by

A speeding car near 1400 Tremont St. in Roxbury killed a man riding a scooter on Sunday night. The vehicle then kept going and headed toward Brigham Circle.

The man was pronounced dead at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He has not been indentified awaiting notification to his family.

The police have not yet released a description of the vehicle.

Source: The Boston Globe, Scooter driver killed in Roxbury hit and run

When a person dies because of a hit and run, the driver will be charged with a felony. The punishments can be very serious. If you have been involved in a hit and run, it is strongly recommended that you immediately contact an attorney with hit and run experience.
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

by

Suffolk County prosecutors told the Boston Globe that two Everett women, 31-year-old Sharnell Donahue and 51-year-old Diane Tuck, have been charged with armed assault with intent to murder and armed assault with intent to rob in connection with a Winthrop stabbing.

Donahue and Tuck were arraigned today in East Boston District Court. The alleged stabbing occurred on Forrest Street around 7:40 p.m. on Thursday. The victim was a 44-year-old woman. She is in critical condition at Massachusetts General Hospital. Both Winthrop and state police are investigating the incident.

Assault with intent to rob or murder is punishable by up to 20 years in the state prison. If armed with a firearm, shotgun, rifle, machine gun or assault weapon, it is punishable by a 5-year mandatory minimum in state prison. Given the severity of these potential punishments, it is important to call an attorney if you are facing charges of assault with intent to rob or murder.

The Boston Globe: Two Everett women charged in Winthrop stabbing
Continue reading

by

According to Column J. Flaherty’s Boston criminal defense attorney, his 62-year-old client was acting in self-defense when he stabbed another man with a folding knife. Flaherty, who pleaded not guilty to Massachusetts assault and battery with a dangerous weapon over the Dorchester stabbing, was released on $500 cash bail.

Suffolk prosecutors say that Flaherty and a North Reading man were involved in a fender bender on Monday afternoon. After the two of them of them pulled over to exchange information, a third driver, another Quincy man named Michael J. McDevitt, also pulled over his auto. McDevitt, who had gotten stuck in traffic because of the collision, reportedly got out of his car, went to Flaherty’s auto, opened the vehicle door, and started hitting him. Flaherty then pulled out his folding knife and stabbed McDevitt in the arm. The latter is also expected to face criminal charges.

Massachusetts Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon
This is a serious crime and one that comes with either a 2 ½ year maximum sentence in a county house of corrections if the case is heard in district court or a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if the case goes to superior court. However, depending on other factors, such as whether the victim was pregnant or had a restraining order against the defendant or a massive injury was involved, the sentence upon conviction could be lengthier.

To convict someone of this crime, the district attorney has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant intentionally touched someone without just cause or right and that a dangerous weapon was used to make contact. A dangerous weapon can be any object or instrument that was used in a potentially dangerous manner or any weapon that is considered inherently dangerous regardless of whether or not it was used in a dangerous fashion.

Quincy man stabbed in road rage incident allegedly threw punch first, Patriot Ledger, November 9, 2010
Man was ‘scared to death’ during Dorchester road rage incident, his attorney says, Boston.com, November 9, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Massachusetts General Laws

Assault and Battery, Boston Criminal Lawyer Blog Continue reading

by

The defense attorney for Eva Flores, the 18-year-old charged with throwing her newborn baby out of the window of her East Boston home, said that Flores did so because she was raped and the rapist threatened to kill her and her family.

Flores has pleaded not guilty to various charges including assault and battery of a child under 14 with injuries and reckless endangerment of a child in Suffolk Superior Court. The Suffolk ADA declined to address the attorney’s explanation for his client’s actions.

The police report in which Flores’ arrest is summarized says that on September 20 around 10:05 p.m. neighbors heard crying, looked out the window and saw the baby face down in an alley. The neighbors picked up the baby and alerted the police.

Flores, an El Salvador native, is being held on immigration detainer and could be deported.
Continue reading

by

Boston’s homicide toll continued to rise as two were killed over the weekend. Thomas Whitley, a 30-year old Roxbury man, and an unidentified teenager were killed, marking the 62nd and 63rd homicides this year. At this time last year, the homicide toll was 43.

Whitley, a father of four, was stabbed on Saturday night on 60 Dearborn Street. He was later pronounced dead at Boston Medical Center. Witnesses told the Boston Globe that Whitley and another man went into Dearborn Liquors together where they got into a fight that continued out to the street. The call to police first came in as an attempted robbery.

The teenager was shot on Mascot Street in Mattapan on Sunday morning. He too was pronounced dead at Boston Medical Center.

With this ongoing violence, the pressure will continue to mount on law enforcement. When that happens, the pressure on you also grows. Pressure from superior officers, prosecutors, and law enforcement politicians will affect police investigations and feed their fear and their “us vs. them” attitude.
Continue reading

by

Sharon Fitzpatrick, the woman charged with stabbing her husband Sylvester Mitchell at their home in May 2007 has been acquitted of Massachusetts second-degree murder. This was the second time that her Boston murder case had gone to trial. The first one had ended in a mistrial after jurors were unable to break their deadlock.

Fitzpatrick was accused of attacking Mitchell during a dispute. Authorities claimed she was angry that he came home later than was expected. They were to celebrate his 40th birthday.

While prosecutors have argued that Fitzpatrick had no injuries from the stabbing to indicate that she needed to protect herself against Mitchell, the 39-year-old woman has always maintained that she acted in self-defense.

Massachusetts Second-Degree Murder
With Massachusetts second-degree murder, the crime needs to have been committed with malice aforethought (but not deliberate premeditation) or while a non-capital felony was taking place. The maximum sentence if convicted is life in prison with parole after 15 years. Choosing the right Boston murder defense law firm can make a huge difference on the outcome of your case.

Defending someone against a murder charge can be a very complicated process. There may be reasons why charges against you should be dropped or reduced or why you should be found not guilty-even if there is evidence to indicate otherwise. There may be evidence to prove that you did not commit the crime. There may be witnesses that can testify in support of your defense.

Woman acquitted in ’07 death of husband, Boston.com, November 4, 2010
Ex-dispatcher faces retrial in husband’s death, Boston Herald, October 24, 2010
Prosecutor: Victim “Didn’t See it Coming,” Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office

Related Web Resources:
Defenses to Criminal Charges, Nolo
Murder News Stories, Google

Murder, Boston Criminal Lawyer Blog Continue reading

by

Some people can always be found in one type of court or another. Take, for example, New York City basketball czar Ernest Lorch. He was arrested this week by the United States Marshals Service after failing to appear for arraignment on sex abuse charges out of Massachusetts last week.

Lorch is apparently 77 and the founder of the famed Riverside Church basketball program. One would imagine that he has been around enough to know that when you are summonsed to appear in court, particularly in a criminal matter, you had best show up. Failing to do so results in nastiness like default warrants and heavy bail conditions. Nevertheless, it would seem that this information had heretofore been lost on Mr. Lorch who was taken into custody at a Westchester County assisted-living facility by the federal marshals.

According to accounts, he was later released on a $25,000 bond and must appear in court on December 3rd in White Plains for an extradition hearing. One would imagine that he has now learned the importance of actually showing up in the courts of Justice as he did for the courts of basketball.

Now, you may be wondering, “Isn’t this a bit overkill, Sam? How much trouble could an aging church basketball legend be in?”
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