Boston gunman opens fire, panel asks why he wasn't in jail | Elizabeth Vargas Reports

Added: 2026-05-13

[00:00:01]Shut down.

[00:00:14]A terrifying scene on the street yesterday. This was outside of Boston.

[00:00:19]This isn't some third world country.

[00:00:21]Cops say a man hellbent on mayhem went wild with an assault style rifle.

[00:00:26]Witnesses say he targeted people at random. He was spraying bullets in all directions. By the time police got this guy in cuffs, two victims were shot.

[00:00:35]Tonight, they're fighting to survive.

[00:00:37]And this video is shocking. There's no doubt about that. But not everyone says they're surprised by it. A long line of police and prosecutors have crossed paths with this very guy. His name is Tyler Brown. And if they had their way, this never would have happened because he'd still be behind bars after the last time he opened fire. Yes, you heard me right. Back in 2020, Brown opened fire on cops. He was convicted of trying to murder police officers. The DA at the time asked for a 10 to 12 year sentence.

[00:01:06]The judge cut that sentence in half and sentenced Brown to just about 5 to 6 years. Thanks to the parole board, he would serve even less than that. It's not clear why the judge cut him such a break, but we know it wasn't leniency for a firsttime offender. Brown has a long wrap sheet. It stretches back for decades. Sadly, stories like this, they're not rare. We've closely followed the case of Logan Federico, whose alleged killer had racked up 25 felony charges during his life of crime without serving any serious time. Her father spoke to Elizabeth this month to mark one year since the death of his daughter, a victim of not only murder, but a justice system failing to do its job.

[00:01:50]>> Really, just uh just crap luck. uh for Logan and uh just wrong place, wrong time, but um I think Logan will be the face of change for the nation. Um and I think she deserves that.

[00:02:11]>> That is just tragic. So, what will it take to have change? Why does this keep happening in the first place? Joining us now, trial attorney Mercedes Coin and criminal defense attorney Mark Iglash.

[00:02:22]Welcome to both of you. Welcome back. I should say, Mercedes, I'll start with you. What are judges taking into consideration when they decide to cut a break to somebody who has this long wrap sheet and obviously shows no interest in reform?

[00:02:34]>> I mean, it's so outrageous how many bodies are going to be collected for the judges and the judicial system to focus on the real threat that these individuals pose a very serious threat to the community at large. Someone like Tyler Brown, someone should have said, "Judge," and I'm sure this is what the prosecutor said, "He's shooting at police officers who are armed." Again, >> well, guess what? 98% of the population in this country are not armed like police officers. There's a very small percentage that have guns lawfully. I'm not talking about the illegal guns.

[00:03:08]We're not going to go into that. But lawful citizens are not armed. So, if this is someone who's willing to try to assassinate police officers, how are they going how is individuals like ourselves, the the three of us who are not armed, going to protect ourselves?

[00:03:23]And that's what the judge should be focusing on. Lots of defense attorneys, and Mark is one of the most gifted defense attorneys. I love being on air with him. Send him plenty of clients his way when they're in trouble in his jurisdiction. So, I think he's an incredibly gifted lawyer. And I know the arguments that Mark makes in front of a judge. Judge, think this is someone who is a good citizen. They're working in the community. They have families. Maybe they have a troublesome childhood. They you have to have some lenency. You have to understand there might be some consideration. Why? Why not try to rehabilitate these individuals? I'm not stealing your thunder, Mark. I know that you're going to say much more than what I just said.

[00:04:02]>> Mark, that is high.

[00:04:04]>> The judges have to be more realistic about the real threat that some of these individuals pose.

[00:04:09]>> Mark, I want to ask you about the judge.

[00:04:10]>> First of all, >> yeah. Do they bear accountability here?

[00:04:13]Is there any mechanism for holding judges responsible in a case like this and so many others?

[00:04:19]>> Yes. That's why they're in an elected position. Listen, if the community is outraged, then show up and vote against the judge. I do have to address what my my dear friend um just said. There is no question that our job is to make arguments on behalf of our clients and and in a case like that, a 2020 shooting, anyone that he's ever said, "God bless you," to that might somehow make the judge do something in his favor, you bring to the court's attention. That said, I wasn't the one who defended this guy. And I'm on your side on this one, Mercedes. I think that prison terms, long ones, are reserved for the most violent and most dangerous.

[00:05:02]And that's what this guy is. He didn't just shoot randomly. He shot 13 times and more specifically at law enforcement officers with his record dating back to the disco crisis. Somebody should have had an idea that he could be violent.

[00:05:17]>> Mercedes, this wasn't just a judge, though. A parole board also let him off early. Does this suggest the whole system is broken? Oh, sure, Hannah. I mean, this is to me it's you think about all this craziness that went down.

[00:05:30]There's so many layers of analysis, Hannah, when you're talking about someone who has this criminal record.

[00:05:34]You have a judge, you have prosecutors, you have a parole board. The parole board is supposed to protect people like us. They're supposed to protect the community. They're supposed to say to themselves, "Does this individual that's come before us pose a threat to the community?" It's a resounding yes.

[00:05:50]Someone on that parole board should have had some sense, especially given the circumstances leading to his incarceration, trying to assassinate armed law enforcement. That should have been your first clue that this is someone who's unstable and poses a threat to the community at large.

[00:06:07]>> I'm sure there are critics who are also blaming prosecutors. They were going light light on him, some critics say, when they requested 10 to 12 years.

[00:06:15]There are nonviolent offenders with longer sentences than that. Mark.

[00:06:20]>> Okay. First of all, those who criticize almost always don't know all of the facts. If prosecutors ask for 10 to 12, I believe again there probably were sentencing guidelines that they had to consider. They had to consider the evidence that they had. There's a lot of reasons. And even the judge, while I'm not defending the judge, yeah, we don't know all the facts. Okay? We just don't.

[00:06:42]So, that's important. I'd like to know the judge's side of this thing. But that said, don't get on the prosecutors. 10 to 12 years is a long time and that should have been honored by this judge based upon the facts as we know them.

[00:06:55]>> Mark mentioned the disco era. Mercedes, we look back at '90s policies like mandatory minimums, three strike laws, and today there see there's an overreaction to rising crime that may have caused more harm than prevent crime. Is the leniency we see a lot today another overreaction just this time in another direction.

[00:07:13]It's just an overwhelming support to try to rehabilitate individuals that have a life of crime. There is just so much belief that people can be rehabilitated.

[00:07:22]Some people can. We know plenty of people that have been able to change their lives, become productive members of society. But when you have someone like this and who's already shown the propensity for violence, that's not someone that's going to be rehabilitated. This is someone that needs to be separated from society and incarcerated.

[00:07:41]Mark Igl Mercedes Cohen. Great to see both of you tonight. Disturbing video.

[00:07:45]Thank you for coming on and explaining just how this may have happened. Thank you again, guys.

[00:07:49]>> Thank you for watching. Subscribe below and download our NewsNation app right now on your phone and you will get fact-based, unbiased news for all Americans.