Ex-marshal defends World Series duty

BOSTON, D.C., Jan. 13 (UPI) -- The former head U.S. Marshal for Boston says she saw nothing wrong in assigning a couple of her deputies to the 2007 World Series at Fenway Park.

Yvonne Brenner said in a report released by the U.S. Inspector General that she believed it would be beneficial to have the marshals on hand at Fenway to assist an anti-terrorism squad.

"Faced with the information I had at my disposal at the time, I would respectfully suggest that my actions were reasonable, justified and of benefit to the interests of the U.S. Marshals Service," Bonner said in a letter to the Inspector General's staff.

But the two armed lawmen instead hung out with a Marshal Service lawyer in the press box and later provided an escort for the limousine that transported the Fox Sports play-by-play announcers back to their hotel, the Boston Globe said Tuesday.

The Globe said attorney Joseph Band also pressed deputy marshals into service during his trips to last year's Super Bowl and the 2007 NCAA college football title game.