Justice in Bourneside Killings

In December of last year, I wrote at length about the killings of four youths in Dorchester, and just more than two weeks ago the man who was arrested for those killings was tried and convicted. Calvin L. Carnes Jr. was found guilty of four counts of first degree murder in the brutal deaths of Jason Bachiller, Edwin Duncan, Chris Vierra, and Jihad Chankhour in December 2005. Carnes was also charged with larceny, robbery, armed robbery, possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of a large capacity weapon.

(Photo from wbztv.com, clockwise from the top Jihad Chankhour, Chris Viera, Edwin Duncan, and Jason Bachiller)

Carnes' attorney says she will appeal the conviction. Chris Viera's mother, Elizabeth Perez-Barani said of the conviction, "I'm glad justice was done. The only way to stop murder in Boston is to get justice done".

Just over a week ago, Carnes was sentenced to four life sentences without the possibility of parole. It is justice, but it does not bring back the lives lost. Chris Mitchell, a friend of Chris Viera and Jihad Chankhour, has been visiting their graves for the past two years. He says that death has not broken the bond they shared; he goes by there to talk about work, movies, music, and life. "I go there and talk with them, just like I always did". They are like "my two brothers".