The death of Edward Crowley, a 61-year-old man from Boston, Massachusetts, is intricately linked to the tragic events surrounding the shooting of Frank Lynch in a hospital ward in April 1970. On the day of the incident, Crowley was a patient in the same hospital ward where Frank Lynch, an unarmed Black man, was fatally shot by Boston Police Officer Duggan.
The events unfolded when Officer Duggan was attempting to subdue a prisoner, Hassan, who was in the hospital for treatment.
During the altercation, Duggan drew his gun and began backing up to cover the door, ordering Hassan back into his bed. In the chaos, Duggan fired his weapon multiple times, hitting not only Frank Lynch but also Edward Crowley, who was an innocent bystander in the ward. Crowley, who was the father of a Boston Police crime lab photographer, was struck by one of Duggan's errant shots. Despite the immediate medical attention, Crowley succumbed to his injuries 11 days later, on March 7, 1970.
There were no suspects or arrests related to Edward Crowley's death itself, as it was a direct consequence of the police action that day. The primary focus was on the actions of Officer Duggan, who was the sole individual responsible for the shooting. The investigation and subsequent inquest into Lynch's death, which also implicated Crowley's fatal injury, were highly controversial. The inquest, led by Judge Adlow, was criticized for its handling and the eventual exoneration of Officer Duggan. Despite multiple eyewitness accounts and clear evidence of police misconduct, Adlow's report justified Duggan's actions, citing the need to prevent Hassan from escaping and to maintain the officer's credibility within the police department.
The case did not result in any criminal charges against Officer Duggan. Instead, Lynch's family pursued a civil suit against Duggan and the city in federal court. In 1973, an all-white jury found Duggan not responsible for Lynch's death, further exacerbating the sense of injustice felt by the community.
In summary, Edward Crowley's death was a tragic consequence of a police shooting that highlighted systemic issues within the Boston Police Department and the judicial system. The lack of accountability and the controversial justifications provided by Judge Adlow's report underscored the institutional racism and misconduct that characterized this case.
