Chez Chesler

BostonHerald.com - Local/ Regional News: Ex-cop Conley, still in limbo, glad for beaten brethren Cox The Michael Cox story made the news again when the victim received a promotion. Kenneth Conley, who was convicted of perjury for maintaining the "Blue Wall of Silence" was quoted.

More than 10 years have passed since Conley, now 36 and making ends meet doing carpentry work, is alleged to have turned a blind eye to his former brethren in blue stomping Cox into unconsciousness after mistaking him for a shooting suspect in Mattapan. Conley lost his badge over the ``blue wall of silence'' scandal, but he wasn't alone. David Williams, 42, who along with former patrolmen Ian Daley, 38, and James Burgio, 39, was fired amid internal charges they took Cox down and then left him to die upon finding out he was one of them, is awaiting an arbitrator's decision on whether he can be reinstated with Boston police - an appeal Burgio already lost. "At the same time (Williams) was accused of beating Cox, he was also accused of recognizing Cox from a distance and yelling, 'Stop! He's a cop!' '' said attorney Alan Shapiro, who is representing Williams on behalf of the patrolmen's union. "Williams neither beat him nor knew he was there.''

Why is it that nobody ever questions why these members of Boston's finest would have thought it was acceptable to beat Cox if he hadn't been a cop?