A Massachusetts judge has come under fire after a gunman she gave a lenient sentence to in 2021 allegedly carried out a near-identical shooting spree shortly after being released on probation. Superior Court Judge Janet Sanders, now retired, refused to comment when confronted by a reporter at her home, claiming she had no memory of the case despite acknowledging during the 2021 sentencing that she was taking a risk by ignoring warnings that the suspect posed a serious danger.
Background of the Case
Tyler Brown, 46, was arrested on Monday for allegedly shooting two men inside their cars with an assault-style rifle in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The victims suffered life-threatening injuries. This incident occurred six years after Brown opened fire on two police officers in 2020, for which he pleaded guilty to eight charges, including armed assault with intent to murder and attempted assault and battery.
Prosecutors had recommended a 10- to 12-year prison sentence, but Judge Sanders sentenced Brown to five to six years in state prison, followed by probation and mental health treatment. At the time of the 2020 shooting, Brown was already on probation for a 2014 conviction for assault and battery and witness intimidation. He was sentenced to an additional four to five years for violating probation, but Judge Sanders allowed the sentences to run concurrently. He was released on parole in under four years.
Reaction to the 2021 Sentencing
Former Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins publicly criticized the sentence in 2021, calling Brown's actions "brazen violence" and expressing concern over the short sentence. In a statement, Rollins said, "When an individual commits serious, violent offenses that threaten the lives of our community members – which include members of law enforcement – I will advocate for their removal and detention." She added, "My office recommended a significant sentence for Mr. Brown given the nature of his offenses and the trauma and harm he inflicted. I am disappointed in the sentence that was imposed."
A recording from Brown's 2021 sentencing revealed that Judge Sanders acknowledged the risk she was taking. She stated, "When people stand up, experienced police officers and probation officers, and they tell me, 'This guy is a danger to the community,' I hear that and it gives me… you know, I can’t look into a crystal ball and figure out what’s going to happen once you get out. But I do understand that I’m taking a risk here. And I just pray that my intuitions are right and that you have the ability, the smarts, the will, the support not to go out there and endanger other people's lives as you have in the past."
Multiple witnesses testified during the sentencing that they believed Brown was a danger to the community. One of the officers he shot at said, "If Mr. Tyler Brown gets out, he will hurt or worse kill someone, because he has shown us how well he has done while out on probation for a stabbing."
The Recent Shooting
On Monday, Brown allegedly unleashed between 50 and 60 shots in Cambridge, striking two men in their cars. He was shot and wounded by a State Trooper. One bullet struck a US Postal Service truck, going through the windshield and narrowly missing the driver's headrest. Brown was taken into custody and is in intensive care. He had been released from a psychiatric hospital before the shooting and allegedly called his parole officer to say he had suicidal thoughts, showing a gun on a FaceTime call.
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan confirmed on Tuesday night that Brown was in intensive care. The Daily Mail has reached out for an update on his condition and charges.
Judge Sanders' Career and Defense
Judge Sanders was appointed to the Superior Court by former Governor Jane Swift in 2001. She previously served as a judge in the Waltham District Court and earned her law degree from Harvard Law School in 1982. She retired from the court in 2023 and now works as a mediator and arbitrator with Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services (JAMS).
Retired Judge Jack Lu defended his colleague, telling WBZ-TV that Sanders' decision did not represent a failure of the justice system. "The judge doesn't have a crystal ball. The judge doesn't have extra sensory perception. The judge does not have ESP. The judge has to do what's fair to everybody," he explained. Lu called the 2021 decision "fair" and "just," arguing that the recent crimes likely demonstrated a lack of funding for mental health treatment. "Judges can't solve all the problems of society. And locking everybody up forever is not the answer," he added.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Sanders' office for comment.
