Bio & Incident Details
Age: 36
Tour: 8 years
Badge # 567
Military veteran
Cause: Gunfire
Incident Date: 2/17/1988
Weapon: Handgun; .45 caliber
Suspect: Acquitted; Deported
· Leave a Reflection
· Add to My Heroes
· Update this memorial
Share this memorial:
Detective Sherman Griffiths was shot and killed while serving a narcotics warrant with other officers in the Drug Control Unit. As Detective Griffiths attempted to hammer down the door with a sledge hammer shots were fired from inside and he was struck once in the head. The suspect and weapon were found inside of an adjoining apartment. Detective Griffiths succumbed to his wounds the next morning.
The suspect, an illegal immigrant, was acquitted of murder charges in 1990 after his trial was moved to a different part of the state in a change-of-venue. After the trial the INS deported him back to his native Jamaica.
Detective Griffiths was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the Boston Police Department for five years. He was survived by his wife and two daughters. Following his murder, five of his brothers joined the Boston Police Department as police officers.
