Articles Posted in Felonies and Violent Crimes

by

Dwayne Moore was charged yesterday with four counts of murder and with assault with intent to murder in connection with the shooting executions of four people, including a toddler, in Mattapan. Kimani Washington, Moore’s alleged associate, has been charged with gun law violations, and it is unclear whether he will be charged with murder as well.

The incident occurred two months ago on Woolson Street. The city was shocked when two of the victims were found outside the home, the 2-year-old toddler in his partially-clothed mother’s arms. Assistant District Attorney Edmond Zabin told the Boston Globe that Moore and his associate raided a Sutton Street apartment for money, drugs, a television set, and other items. According to the ADA, Moore had lived there before and knew that he could find drugs there. The victims were held at gunpoint and then marched around the corner where they were shot multiple times, the ADA said. These shootings are part of the spike in violence that has caused politicians, police, residents, and others a great deal of fear and frustration.

Police learned about Moore from an unidentified witness. Moore pleaded not guilty in Dorchester District Court yesterday and is being held without bail. Moore was previously convicted of manslaughter and had been released from prison in the spring. After his arrest on Monday, he told police “I can’t go back to jail. You’re going to have to kill me.” the Globe reported.

There is no death penalty in Massachusetts, but Moore is certainly facing the maximum sentence that the law of our Commonwealth allows. Given the brutality of this execution, the publicity it has received and the outrage that it has sparked, it is clear that Moore needs an excellent defense attorney with extensive experience.

Source: The Boston Globe, Murder of four in Mattapan grew out of a drug robbery, prosecutors say
Continue reading

by

Nine years after the death of former federal intern Chandra Levy, Ingmar Guandique has been found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. It took the jury 3 ½ days of deliberations to reach its verdict.

Although prosecutors had originally charged Guandique with nine criminal counts, including first-degree murder, attempted assault and battery, attempted kidnapping, making threats against a witness, and obstruction of justice, all charges except for the two counts of first-degree murder had been dropped by the time jury deliberations began. Charges weren’t filed against Guandique until almost seven years after Levy’s disappearance while jogging in Rock Creek Park on May 1, 2001.

At the time that she went missing, Levy was having an affair with Gary A. Condit, a married congressman, who became the initial suspect in her disappearance. It wasn’t until a year after she was last seen that a man walking his dog through the park found her skull.

Although police did not have any forensic evidence, they eventually charged Guandique, who was already serving time for assaulting two other women, with her murder. Prosecutors based their criminal case against him on statements made by a former cellmate of is who said that in 2006 the 29-year-old admitted to killing Levy and on the fact that Guandique had previously attacked the other women at the same park where Levy had disappeared.

The defense, however, argued that no forensic evidence existed to link Guandique to the crime scene because he did not commit the crime. Another cellmate who testified during his murder case said that Guandique never spoke Levy’s name.

Jury Convicts Ingmar Guandique in Chandra Levy’s Murder, ABC News, November 22, 2010
Jury Convicts Ingmar Guandique in Chandra Levy’s Murder, Washington Post, November 22, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Chandra Levy Murder Trial Begins, Boston Criminal Lawyer Blog
Timeline: Chandra Levy Case, ABC News Continue reading

by

Carmen Picardi, a 39-year-old Everett man, pleaded not guilty today to charges of mayhem and armed assault with intent to murder. He was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court and held on $75,000 cash bail.

It is alleged that Picardi attacked a woman with a baseball bat in Boston on Halloween. It is also alleged that he was dressed as a member of a fictional gang from the 1970s movie “The Warriors,” a cult classic about New York City gangs seeking out members of the Warriors after they are falsely accused of killing a gang leader. The person who attacked the woman was allegedly wearing face paint, a wig, and a baseball uniform while he hit the woman with a Louisville Slugger. The woman was badly injured and needed 50 staples.

Images from surveillance cameras were collected by police, which led them to Picardi. Picardi was arrested on Friday in his home on Highland Ave.

The anonymity of Halloween always invites crime. On the facts of this story, it is very unclear what led police to Picardi given the fact that the attacker was in full costume, and it seems that identity will be an issue in this case. At any rate, mayhem and armed assault with intent to murder are two violent felonies. They carry severe punishments and are taken very seriously by prosecuting attorneys. As far as mayhem goes, a defense lawyer will usually try to raise doubt about intent to disfigure as this can be hard to prove. Assault with intent to murder can also be difficult to prove because of a specific intent element. A criminal defense attorney can make a world of a difference in these kinds of cases.

Source: The Boston Globe, Everett man charged with attacking woman on Halloween with baseball bat.
Continue reading

by

Hans Johnson, a 20-year-old Attleboro man, has been charged with conspiracy to commit home invasion. He was scheduled to be arraigned in Attleboro District Court today.
The arrest was made in connection with the June 23 beating and shooting death of 24-year-old Dylan Adams.

Johnson is the third person charged in connection with Adams’ death. Jose Polanco was charged with murder, home invasion, and armed robbery earlier this week, and Craig Fleetwood was charged with conspiracy to commit home invasion. Both Fleetwood and Polanco are from Providence, Rhode Island, and officials expect to seek to the men returned to the Commonwealth.

When facing any kind of conspiracy charge, having an experienced lawyer working for you can be a great advantage. First of all, statements from co-conspirators can be used against the defendant and frequently, hearsay rules that are meant to protect the defendant won’t be applicable. Secondly, the defendant will be considered as having adopted his co-conspirators’ actions. This even includes co-conspirator acts taken before the defendant entered the conspiracy. These unique aspects of conspiracy charges make it crucial to hire an outstanding lawyer.

Since Johnson has been charged with conspiracy to commit home invasion, he is looking at up to 20 years in prison. This is because where the punishment for the underlying crime is 20 years to life, the highest punishment for a conspiracy to commit that crime is 20 years.

Source: The Boston Globe, Third man charged in June home invasion in Mass.
Continue reading

by

The person who was found dead in Milton last week has been identified as a 16-year-old from North Carolina. The teen had disappeared from his father’s North Carolina home, and his father had reported him missing hours before his body was found badly mutilated.

The teen’s paternal aunt told the Boston Globe that the family already knew that he had been killed. She said that the family is trying to figure out who killed the boy and why. A spokesperson for the Norfolk District Attorney’s office told the Globe that the investigation is ongoing.

Whoever is ultimately charged in connection with this teenager’s death will need an excellent criminal defense lawyer on his side. He or she will be looking at serious felony charges possibly including murder, kidnapping and more. The DA prosecuting the case will work aggressively because this has received a great deal of media attention and was one of the more gruesome of recent crimes.

Additionally, the body was found in an upscale suburban neighborhood which generally leads to panic. When crimes start extending beyond the inner city, people start to pay attention. They become unnerved because they begin to feel that “no one is safe,” and law enforcement and prosecutors tend to turn up the heat.

Source: The Boston Globe, Body found in Milton identified as that of missing North Carolina teenager
Continue reading

by

Benjamin Haskell, a 25-year-old Springfield man, was sentenced to 6 years in a case brought by Massachusetts prosecutors. The sentence is concurrent with his 9-year federal sentence for burning down the Macedonia Church of God in Christ, a mostly-black church, to protest the 2008 election of President Obama.

Haskell pleaded guilty to a 10-count state indictment. The indictment included drug charges and a charge that he set fire to a house in 2003. Superior Court Judge Moriarty called Haskell a “one man crime wave.”

Source: The Boston Globe, Church arsonist pleads guilty in Mass. case

If you have been charged with arson or any crime in Massachusetts, call the criminal defense lawyers of Altman and Altman LLP. Arson can be a felony or a misdemeanor, and the punishments vary. For example, setting fire to a house of worship carries more serious penalties.
Continue reading

by

A man is in critical condition after being shot in the laundry room of his Lowell apartment building. The Middlesex district attorney’s office, the Lowell police and the state police are currently conducting an investigation. No arrests have been made yet.

The victim is being treated at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and his name has not been released. A neighbor who was familiar with the victim told the Globe that he was a nice man. She said that she was home at the time of the shooting but heard no gunshots.

Source: The Boston Globe, Man critical after being shot in laundry room of his Lowell apartment building

Violent crimes like this one require excellent legal representation. They are some of the most serious crimes possible, and they will be prosecuted aggressively. If you have been charged or think that you might be under investigation for a felony or violent crime, call the criminal defense lawyers at Altman & Altman LLP.
Continue reading

by

Two Newton teenagers, 17-year-old Benjamin Peirce and 18-year-old Shaquan Jacobs, were arraigned Wednesday in Superior Court in Woburn on murder, armed robbery and firearms charges. Both pleaded not guilty.

The charges arose from the September fatal shooting of Adam Coveney, a 29-year-old Waltham man. Prosecutors allege that the teens arranged a drug deal with Coveney to rob him of Percocet tablets. Aside from Peirce and Jacobs, two others were allegedly involved. Daniel Louis, a 21-year-old West Roxbury man, and Wallace Duarte, a 17-year-old from Waltham, were arraigned Thursday. Louis faces murder, armed robbery and firearms charges. Duarte was charged as an accessory after the fact to murder.

As you would guess, murder is the most serious of all crimes and is punishable by up to life in prison without the possibility of parole. A conviction for armed robbery could also carry a life prison sentence. The punishment for conviction of firearms charges varies but the penalty is often increased when the gun was used in connection with a robbery. Accessory after the fact is punishable by up to 7 years in the state prison. Facing these penalties, the stakes could not be higher for these young men.

The Boston Globe: Newton teens arraigned in Waltham slaying
Continue reading

by

Police have charged 45-year-old Joseph Ghella of South Boston in the carjacking of a limo in front of a church where a wedding was taking place. The alleged carjacking occurred last Saturday in Dorchester around 1:45 p.m.

A man who was allegedly armed with a hammer forced the driver and six bridesmaids out of the limo. A pastor from the church told the Boston Globe that the bride and groom were not aware of the incident and that the bridesmaids remained calm so as not to ruin the wedding. Ghella was also charged in a Saturday break-in that allegedly occurred prior to the carjacking.

Ghella will be arraigned on charges of breaking and entering, assault with a dangerous weapon, larceny of a motor vehicle, and assault and battery.

The Boston Globe: Police charge suspect in wedding limo carjacking

Carjacking is punishable by up to 15 years in state prison. Carjacking while armed with a dangerous weapon is punishable by up to 20 years in state prison. To be convicted of carjacking, the prosecutor has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant assaulted, maimed, confined or put a person in fear for the purpose of stealing a motor vehicle and with the intent to steal it.
Continue reading

by

An armed robbery occurred early Thursday in the famous Harvard Yard. A man who was unaffiliated with Harvard University was robbed at gunpoint outside of a freshman dorm around 2:45 a.m. He gave his wallet to the robber and fled from the area. The robber was described as a thin, 5-foot-9 Hispanic male in his 20s.

In Massachusetts, armed robbery is governed by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 265 Section 17. The law makes armed robbery punishable by up to life in prison. If the robber was masked or wearing a disguise at the time of the robbery, there is a 5-year mandatory minimum sentence.

Usually in robbery cases, the critical issue will be the identity of the alleged robber. It is important to contact a lawyer if you suspect that you are being investigated in connection with a robbery.

The Boston Globe: Armed robbery reported in Harvard Yard

Call the Experienced Criminal Defense Attorneys of Altman & Altman LLP Today at (617) 492 3000 or (800) 481 6199

At Altman & Altman LLP, our criminal defense lawyers have more than four decades of experience. We will gladly answer any questions that you might have in a free initial consultation.
Continue reading

Contact Information
Cambridge, MA
Main Office
675 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone: 617.206.1920Fax: 617.491.3299Toll Free: 800.481.6199
Boston, MA
1 State St
Suite 2
Boston, MA 02109
Phone: 617.547.1205Toll Free: 800.481.6199
Needham, MA
250 First Avenue 2nd Floo
Needham, MA 02494
Phone: 781.675.2329Toll Free: 800.481.6199

Some Select Cases are referred to other attorneys for principal responsibility

By publishing this information on this Website, the Boston, Massachusetts law firm of Altman & Altman LLP is not claiming to represent any clients or cases mentioned here. The content provided is designed to inform readers and is not intended as legal advice.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Please do not include any confidential or sensitive information in a contact form, text message, or voicemail. The contact form sends information by non-encrypted email, which is not secure. Submitting a contact form, sending a text message, making a phone call, or leaving a voicemail does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Copyright © 2024, Altman & Altman LLP
JUSTIA Law Firm Blog Design