.
Also taking to Facebook to express their frustration is former number two of Boston EMS, Joe O’Hare said, “Our dysfunctional court and mental health systems decided to release the attacker.. two kind and condiserate EMT’s lives are forever changed yet the attempted murderer walks free… Such bullshit. I am beyond angry.”
In 2019 at a press conference in front of MGH, then Boston Police Commissioner William Gross said, “These EMTs did not deserve this, every day they go out and they help people, they save lives and they don’t deserve to be attacked.” What these first responders really deserve is to be protected by the justice system, not revictimized. To think this woman has been allowed to skate by with no accountability is horrendous.
We reached out to the District Attorney’s Office for clarification on if D.A. Hayden supports the move to allow Tejeda to return to the public without any consequences. Their office did confirm that DMH will be heard at Suffolk Superior on the matter of her discharge tomorrow, but would not indicate if the DA’s Office would accept and support their findings to release her. Sadly the simple answer of “no we stand with our first responders” was nowhere to be found.
In the above press release from the Boston EMS Union, President Matthew Anderson said, “EMT McAlister nearly lost her life during this senseless act of violence, her children almost lost their mother, and a career was cut short. Justice has not been served.”
The hearing is expected to take place tomorrow morning in Suffolk County Superior Court at 09:00 hours.