HEROIC COP PREVENTS TRAGEDY AT POT RALLY

A heroic Boston police officer prevented a possible tragedy when he
disarmed a gunman who was arrested on Boston Common during yesterday's
annual rally to legalize marijuana.

Police were about to book Kevin Lavalliere for possession of marijuana
when the 19-year-old native of Goffstown, N.H., allegedly pulled a 9
mm pistol out of his pants.

``I ain't going for this,'' the man yelled. ``I'm going to kill you
and myself!''

Detective Sgt. Dan Linskey lunged forward in time to jam his finger in
the pistol's trigger guard and Detective Sgt. Thomas O'Leary grabbed
Lavalliere's left arm, sending all three tumbling into the side of the
tent. Several other officers joined in the struggle for the weapon,
which turned out to be fully loaded with 12 bullets, police spokesman
Peter Norton said.

``He had some pretty serious firepower there,'' Norton said. ``It's
amazing no one was hurt or killed. The spontaneous actions of these
officers was truly remarkable.''

Lavalliere was one of about 70 people arrested at the rally yesterday.
About 40,000 people attended the event.

Linskey suffered a badly cut finger in the incident. Lavalliere is
charged with assault with intent to murder, assault and battery by
means of a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm with an altered
serial number, possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of
ammunition. He is also wanted in New Hampshire on a warrant for
selling crack cocaine.

Boston police have made about 280 arrests at the rally over the past
three years. The event is now in its 10th year.

Yesterday's incident certainly didn't help the cause of the day's
rally, which was aimed at building support for a November 2000
election referendum that would reduce a charge of possession from a
criminal to a civil offense.

A charge of selling marijuana to a person under 18 would remain a
criminal offense.

The proposed legislation would also legalize the use of marijuana for
health reasons.

Despite yesterday's police presence, with officers stationed at
checkpoints and undercover officers moving through the crowd, the
scent of marijuana filled the air.

Greg Cavalieri, an Endicott College freshman, looked at the larger
groups on the lawn - most of college and high school age - and tugged
on the green plastic cannabis lei around his neck.

``So many people are doing it here,'' he said. ``Just go in among a
group of people and there's no problem. But I've seen people just
walking up and down here smoking joints. You can't help but smell it.''

Nor did the warnings of Boston police completely fall on deaf ears.
Tracy Meyer, a 31-year-old employee in a Boston real estate firm,
attended her fifth rally yesterday with a cautious approach in mind.

``I have some very definite rules,'' she said. ``You don't buy
anything from anyone here, and I prefer not to smoke here. That's not
to say that if I find my friends, and they want to go off somewhere
quiet, that we won't do it.''