Boston Criminal Lawyers Blog

2 Lawrence Men Stabbed at Boston Nightclub

Published on: July 27, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Two men, brothers and both from Lawrence, Massachusetts, were stabbed outside the FELT nightclub early Monday morning, at approximately 1:30 a.m.

Boston Police Officers reportedly responded to the Boston nightclub for a report of a person stabbed. Upon their arrival, they determined that the Lawrence brothers had suffered stab wounds as a result of an altercation that began inside the nightclub with three other men. Once outside, the three men allegedly assaulted and stabbed the Lawrence brothers. Their injuries were reported to be non-life threatening.

The Boston Police Officers conducted a “Show-Up Identification Procedure” on-scene, where the Lawrence men allegedly identified the three suspects as Santiago Hernandez of Roxbury, Luis A. Alicea of Hyde Park, and William Sanjurjo of Dorchester, Massachusetts. All three suspects were charged with Assault & Battery with a Dangerous Weapon.

2 Massachusetts State Employees Charged with Distribution of Marijuana

Published on: July 26, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Alexis David, 17 of Roxbury, and Jordan Jones, 21, of Jamaica Plain, both were employees at the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation for the summer and were both arrested for Distribution of a Class D Substance, Marijuana, at Revere Beach on Saturday night.

Massachusetts State Police Officers assigned to monitor ongoing drug activity at Revere Beach were actively engaged in the investigation that led to David’s and Jones’ arrest. No details concerning the arrests were disclosed by the Massachusetts State Police.

Although Possession of 1 Ounce or Less of Marijuana has been decriminalized by the Massachusetts State Legislature, the sale or distribution of marijuana still remains a crime.

Woman Fatally Shot by Somerville Police Officer

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

Carol Lynn Kingsley, 33, was fatally shot this morning by a Somerville Police Officer after she allegedly slashed him, and two other officers, with a knife.

Somerville Police Officers responded to Kingsley’s apartment in Somerville at 6:30 a.m. this morning to investigate a report that she attacked her boyfriend and set fire to his clothing. When the police officers attempted to question her, she brandished a knife and attacked the three Somerville Officers. Kingsley managed to slash one officer in his back, shoulder and arm; a second officer was stabbed in the back and arm; and the third officer was cut on his hand. Thereafter, one of the Somerville Police Officers fatally shot Kingsley. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Several hours prior to the incident, at 3:00 a.m., Somerville Police Officers had responded to the same apartment to investigate a 911 call from a neighbor who heard shouting coming from Kingsley’s apartment. After that first call, the boyfriend reportedly took Kingsley to the hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, but it is unclear whether she was ever admitted.

Former VP at Beverly Hospital Charged in $500,000 Bribery Scheme

Published on: July 22, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Paul Galzerano, 58, of Groveland, Massachusetts, was arraigned today in Essex County Superior Court in Salem on 3 counts of Bribery and 4 counts of Larceny Over $250 for allegedly defrauding Beverly Hospital of almost $500,000.

The Essex Count District Attorney’s Office alleges that between 2003 and 2006, Galzerano was responsible for overseeing a multimillion dollar renovation at Beverly Hospital and during that time, he repeatedly orchestrated kickbacks from certain contractors. Galzerano and contractor Brian Lemay, 53 of Andover, are accused of inflating the price of proposals; Lemay would accept the work for excessive funds, and then kickback money to Galzerano in the form of payments to Galzerano’s personal credit cards and his home mortgage. Galzerano is additionally alleged to be responsible for the theft of numerous antiques and paintings from Beverly Hospital.

The contractors charged in connection with this Bribery scheme include Brian Lemay of Andover and Alfred Cunsolo of Methuen, both charged with Larceny; as well as John Kane of Hanover, also to be charged with Bribery.

Suffolk County District Attorney Investigates Lynn Siblings in Extortion Scheme

Published on: July 21, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Two siblings, Jorge Morales, 37, and Mary Lozada, 34, both of Lynn, Massachusetts, are under investigation by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office for a fake Extortion scheme by targeting persons and telling them their family members had been kidnapped and were going to be killed.

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office reports that at least 30 phone calls were made to the extortion targets, but does not believe that any Kidnapping actually occurred. At least two parents are known to have fallen for the fake extortion threats, a mother in Jamaica Plain and a father in Dorchester.

Jorge Morales is already scheduled to be in Lynn District Court tomorrow for a dangerousness hearing. He was arrested last week on outstanding warrants by the Lynn Police Department for various charges, including Extortion and Larceny. He has also been charged with Assault with Intent to Murder for allegedly threatening to stab his probation officer with a syringe he claimed was filled with HIV-tainted blood.

Stoughton Police Officer Forced to Resign After Visit to Strip Club

Published on: July 20, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Stoughton Police Officer Richard P. Bennett, 28, was a five-year veteran of the town’s Police Department but was forced to tender his resignation after he committed 2 police department violations.

Bennett was accused of visiting Alex’s Strip Club in Stoughton in June to meet “Bridget the Midget,” a 3 foot 9 inch tall porn star. The problem was that, at the time he went to the strip club, Bennett was on duty and left his patrol to visit the club. It appears that other police officers, “no less than five,” were present within the club and reported the violation to the Stoughton Chief of Police.

In another incident, Officer Bennett also violated the Stoughton Police policy for putting a laser scope on his department issued firearm. The Stoughton Police Department prohibits modifications to department issued firearms without prior approval. When inquiries were made to him about the modification, Officer Bennett allegedly lied to police investigators, thereby violating another canon of the Stoughton Police Department.

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Orders New Trial in Murder Case

Published on: July 19, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court today reversed the conviction of Joann Silech-Brodeur, who was convicted of the Murder of her 70 year-old husband by stabbing him to death 34 times.

At issue in Silech-Brodeur’s Criminal Appeal was whether, in establishing her Insanity Defense, the defense was obligated to give prosecutors copies of the detailed notes and statements Silech-Brodeur made to her defense psychiatric expert. She claimed that she was suffering mental problems at the time that were exacerbated by her husband’s intent to divorce her. The defense psychologist testified at the trial that, during her examinations, Silech-Brodeur claimed she did not recall stabbing her husband and that the lost her sense of sight and sound during the struggle.

The trial judge, over the defendant’s objection, ordered production of the defense psychologist’s notes to be produced to the prosecution’s own expert. This, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held, went beyond the discovery limitations in Insanity Cases. The Court specifically held that “when a defendant serves notice that she will call an expert witness to testify about her mental condition at the time of the crime based on her testimonial statements, the rule only authorizes a court-ordered psychiatric examination of the defendant by the Commonwealth’s expert, and nothing more.”

2 Arraigned in Superior Court for Murder of Nicholas Fomby-Davis

Published on: July 16, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Crisostomo Lopes, 20, and Joshua Fernandes, 16, were arraigned yesterday in Suffolk Superior Court for the May 30 Murder of 14 year-old Nicholas Fomby-Davis in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Standing behind a door in the Criminal Magistrate’s Session with their faces out of view from the public, Crisostomo Lopes and Joshua Fernandes pled ‘not guilty’ to the Fomby-Davis murder.

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office alleges that Fomby-Davis was riding his motorized scooter with a relative in Dorchester when the two almost ran into Lopes, who was riding his bicycle at the time. No words were exchanged at that time and Fomby-Davis went home. A short time later, Fomby-Davis took his scooter out for another ride and was confronted by Lopes and Fernandes, who were allegedly lying in wait, crouching down on the sidewalk. Lopes is alleged to have then grabbed Fomby-Davis by the shoulder and held him down while Fernandes fired 3 rounds into Fomby-Davis.

When Lopes was arrested by an off-duty Boston Police Officer, he allegedly stated “What are you going to do, shoot me? You’ll catch it, too”, suggesting that the Boston Police Officer would also get shot. Lopes then allegedly recited the license plate of the Boston Police Officer’s car aloud.

Accused Store Clerk Murderer, Edward Corliss, Indicted in Murder-for-Hire Plot

Published on: July 15, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Edward Corliss, 64, is the man charged with the Murder of a Nepalese convenience store clerk the day after Christmas at Tedeschi’s in Jamaica Plain. In addition to those Murder and other related charges related to that incident, a Suffolk County Grand Jury has now indicted Corliss in an assassination plot for trying to convince a fellow inmate to murder 3 anticipated witnesses listed to testify against him.

According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Corliss, who is being held pending trial at MCI Cedar Junction in Concord, Massachusetts, allegedly asked a fellow inmate to kill the 3 witnesses. Since he is being held, Corliss allegedly offered the other inmate proceeds from a future armored car heist he promised to carry out when he is released. He also allegedly offered the inmate additional money if he kept quiet about the robbery.

As reported in the Boston Criminal Lawyers Blog on March 5, 2010, Edward Corliss allegedly entered the Tedeschi’s concealing his identity with heavy clothing, a scarf and wig, and attempting to rob the store clerk, Surendra Dangol. A surveillance video captured Corliss entering the store, as well as his allegedly pointing a gun at Dangol’s chest and shooting him. Boston Police Officers arrested him several weeks later when they were able to match the getaway vehicle to Corliss’ home.

Roxbury Man Arrested for Robbing Mission Hill Church

Published on: July 14, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

The Boston Police Department reports that Timothy Carlson, 50, of Roxbury, Massachusetts, was arrested last night for breaking into and robbing the Mission Church in Roxbury.

Officers responded to the area of 1547 Tremont Street at 10:43 p.m. last evening on another call saw Carlson holding a white bag. When they attempted to speak to him, Carlson allegedly ran and jumped over a barricaded construction site. As Boston Police Officers pursued into the construction site, they observed numerous discarded dollar bills.

Ultimately, Carlson was found hiding behind an electrical box, where he began shouting expletives and allegedly resisted arrest. A search of the area revealed numerous dollar bills where Carlson allegedly jumped the wall and a white cloth filled with prayer slips.