'#Hypocrisy:' DA Questions Response To Leniency On Ex-Sox Pitcher

BOSTON — Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins has been the target of criticism from the public and fellow state prosecutors over her reformative approach to criminal justice. She spent the morning of Christmas Eve wondering why her Norfolk County counterpart dodged such condemnation in a high-profile case over the weekend.

Rollins tweeted the hashtag "#hypocrisy" Tuesday morning, one day after The Boston Globe reported ex-Red Sox pitcher Rich Hill and his wife, Caitlin, had criminal cases against them dropped following their arrests at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough before the Patriots game.

"No public outcry or outrage?" Rollins tweeted. "So let me get this straight, there’s only a problem when my defendants receive dismissals in the interest of justice? #hypocrisy"

The Hills, both Milton natives, were arrested Saturday before the Patriots-Bills game. Police said Caitilin Hill repeatedly tried to bring an oversize bag into the stadium. She was eventually told to leave but refused and was taken into custody on trespassing charges.

Rich Hill tried to interfere, police said, and when he refused to stop he was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. The latter charge was a felony.

The Hills were arraigned Monday in Wrentham District Court, but Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey's office already dropped the resisting arrest charge and lessened the disorderly conduct charge to a civil infraction against Rich Hill. Caitlin Hill's charges were also lessened into civil infractions.

The couple paid fines of $500 and $250, The Globe reported.

Rich Hill, 39, said in a statement the incident was "terribly unfortunate" and "overblown."

"Commendably, the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office recognized this," he said.

Rollins was elected last year after promising to no longer prosecute a number of low-level offenses and focus on larger issues instead. She's been heavily criticized by some, including Morrissey, for her approach.