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After 30 years, justice in a Dorchester slaying

E-mail|Link|Comments () June 23, 2009 05:29 PM

By Maria Cramer, Globe Staff

A 47-year-old man was convicted today in Suffolk Superior Court of manslaughter for shooting another man to death over 30 years ago.

Richard Franklin was convicted in the slaying of Gregory McDavid, 30, on Greenbrier Street in Dorchester on May 13, 1979. Prosecutors said that Franklin had intended to rob McDavid but shot him instead.

The case went unsolved for more than a decade until Franklin walked into the office of a community service officer at his Brockton housing development in 1995 and took responsibility for it.

After Franklin came forward with his confession, he was kept in a state psychiatric hospital for nearly a decade, until a judge ruled in 2005 that he was mentally fit to stand trial.

At trial, Franklin's attorney urged jurors to disregard his confession. But prosecutors said that in three separate statements, to the community service officer, a Brockton Police detective, and to Boston Police homicide detectives, Franklin admitted to approaching McDavid's car and firing a single shot through the closed driver's window as part of an attempted robbery.

The jury's verdict was swift. Closing arguments were given by the prosecution and defense earlier today.

Assistant District Attorney Ian Polumbaum told the jury that Franklin's statements were "calm, rational, and voluntary" and included details that indicated he had personal knowledge of the crime.

McDavid's daughter, Dawn McDavid-Bauman, wiped away tears after the verdict was read.

Polumbaum said of the verdict that it was "a long time coming, above all, for Mr. McDavid's family."

Cedric Josey, 29, Franklin's brother, declined to comment, saying only, "I can't think right now."

Sentencing was set for Thursday.