Crime & Safety
Retired State Police Captain Facing Charges In Dedham Pool Death
James Coughlin will be charged in connection with the death of 17-year-old Alonzo Polk, who drowned in Coughlin's backyard pool last month.
DEDHAM, MA — Prosecutors can move forward with charges against a retired Massachusetts State Police captain and his wife stemming from last month's drowning death of a 17-year-old in his pool.
A Dedham Superior Court clerk magistrate ruled James and Leslie Coughlin can be charged with furnishing alcohol to people under 21 and reckless endangerment to a child. An arraignment date has not been set.
Alonzo Polk, 17, of Dedham, was pulled from the pool during a graduation party at the Netta Road home. He was taken to the hospital, where he died on June 11, a week after the party.
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Polk graduated with honors from Dedham High School just hours before he attended the graduation party at the Coughlin's house. The teen’s family attended the hearing Wednesday.
Before retiring, Coughlin assisted in the high-profile investigation of Sonja Farak, the Massachusetts State Crime lab chemist who was arrested and convicted for tampering with evidence and drug possession.
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Coughlin has been living off of his state pension of $131,961 a year since he retired in 2017. He unsuccessfully ran for sheriff of Norfolk County last year.
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