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The Dump

READ HERE: Science Proves Man Convicted of “Worst Mass Murder in Massachusetts History” Is Innocent, Lawyers Argue

In 1989, James Carver was convicted of setting a deadly fire that a local paper described as the “worst mass murder in Massachusetts history.” But now, 34 years later, his lawyers say they have scientific evidence that proves he is innocent.

This is the story of a tragic fire that killed 15 people and of the investigation that put James Carver in prison for decades — and the hope he and his family now have for his exoneration.

The Elliott Chambers Rooming House fire occurred in Beverly, Massachusetts on July 4, 1984. Fifteen people were killed by the blaze. (Photo released by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office)

Read about the Elliott Chambers Rooming House fire and the James Carver case here.

What is The Mass Dump?

The Mass Dump is an archive of public records and other data related to Massachusetts.

For updates, please subscribe to The Mass Dump newsletter on Substack.

The Mass Dump also has a podcast called Lights Out Mass. You can listen on Substack, Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

Please read about The Mass Dump’s ongoing police transparency lawsuits against the Northwestern and Bristol County district attorney’s offices.

Check below for a list of databases and other projects hosted on this site:

— Andrew Quemere

Friends of the Dump

  • MassTransparency — The home of Jeff Raymond’s public records projects, which use records requests to bring greater transparency across the entire Commonwealth. Raymond is also the cohost of Lights Out Mass.
  • State Reference — Nathan Story’s huge, searchable database of Massachusetts public records, which uses web scraping to automatically incorporate new documents all the time. Listen to an interview with Story here.
  • The Weed Out — A Western Mass-based podcast focused on police and prison abolition hosted by Spencer Fox Peterson and Joanna Mae Boody.
  • Welcome to Hell World — Luke O’Neil’s bleak, irreverent, and hilarious newsletter about current events and the sorry state of the world. Listen to an interview with O’Neil here.
  • Worcester Sucks and I Love It — Bill Shaner’s insightful newsletter about the Commonwealth’s second-largest city, “a city that punishes you for caring.”