DIFFICULT ROAD. JUSTICE DELAYED IS NOT JUSTICE DENIED. TEARS AND DISAPPOINT AFTER A JUDGE RULED TO DELAY THE SENTENCING OF EMANUEL LOPES, HE WAS CONVICTED LAST MONTH IN THE 2018 MURDERS OF WEYMOUTH POLICE SERGEANT MICHAEL CHESNA AND VERA ADAMS. THE VERDICT COMING AFTER A SECOND TRIAL. THE FIRST ENDED IN MISTRIAL. IT’S BEEN A VERY LONG ROAD AND TO HAVE A VERDICT WAS GREAT, BUT TO NOT HAVE A SENTENCE IS PAINFUL. WE’RE ASKING FOR TIME. LOPES DEFENSE WANTS MORE TIME TO PREPARE AND BRING IN EXPERTS. AFTER A RECENT RULING FROM THE SJC THAT STATES THOSE UNDER 21 CANNOT BE SENTENCED TO LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE, CALLING IT CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT. LOPES WAS 20 WHEN THE CRIMES WERE COMMITTED. JUST REQUIRES A LOT MORE THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT DOES, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE EVOLVING CASE LAW RIGHT NOW, THE PROSECUTION IS PUSHING FOR CONSECUTIVE SENTENCES FOR THE TWO MURDER CONVICTIONS, ESTIMATING LOPES WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE AT 75 YEARS OLD WOULD ASK THE COURT TO SENTENCE THE DEFENDANT ON THE 19TH IF THE DEFENSE WISHES TO BRING ONE OF HIS EXPERTS IN, THAT’S THE TIME TO DO IT. BUT THE JUDGE SIDING WITH THE DEFENSE, EVERYBODY WORKED SO HARD ON THIS CASE. I DON’T WANT TO CUT CORNERS AT SENTENCING THE CHESNA FAMILY, HOPING JUSTICE WILL ULTIMATELY SERVE THE LIVES TAKEN. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT WOULD BE IN THE MURDER OF MICHAEL AND VERA. IT’S LIKE THEY’RE AFTERTHOUGHTS. THEY’RE NOTHING. WELL, THEY WERE SOMETHING, AND THEY WILL ALWAYS BE SOMETHING. SO THE NEW SENTENCING DATE IS JUNE 21ST. THAT IS THREE MONTHS FROM NOW.