Boston mayor Michelle Wu issues apology to Black men wrongfully arrested for Carol Stuart murder

CNN — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu issued an apology Wednesday to the families of Alan Swanson and Willie Bennett, two Black men wrongfully arrested in connection with the 1989 murder of Carol Stuart. The identification sparked an aggressive police “stop and frisk” campaign throughout Boston’s Black neighborhoods, ratcheting up animus in a city already rife with racial tension. Elise Amendola/AP Walker worked with a team of journalists to re-examine the Stuart murder in an investigative series and podcast produced in association with HBO called “Murder in Boston: The untold story of the Charles and Carol Stuart shooting.” HBO also released a new docu-series based on the Globe’s reporting that examines the history of racism in the city and how the search for Stuart’s killer led to racial profiling called, “Murder in Boston: Roots, Rampage & Reckoning.” Warner Bros. “Also a discussion about racial bias and what this sort of event says about us as a city.” On Tuesday, Wu said officials at all levels chose to believe a lie which led to a “systemic campaign targeting Black men.” Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox also apologized for “the poor investigation, overzealous behavior and more likely, unconstitutional behavior.” Wu presented an official letter of apology to the families of the Swanson and Bennett that attended the press conference.