Assault Crimes/Violence

Assault and Battery Causing Serious Injury in Massachusetts

Published on: January 14, 2015 | by Patrick J. Murphy, Esq.

Under Massachusetts law, anyone who commits assault or assault and battery may be punished by imprisonment for not more than two and a half years in a house of correction or with a fine of not more than $1,000. However, a defendant can be punished by up to five years in state prison or in the house of correction or by a fine of up to $5,000, or both a fine and imprisonment, when he or she commits assault and battery causing serious bodily injury.

Serious bodily injury includes those injuries that result in permanent disfigurement, the loss or impairment of a bodily function, limb, or organ, or the substantial risk that the victim will die. In a 2014 case, Commonwealth v. Rainey, a Massachusetts appellate court considered the conviction of a defendant convicted of assault and battery causing serious injury. He had appealed, arguing there was insufficient evidence of serious bodily injury for the conviction and that the Commonwealth had failed to prove there was an absence of self-defense beyond a reasonable doubt.

The appellate court explained that a reasonable jury could have interpreted what happened as follows. Three female friends arrived by car to a party. At the party they met a male they knew (Donald Gammon, the victim) who had been drinking and was holding a beer can. They walked towards the party and passed a group that included the defendant. The defendant gave one of the victim’s friends the middle finger as they passed by.
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Sexual Assault of an Uber Passenger in Boston

Published on: January 1, 2015 | by Patrick J. Murphy, Esq.

Recently, a 46-year-old Uber driver was accused of sexually assaulting a passenger in Boston. Uber customers use an app to arrange and pay for rides with drivers who are nearby. The driver pled not guilty to all charges, which included rape and kidnapping. The incident allegedly occurred on December 6, when the woman called an Uber car to take her home after a night spent with friends.

Once the woman was in the car, the driver allegedly said she would need to pay with cash and drove her to an ATM. Once she returned to the car, he drove to a secluded area, jumped into the back seat, and allegedly struck, strangled, and sexually assaulted her. Boston police have stated that they are investigating three other indecent assault allegations related to women using ride-for-hire services.

Rape is a felony charge described in Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 265 Section 22(b). It is taken very seriously in Massachusetts. To secure a conviction in a rape case, the Commonwealth will need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant engaged in sexual intercourse with the alleged victim and that the defendant used force or otherwise compelled the victim to submit against his or her will. “Sexual intercourse” means that there was penetration, but it doesn’t have to be significant. Even finger penetration or the use of a foreign object can satisfy this requirement. “Force” is usually defined as a threat of bodily injury, but it doesn’t always mean physical force. Sexual assault, in contrast to rape, is more broadly defined as any sexual activity that is coerced, forced, or unwanted.
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Control or Possession of Explosive Device in Massachusetts

Published on: October 2, 2014 | by Patrick J. Murphy, Esq.

Homemade bombs are illegal in Massachusetts and elsewhere. Anybody convicted of control or possession of an explosive device faces the possibility of fines and imprisonment of either up to 2 1/2 years in the house of corrections or between 10-20 years in the state prison. In the recent case of Commonwealth v. Huacon, the defendant was charged with malicious burning of property, malicious explosion, control or possession of an incendiary device, and violating a restraining order. The case arose during the defendant’s and victim’s romantic relationship, which lasted about two years before the events at issue.

The victim lived with her family. The victim invited the defendant into her house, where they got in a fight. The victim’s mother asked the defendant to leave, but he wouldn’t. She went downstairs, and the defendant followed her.

He got a knife and told the family he would kill everyone and burn the house down. About 30 minutes later, three police officers arrived, took the knife, and arrested the defendant. Later, a restraining order was obtained. Nonetheless, the defendant called the victim at work.
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Assault and Battery on a Massachusetts Pregnant Woman

Published on: September 16, 2014 | by Patrick J. Murphy, Esq.

In the recent case of Commonwealth v. Jenkins, the defendant was convicted of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and aggravated assault and battery on a pregnant woman. The case arose when the pregnant victim confronted the defendant, who was her boyfriend and the father of her unborn child, about his possible infidelity. During the argument, she ran outside in fear, letting the door close behind her, but she came back in because she was underdressed for the cold weather. The defendant let her come back inside when she said she wanted to get her stuff.

The defendant was on the phone at the time, but he told her she was dead. He grabbed her by the neck and pushed her into the wall and then to the ground, making it so she couldn’t breathe. He struck her and kicked her all over with his boots, claiming he would “stomp” out the child. She passed out. He told her to look up abortion providers and call to make an appointment.

When he walked out of the room for a moment, she grabbed her keys and ran out the door. He chased her outside and kept beating her until she honked the car horn for long enough that he went back inside. The victim called 911. An ambulance took her to the hospital, and she later went to the police station. Photos were taken of her bruises and injuries.
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Prior Bad Acts in Massachusetts Domestic Violence Cases

Published on: June 15, 2014 | by Patrick J. Murphy, Esq.

It is not uncommon for Massachusetts domestic violence cases to arise after multiple violent acts by the defendant. Some of these may be documented by the police. Others are only known to the two partners. Whether the judge will permit testimony about a defendant’s previous treatment of his or her partner depends on the particular circumstances. Criminal evidence rules restrict an alleged victim’s testimony and evidence on the subject of “prior bad acts” of the defendant, except for certain purposes.

In a recent case, a defendant appealed on the basis of a judge’s instructions to the jury about prior bad acts. He was convicted of assault and battery of his girlfriend. The appellate court explained that the jury could have found particular facts that justified the judge’s ruling.

The defendant and victim met in Seattle in 2010 and moved to Massachusetts the following year so that the defendant could pursue a graduate degree at MIT. After moving to Massachusetts, the two began arguing over the victim’s relationship with a male friend. The defendant was verbally abusive and sometimes physically abusive as well. Once, the defendant pushed her into a wall, creating a hole about three feet across.
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Threatened Battery and Assault in Boston

Published on: May 2, 2014 | by Patrick J. Murphy, Esq.

In a recent case a jury convicted a defendant of assault by means of a dangerous weapon. In the version of events that prevailed, Nathan and David came to the defendant’s residence in order to talk to Nathan’s then-girlfriend. The girlfriend had been living with Nathan but didn’t come home the night before. Nathan heard rumors she was at the defendant’s and drove there with David. When they drove onto the defendant’s property, they saw someone mowing the lawn.

They asked the man if the girlfriend could come out to talk to them. Nathan parked his car in the driveway, lining it up so the vehicle faced the street. Because of the tensions between him and the defendant and in order to stop the situation from blowing up, David left the car and approached the defendant’s house. Both men stood on the porch, while David asked to speak to the girlfriend and said he didn’t want trouble.

The defendant pushed David out of the way, came down the steps and approached Nathan speaking aggressively. The defendant pulled out a gun. The guy mowing the lawn told him to put it away. Nathan and David saw the defendant point the gun at Nathan who stayed still.
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Showup Identification in Massachusetts Assault Case

Published on: April 16, 2014 | by Patrick J. Murphy, Esq.

In a recent case, a man appealed a judge’s ruling on a motion to suppress after being convicted of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The case arose when Boston police officers received 911 telephone calls that reported a robbery on a street near the intersection of Coolidge Road.

An officer arrived shortly after that and spoke with a male and a female victim. The female victim told the officer she and her boyfriend had been robbed and beaten by fifteen black men.

Another officer responding to the call saw an SUV coming the wrong way on the road. He followed because of the violation of traffic rules. He also turned on the blue lights of his cruiser in order to stop the SUV. Even though the windows were tinted, the officer could see there were a number of people in the SUV.
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Judge Refuses Bail in Aaron Hernandez First Degree Murder Case

Published on: July 11, 2013 | by Patrick J. Murphy, Esq.

According to reports, Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was denied release on his first degree murder charge during his appeal to be released on bail.The decision, which was handed down by a superior court judge upheld the prior ruling of a district court judge shortly following Hernandez’s arraignment for the murder charge and five additional weapons charges in relation to the alleged killing of Odin Lloyd. The evidence for weapons charges allegedly stems from the recovery of .22 and .45 caliber ammunition recovered from a condo where Hernandez had allegedly been present recently.

In the ruling, the judge expressed the opinion that although circumstantial, the current evidence suggests that Hernandez committed the crime in a cold-blooded manner, suggesting that he does not conform to societal rules, and is therefore a potential flight risk should he be released on bail.

Hernandez’s next scheduled appearance in relation to the charges is tentatively set for July 24 for a probable cause hearing, although there is a chance that prosecutors could schedule a grand jury prior to then in order to proceed with a formal indictment.
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U.S. Supreme Court Affirms Warrantless DNA Collection Following Arrest

Published on: June 4, 2013 | by Patrick J. Murphy, Esq.

The United States Supreme Court handed down somewhat of a shocking decision this week in the case of Maryland v. King, regarding the constitutionality of law enforcement collecting DNA of arrestees without a warrant.

At issue was a Maryland state statute, which allowed for the warrantless collection of DNA from a suspect following an arrest for a “serious offense,” which under Maryland law includes crimes of violence or burglary.

Here is what is deeply disturbing about this decision, and why all Americans should be concerned– this law does not require a warrant for the taking of your DNA. Under this law, and those being passed across the country, the collection of DNA is being treated in the same manner as the collection of your finger prints or booking photograph.

What’s so wrong with that, some might ask? What’s troubling about that is the fact that the burden for making an arrest is already low, and the potential for misuse or misplacement of DNA samples, and thus potential for abuse to an individual’s unique DNA is incredibly high. Leaving wholly aside the way in which this revelation could completely circumvent constitutional rights of individuals implicated in other crimes, we are now saying that it is ok to collect DNA after what could be an almost non-existent criminal case.

For example, if an individual happens to be present at the scene of the crime, and the police arrive following an anonymous 911 tip, the fact that the person is there could alone raise a strong suspicion, and thus provide a probable cause for an arrest. Even if you were not involved in the burglary at all, the fact that you are there could supply the probable cause for an arrest, and now the government can lawfully collect your DNA. Does that scenario bother you? It should. So much so that one of, if not the, most conservative justices on the court, Antonin Scalia, sided with three of the most liberal, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, and Sonya Sotomayor, in a scathing dissenting opinion, which he personally read aloud in the courtroom.
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4 Defendants Sentenced in 2011 Boston Armed Robbery/Shooting Case

Published on: May 16, 2013 | by Patrick J. Murphy, Esq.

Earlier this month, four criminal defendants pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a September 2011 armed robbery and shooting, which resulted in the injuring of an on duty police officer.The men pleaded guilty to various charges, which included:

armed assault with intent to murder
masked armed robbery
assault & battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury
larceny
possession of a firearm while committing a felony

Two of the men additionally pleaded guilty to misleading a police investigation and being an accessory after the fact to masked armed robbery. The four defendants received sentences ranging from 7-8 years in state prison to 25-30 years in prison, all with probation following prison time.

They were additionally ordered to refrain from any contact with any witnesses or victims, and were ordered to pay restitution for the lost wages and medical expenses of the two police officers involved in the shooting.
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