Murder

Massachusetts Supreme Court Throws Out Salem Murder Conviction

Published on: November 18, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

In an opinion released this morning, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court today reversed the First Degree Murder conviction against Jerome McNulty, who in 2001, had been convicted of the murder of Linda Correia, 27, in her Salem bedroom.

In its decision, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that McNulty’s right to be informed by the Salem Police Department of his criminal lawyer’s attempt to provide advice to him had been violated. Consequently, it was error for the judge at his murder trial to admit into evidence McNulty’s signed statement that he made to the Salem Police Department.

When an attorney representing a person held in custody makes it known to the police that he is seeking to reach his client to provide legal services, the police have an affirmative duty to inform the suspect immediately of the attorney’s efforts. Even if the suspect had previously agreed to speak with the police, once the attorney makes that request, the suspect must be informed of his lawyer’s efforts to reach him and the suspect’s prior consent is invalid. Failure to do so results in a violation of a suspect’s constitutional right to counsel.

Witness in Boston Murder Trial Changes Testimony Again

Published on: November 17, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

The two men charged with First Degree Murder for the killing of 18-year old Cedirick Steele are once again on trial, for the third time. The first two trials against Antwon Carter and Daniel Pickney, Jr., resulted in mistrials: the first one resulted in a deadlocked jury; and the second was declared a mistrial largely in part because of the prosecutor’s key witness, LaToya Thomas Dickson, recanted her testimony.

During the second trial of Carter and Pickney, LaToya Dickson testified that she was with the two defendants when they allegedly murdered Cedirick Steele, 18, from Roxbury, Massachusetts. During cross-examination later on in that trial, Dickson recanted that testimony and told those same jurors she wasn’t with them.

According to the Boston Police Department and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Carter and Pickney allegedly drove to the Highland Street section of Roxbury with the purpose of retaliating a non-fatal shooting of an alleged gang member. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, however, maintains that Steele was simply an innocent bystander and not associated with any gangs.

Lawrence Man Victim of Carjacking, Then Charged in Attempted Murder

Published on: October 25, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

A Lawrence man was the victim of a carjacking earlier this afternoon in Lawrence, Massachusetts. According to the Lawrence Police Department, the man was carjacked by two men known to him, and after the attack, the victim tracked the men down, whom he apparently knew.

When Police found the vehicle, occupied by the two carjacking perpetrators, they discovered the driver, one of the suspects, had been shot in the stomach, allegedly by the victim of the carjacking. The victim of the carjacking is to be charged with Assault with Intent to Murder, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, and Possession of a Loaded Firearm.

Meanwhile, the two carjacking perpetrators are to be charged with Carjacking and Assault with a Deadly Weapon. All men are expected to be arraigned tomorrow morning in Lawrence District Court on their respective charges.

Framingham Man Indicted for Murdering His Wife

Published on: October 23, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Kyle Alleyne, 25, of Framingham, Massachusetts, was indicted for Murder Charges by a Middlesex County Grand Jury in connection with the death of his wife, Heather Alleyne, 19, whose body was found in the couple’s home on August 9th.

According to the MIddlesex County District Attorney’s Office, Kyle Alleyne has been indicted for First Degree Murder, Assault & Battery, and Reckless Endangerment of a Child.

The body of Heather Alleyne was found on August 9th after her family asked the Framingham Police Department to conduct a well-being check. Police Officers responded to the couple’s apartment and discovered her body, and reported obvious signs of a struggle, blood and an attempted clean up of evidence.

Brockton Murder Witness Assassinated, Two Arrested for Murder

Published on: October 10, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Joao Fernandes, 28, and Michael Goncalves, 25, have both been charged with the Murder of Manuel Rodrigues. Rodrigues, reportedly a key prosecution witness against Michael Barros, who is scheduled to soon be tried for the Murder of Moises Vicente, was shot multiple times at his girlfriend’s home on February 17.

Fernandes and Goncalves are alleged to hot cooperated jointly in the execution of Rodrigues. Brockton Police Officers, along with the Massachusetts State Police, FBI and DEA, had obtained a Search Warrant for Fernandes’ Brockton home yesterday. At the Brockton home, they discovered several weapon, and were then went to Taunton where they believed Goncalves could be located. Eventually, Goncalves was arrested in a car, in which was also located crack cocaine and a gun.

Both Fernandes and Goncalves were arraigned in Brockton District Court this past week on First Degree Murder Charges, several Gun / Firearms Charges, as well as Trafficking in Cocaine.

Murder of Waltham Man by Newton North High School Senior was Planned

Published on: October 4, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

In a follow-up to the Boston Criminal Lawyer’s Blog Post of October 1st, new information has been released concerning the Murder of Adam Coveney, of Waltham, that occurred last week.

Middlesex County prosecutors believe that 21 year old Daniel Louis, of West Roxbury, was the one who actually shot and murdered Coveney, but that 17 year old Newton North High School student Benjamin Peirce was the one who lured him into the parking lot under the guise of buying drugs from him.

Another defendant, Shaquan Jacobs, 18 of Newton, also allegedly assisted Louis and helped him attack Coveney just before Louis shot him. Additionally, a fourth person, Wallace Duarte, 17 of Waltham, is alleged to have driven everyone to the scene of the Murder, and allegedly knew of the robbery scheme ahead of time.

Boston Police Arrest Dorchester Man in Connection with Mattapan Murders

Published on: October 2, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Kimani Washington, 35, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, was arrested yesterday in connection with the Mattapan murders that took the lives of four people, one of which was a 2 year old boy. Although Washington was not charged with Murder, he was charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, and Receiving Stolen Motor Vehicle.

As reported in the Boston Criminal Lawyer’s Blog on September 28th, Simba Martin, Levaughn Washum-Garrison, Eyanna Smith and her 2 year old son were all found naked and shot to death at 40 Woolson Street in Mattapan in what is believed to be a drug deal gone bad.

A 5th victim, Marcus Hurd, still remains hospitalized from gunshot wounds and is in critical condition. Boston Police have previously stated that he is not expected to survive. Prior to Hurd falling unconscious in his hospital bed, he reportedly told police that he had gone to buy marijuana and that someone had shot him and taken the car.

Newton North High School Senior Charged with Murder of Waltham Man

Published on: October 1, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Benjamin Peirce, a 17 year-old senior at Newton North High School, was arrested today and arraigned in Waltham District Court for the shooting and killing of Adam Coveney, 29, in his own apartment in Waltham. Peirce was charged with Murder and Armed Assault to Commit Murder.

The Waltham Police Department reports that officers responded to Coveney’s apartment shortly after 11:03 p.m. last night after reports of gunfire in the area. Once in the apartment building, Coveney was found wounded and rushed to Newton-Wellesley Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The Middlesex County District Attorney and Waltham Police Department believe that Peirce and a group of friends went to Coveney’s apartment in Waltham under the ruse to buy drugs, but with the intention of robbing him of his drugs and money.

Boston Man Arrested for Murder of Waltham Student at Regis College

Published on: September 30, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Robenson Daniel was arrested this morning and charged with Murder and several other Crimes of Violence in the stabbing death of Elhaji Malick Ndiaye, 18, of Waltham, as well as for stabbing another man outside a Regis College dormitory.

Daniel was arraigned this morning in Waltham District Court on charges including Murder, Assault & Battery with a Dangerous Weapon, and Armed Assault with Intent to Murder, and was held without bail.

According to the Waltham Police Department and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office, Daniel, Ndiaye and the other man were visiting friends at Regis College last week. At some point, an argument ensued between Daniel and the two men in the dormitory, but spilled out into the parking lot, which then led to a fight. In the parking lot, Daniel is alleged to have stabbed one man several times before being pulled off of him, and then attacked Ndiaye, who was standing nearby, and stabbed him in the chest. According to police and the prosecutor’s office, video surveillance from Regis College helped identify Daniel as the alleged perpetrator.

Boston Murder Numbers Rise in Shooting of 3 Adults and 1 Child in Mattapan

Published on: September 28, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Early this morning, rampant gunfire led Boston Police to respond to 40 Woolson Street in Boston’s Mattapan section, where the bodies of two naked males, Simba Martin and Levaughn Washum-Garrison, and Eyanna Smith and her 2 year old son, Amani Smith, were fatally shot. Another third naked male, Marcus Hurd, who was also shot was rushed to Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital where he was listed in critical condition.

The Boston Police have not revealed whether they have any suspects at this time, but have reported that witnesses heard six gunshots, and then see a ‘shadowy’ figure running down the street followed by a silver or light grey vehicle. That the victims’ bodies were found naked in the street, according to the Boston Police, is an indication that the shooting resulted from a robbery or a drug deal gone bad.

Boston Police are said to be in the process of obtaining a Search Warrant for a home at 23 Sutton Street in Mattapan, which is believed to be the home of one of the victims, Simba Martin, and where the altercation is believed to have started. Sources also told police that Hurd had gone to Mattapan to buy marijuana.