Governor Announces Attorney Mark Pearlstein to Investigate Holyoke Soldiers’ Home

HOLYOKE — Gov. Charlie Baker announced on Wednesday that the Governor’s Office has hired attorney Mark Pearlstein to conduct an independent investigation of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home and the events that led to the recent and ongoing deaths from COVID-19 within that facility.

The investigation will focus both on the events inside the facility that led to the deaths of veterans in the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, and on management and organizational oversight of the COVID-19 response in the facility.

The state announced the deaths of two additional veterans at the Soldiers’ Home on Wednesday, bringing the total deaths of veteran residents to 15. Six of the deceased have been confirmed with COVID-19 so far, with other tests pending. In addition, 11 other veteran residents and seven staff members have tested positive.

Pearlstein has substantial experience in the investigation and trial of complex white-collar criminal cases and other government enforcement matters. He practiced as a federal prosecutor in Boston’s U.S. Attorney’s Office, where he served as chief of the office’s Economic Crimes Unit from 1994 to 1996, and was the first assistant U.S. attorney from 1996 until 2000, where he supervised the Civil and Criminal divisions of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Currently, Pearlstein is a partner at McDermott, Will & Emery, where he concentrates his practice on white-collar criminal defense, defense of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission actions, complex commercial litigation, arbitration, and internal investigations.