Conflict of Interest? Explanations Needed!

In 2012, longtime Portsmouth resident, 92-year-old Geraldine Webber, changed her will to make then 33-year-old officer Aaron Goodwin the primary beneficiary of her estate and it is the year she died.

Also, in 2012, the state of New Hampshire earned a "D" on the New Hampshire Corruption Risk Report Card (www.stateintegrity.org/new_hampshire) by the State Integrity Investigation (a joint project of the Center for Public Integrity, Global Integrity and Public Radio International.

Police Sgt. Goodwin claims he received ethical clearance from his "superiors" to pursue a personal relationship with a woman in her 90s afflicted with dementia, enabling him to become the primary beneficiary of her $2.7 million estate, which resulted in the disinheritance of her only surviving relative (a disabled grandson) and of her long-term local friends who took her for meals and provided rides, structure and socialization for her for more than a decade, and also reduced inheritances for esteemed health care and educational institutions, and our own Portsmouth Police and Fire Departments (that is, the taxpaying citizens who employ Goodwin).

Ironically, as can be seen in Webber's 2012 estate planning DVD prepared by attorney Gary Holmes, Webber laments that she does not know how to reach Whitey Bulger, a career criminal linked to corrupt law enforcement in the 1970s. She would like to hire him to knock off anyone who tries to interfere in her plans to change her will. In addition to noting her questionable mental status on the DVD, one can only speculate about why Webber dwelled on the memory of a criminal noteworthy for his links to corrupt law enforcement during the process to revise her will.

 

The public needs to know if Goodwin is accurate in his claim that the leadership of the Portsmouth Police Department "cleared" him of "any ethical conflicts" when he pursued a relationship with Webber, as reported in the Portsmouth Herald's July 9 publication. The public also needs to know on what basis Goodwin's "superiors" make their ethical decisions.

 

The impact of questionable ethical guidance must not be swept under the rug through a mediated out-of-court settlement as is being advocated by the legal representation for Goodwin, attorney Chuck Doleac, and for attorney Gary Holmes who revised Webber's will in 2012; defense of this 2012 will is being provided by attorney Ralph Holmes.

 

Full Article and Source:
Explanations Needed in Webber/Goodwin Case