Couple sentenced in connection with death of 17-year-old after 2021 graduation party

By Phil Tenser and Russ Reed

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    DEDHAM, Massachusetts (WCVB) — A retired Massachusetts State Police captain and his wife were sentenced Monday morning in connection with the death of a teenager after a 2021 high school graduation party in Dedham.

James Coughlin, 58, and his wife, Leslie, 56, pleaded guilty to the charge of furnishing alcohol to a minor and pled to sufficient facts on the charge of reckless endangerment of a child. They were accused of hosting a graduation party with underage drinking on June 6, 2021, at their home on Netta Road in Dedham.

Alonzo Polk, 17, was celebrating his graduation from Dedham High School when he was found submerged in the Coughlin’s backyard in-ground pool at about 12:30 a.m. By the time first responders arrived at the scene, Polk had been pulled from the pool and bystanders were performing CPR on him.

Polk was taken to a Boston hospital by ambulance in critical condition and died four days later.

The 17-year-old graduated with honors and was a member of the football and basketball teams. His family says he intended to study engineering in college.

According to the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office, the Coughlins received a sentence of one year in the House of Corrections on the furnishing alcohol charge, which was suspended for three years of probation. The reckless endangerment charge was continued without a finding for three years.

Both were also ordered to complete 50 hours of community service for each charge.

James Coughlin’s defense attorney, Brian Kelly, said the retired trooper was assaulted outside the Dedham District Courthouse after he and his wife pleaded guilty and were sentenced.

“A sneak attack. Punched him in the head, punched him while he was down (and) kicked him while he was down,” Kelly said.

The district attorney’s office confirmed it was aware of a confrontation that occurred outside the courthouse following the sentencing, but said that incident is being handled by Dedham police.

The Dedham Police Department issued a statement about that incident but did not identify anyone involved.

Dedham police Chief Michael d’Entremont wrote that an officer witnessed the altercation outside the Dedham District Courthouse at approximately 10:38 a.m. An ambulance responded to evaluate two people who were injured in the scrum, but both refused transport to a hospital.

Kelly said the second person who was assaulted is another Massachusetts State Police trooper.

Anyone with information about the assault was asked to call police at 781-326-1212.

Kelly said James Coughlin has suffered intimidation over the past several years and is calling upon Dedham police and the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office to hold those involved in the attack accountable.

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