'The wound . . . will hurt for the rest of my life'

Former House speaker Thomas M. Finneran offered an emotional apology yesterday after pleading guilty to obstruction of justice, saying he "shamed" himself when he lied during a civil trial about his role in a redistricting plan that diluted the strength of minority voters in Boston.

"If I could erase that lapse in judgment, I would do so in a moment," Finneran, told reporters as he left the federal courthouse after being sentenced to 18 months of unsupervised probation. "But I cannot undo it, and the wound I have inflicted on myself will be with me and will hurt for the rest of my life."

The emotional, public act of contrition was a striking about-face for a storied Beacon Hill power broker whose eight years as speaker of the House were characterized by ironfisted leadership and who was unapologetic in the face of criticism.

In the courtroom packed with relatives and friends, Finneran's voice cracked with emotion as he offered his first public explanation of why he lied under oath during a civil trial when he claimed he didn't see the 2001 redistricting plan until it was filed with the House.

Finneran, 56, a Mattapan Democrat, told the judge he was angry when he took the stand on Nov. 14, 2003 in the case brought by the Black Political Caucus and other voting rights groups. He was insulted, he said, by accusations that he was involved in a racist redistricting plan that "whitened" his district, the 12th Suffolk, by adding precincts from Milton to his Mattapan base.

"For 26 years I had represented a district that was overwhelmingly African-American, and I took great pride in my representation of that district," Finneran told the judge. "I was offended by the accusations."

Finneran said yesterday that he denied that he had been involved in drawing up the redistricting plan because he wanted to distance himself from "very troubling" allegations of racism.

Finneran's lawyer, Richard Egbert , said his client was suffering physically that day and had come to court with a "bad attitude." Finneran had just dropped off his wife, Donna, at a hospital for medical tests, Egbert said, and was experiencing pain in his hip. He was scheduled to undergo hip replacement surgery a couple of weeks later.

Egbert described Finneran as a "decent and good human being" who had made a single error in judgment.

Assistant US Attorney John T. McNeil told the judge that Finneran should be held accountable for making false and misleading statements under oath during the civil trial. But, he said the government was recommending probation for Finneran as part of a plea agreement, in part because there was no evidence in the case of any "racial animus" by the former speaker.

US District Judge Richard G. Stearns sentenced Finneran to 18 months of unsupervised probation and ordered him to pay a $25,000 fine, saying he had considered "the lack of any evil motive" by Finneran, his distinguished career of public service, and his exemplary private life.

The judge noted that the court couldn't force Finneran to abide by a promise he made in his agreement with the government not to run for any political office for five years. However, Stearns said, "I believe that Mr. Finneran is an honorable man and he will keep his word."

As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors yesterday dropped three perjury charges against Finneran.

Finneran resigned from the House in October 2004 to become president of Massachusetts Biotechnology Council and was indicted the following June on perjury and obstruction-of-justice charges.

The FBI launched its investigation of Finneran after a three-judge panel challenged Finneran's trial testimony in a 2004 case that overturned the redistricting plan, finding that it discriminated against minorities.

James E. Cofield Jr., chairman of the Black Political Task Force's redistricting committee, said Finneran's sentence was "instructive to the world and to the legislators on Beacon Hill, that you cannot participate in a process like redistricting and do one thing behind closed doors and then lie about it later."

Among political allies of the former speaker who appeared in court to support him was state Representative John H. Rogers, the Norwood Democrat who was one of Finneran's top lieutenants and whom Finneran had previously likened to a son.

Rogers said outside the courthouse afterward, "I love Tom Finneran. He's one of the most honorable people I've ever met in life, never mind government.

"I think the character of the man was manifest today in the courtroom," he said. "We all make mistakes."

During a press conference after the sentencing yesterday, US Attorney Michael J. Sullivan said that as a lawyer, a member of the Massachusetts Bar, and a legislator, Finneran knew better than anyone the importance of honesty and cooperation with the courts.

"I hope today's conviction on a federal obstruction-of-justice charge, and all it entails, sends a powerful message to all those public officials and private citizens to be faithful to your oath," said Sullivan.

Defending the government's agreement to drop the perjury charges and recommend probation for Finneran, Sullivan said, "In this particular case, I think Mr. Finneran has had a career of public service that many people would admire -- not necessarily agree with all of the issues, but admire in terms of his passion and his advocacy for a wide range of issues.

"Essentially, you have to juxtapose that with the other conduct of Mr. Finneran during the redistricting," he said.

The conviction also means Finneran could lose his annual $30,909 public pension. Officials in the office of state Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill, who heads the state Retirement Board, said they would not comment on the issue until the retirement board discusses it.

Finneran also faces possible suspension of his license to practice law, and even disbarment.

Finneran has also been in talks recently to host a radio talk show on WRKO. George Regan, an outside spokesman for WRKO 's parent company , Entercom, said last night that those talks are continuing.

About an hour after Finneran left the courthouse, he returned with his wife, Donna, and grinned as he told a reporter that he had forgotten to pay his fine and wanted to write a $25,000 check immediately to resolve his case.

He said he wasn't sure what his future holds, but wants the people he represented to know how sorry he is.

"I was very proud to represent a minority district in a city that has a long, turbulent racial history," he said.