Assault and Battery

October 7, 2009

North Of Boston Establishment Investigated In Assault Arrest

To the north of Boston is the town of Saugus. In Saugus is a restaurant named “Maddy’s Restaurant”. Maddy’s has a parking lot. On July 29th, a fight occurred at the parking lot which allegedly led to two men being stabbed and one allegedly being struck with a beer bottle. On September 29th, Bob Wong of Maddy’s was invited to appear before the Saugus Board of Selectmen’s meeting to explain it. No criminal charges, mind you. No criminal defense attorney.

But the finger of accusation nonetheless.

The police investigation had involved several agencies who were called in to attend to the assault victims. These included the Cambridge Police, Cambridge Hospital, Massachusetts State Police , local firefighters and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Nobody has alleged that Mr. Wong had any part in the fight. In fact, the fight had taken place over an hour after Maddy’s had closed for the night. However, the Board of Selectmen were investigating what, if any, liability Maddy’s may have had in the incident. They had asked for a
representative of Maddy’s to appear before them to tell their side of the story as an alternative to proceeding directly to a show-cause hearing.
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October 2, 2009

Attorney Sam’s Take: Charged With A Crime In Boston – What Now?

by Altman & Altman

I grew up in the Boston area. I remember, when I was a kid, my father reading the newspaper and seeing an article that a former friend of his had pleaded guilty to several white collar crimes.
Actually, the reason the gentleman was a “former” friend was that my dad was one of the victims of the alleged fraudulent acts. Until reading that article, my dad had been convinced that his friend had not intentionally misled him to his detriment, but that the unfortunate result had been simply bad luck.

Now, my dad was convinced that he had been duped. “After all”, he said, “Why would the guy plead guilty if he were not guilty?”

It sounded right to me at the time.

Years later, I became a prosecutor in Brooklyn, New York. This was the start of my real education as to how the system works.

My answer to my dad’s question has rung hollow ever since.
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October 1, 2009

Arrested On Drug And Gun Charges, The Defendant Tries The “Self-Help” Approach To Criminal Justrice

by Altman & Altman

Kareem T, 28 (hereinafter the “Defendant”), was happy when Monday rolled around this week. After spending the week in custody, the Framingham man got to see his defense attorney and was returned to the free world…if $10,000 can be considered “free”, that is.

Last week was a bad one for the Defendant in the first place. First of all, he was arrested earlier in the week on drug charges. Then, three days later, on Friday, new allegations were broughtagainst him.

At 8:30 p.m., police received several 911 calls about a man pointing a gun at a person in a car at Jefferson Terrace. The police came to investigate, but found that the alleged victim had driven drove off and the suspect had walked away. However, bystanders gave police a detailed description of the suspect.

The officers converged on the area.

One of the officers saw two men walking, one of which had matched the suspect’s description. The officer is said to have yelled out, “Framingham Police, I want to talk to you”. One of the men walked toward the officer, while the other turn, looked at the officer and then ran away.

And so the chase began.
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September 24, 2009

13-Year-Old Newton Boy Faces Massachusetts Juvenile Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon Charges Over BB Gun Shooting at Middle School

by Altman & Altman

In Waltham District Court, Police have filed a complaint against a 13-year-old who is accused of shooting four students with a BB gun. The shooting incident happened in Newton, Massachusetts on Friday afternoon at the F.A. Day Middle School. The teenager faces four juvenile counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

According to Newton police, the suspect started shooting the BB gun at a group of students who were waiting for a bus by the Gath Pool. The shooter’s shirt was covering the gun. The four teenagers who claim they were hit had visible welts. However, none of the boys opted to receive medical attention for their injuries.

Police went to the suspect’s home. They confiscated a KWC BB gun and a bag that was holding several hundred plastic BB’s. Meantime, the principal of his school, Gina Healy says that the 13-year-old will be seriously punished for his actions.

September 23, 2009

High Bail Set ForHome Invaision Defendant Facing Assault, Kidnapping and Driving Charges In Two States

by Altman & Altman

John K.,27, of Malden (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) is going to have to come up with a lot of money if he wants to go home…unless his lawyer puts in for a bail appeal. Last week, the Taunton District Court judge ordered that be held on $500,000 bail on charges stemming from a Rehoboth home invasion last week.

The Defendant is charged with a collection of charges, including home invasion, assault with a dangerous weapon, armed kidnapping, unlicensed possession of a firearm and masked robbery with a firearm a bit over a week ago in Taunton.

While the details of the incident have been sealed by Judge Richard Savignano, an unusual move in itself, the police have disclosed some information. They claim that the Defendant broke into a home . on Friday at about, bound and robbed a female resident at gunpoint and then drove off in her car.

Rehoboth Police Chief Stephen Enos said the incident appeared to be a random crime. Apparently, however, the spree did not end there.
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September 22, 2009

Boston Arrested Firefighter Acquitted Of Assaulting Police

by Altman & Altman

A recent Boston courtroom battle that hosted various law-enforcement characters, both past and present, has come to an end. When the jury returned, the verdict was “Not Guilty”.

Wayne A., (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) was a firefighter on trial for assaulting police officers in 2008. The setting was Roxbury Municipal Court. The complainants, of course were the officers whom he had allegedly assaulted and resisted arrest from. The defense attorney, Neil S. Tassel, was a former prosecutor himself.

The police had said in their police report that the Defendant had been shaking his girlfriend and shouting in her face when they arrived to investigate. They went to arrest him and, according to them, he violently resisted.

At trial, both the Defendant and said girlfriend testified that they had simply had a verbal argument, but that the Defendant was not even near her when police arrived. Apparently, the Defendant further testified that he did not even know that the police were there and they simply knocked him out during the incident.
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September 17, 2009

Massachusetts Dad arrested for Domestic Drugging

by Altman & Altman

A gentleman from Plymouth began his week on Monday behind bars, looking for a criminal defense attorney. He stands charged with performing the type of deed that has been in the news lately connected to the death of pop icon Michael Jackson.

Sean D. (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) is now being held without bail. He is charged with spiking drinks for his wife and 18-month daughter with a sleep-aid.

The investigation began when the Defendant’s wife called police after she found her daughter ill, according to police. Their investigation found that he had allegedly been putting sleep aids into the mother and daughter’s drinks on more than one occasion, police said.

The Defendant was arrested Sunday night at the family’s home. He has been charged with distributing food with a harmful substance, was held at his arraignment on Monday, and is said to be returning to court today for a dangerousness hearing.
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September 16, 2009

Six Massachusetts Boys Who Pleaded Not Guilty to Beating Guatemalan Immigrant Could End Up in Department of Youth Services

by Altman & Altman

The parents of three of the six boys charged with severely beating a 30-year-old Guatemalan illegal immigrant are appealing school suspensions that have been imposed on their kids over the alleged Massachusetts assault incident. In Massachusetts, school principals are allowed to suspend a student who has been charged with a felony crime.

The boys, in addition to two others, are accused of throwing bricks, rocks, and bottles at Damian Merida while he slept near railroad tracks in Lynn last July. Merida sustained serious head injuries, including a traumatic brain injury.

The charges against the boys include attempted murder, civil rights violations, and assault with intent to maim. Five of the boys have been released from custody for now but are required to wear electronic monitoring bracelets. Police claim that the boys attacked Merida because of his ethnicity.

September 15, 2009

Apologetic Knife-Wielding New Yorker Arrested For Assault With A Dangerous Weapon

by Altman & Altman

You know, sometimes it just does not pay to have a conscience! I mean, some Commonwealths just cannot accept an apology without forcing you to get a lawyer.

Take, for example, the case of 31-year-old Juan C., a New York gentleman (hereinafter, the “Defendant”). Saturday night, he was in Lowell when he had a…disagreement with a gas station clerk. Well, it became a bit of a heated disagreement.

Okay, he allegedly pulled a knife and threatened the clerk with it.

Well, ok, that does not look so good I admit. However, the Defendant actually returned to the gas station on Sunday to apologize for his behavior.

The clerk had an interesting way of showing forgiveness…he called the police.
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September 14, 2009

Boston Law Student And Friends Are Arrested For Assault And Disorderly Conduct

by Altman & Altman

Beth G., 23, (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) simply got confused. It can happen when academic pressures mount up. After all, she had been inundated with the legal system of the United States. Now, due to said confusion, she is about to get a first-hand lesson on Boston Criminal Justice. It’s not a free lesson, mind you, because she will need to provide an attorney. It should be decent experience though.

You see, on August 30th, there was a party in Allston to which the police were dispatched. The neighbors were complaining about loud noise at approximately 3:53 a.m. One might assume that the party-goers, upon seeing the police presence, would have decided it was time for the party to end.

Not this time.

According to law enforcement, the officers were met with resistance. The party’s host and the resident, the Defendant, saw things differently. When asked to quiet the party-goers, the Defendant reportedly proclaimed, “I don’t have to do anything you say. I’m a law student.”

At that point, perhaps figuring that the Defendant must be right (she was, after all, a law student), two men (hereinafter, the “Rambunctious Duo”) approached the officers and told them that they were not going anywhere.
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