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Police charge Boston car chase suspect with assault in Roxbury shooting

Boston police have charged a Malden man — who was arrested last week following a car chase through the city — in connection with a shooting in Roxbury that took place earlier this month. Christopher Meade, 30, is now facing a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, as well as other firearms charges, in addition to firearms and drug charges stemming from last week’s car chase, according to a Boston police press release. Read more: Police arrest 2 after suspect’s SUV sparks car chase through Boston Massachusetts State Police said previously that the car chase began after a trooper in Dorchester spotted an SUV thought to be connected to a shooting. Boston police have now connected Meade to a Dec. 4 shooting in Roxbury. On that day, officers responded to 48 Clifford St. around 3:50 a.m. and found a man with multiple gunshot wounds, Boston police said. At the time, officers believed the man’s wounds were life-threatening, but an evaluation at a hospital found them to be non-life-threatening. Officers arrested a suspect at the scene, but that person was later released, Boston police said previously. Authorities have not identified the victim in the shooting. Read more: Early morning Boston shooting leaves man with life-threatening injuries Meade was arrested the night of Dec. 11 after a car chase through Dorchester and South Boston that prompted a large police presence. State police said he was a passenger in the suspect SUV. Bridgewater resident Kailyn Almeida, 23, drove the SUV during the car chase, according to state police. She is facing a slew of charges in connection with the incident, including assault with a dangerous weapon, negligent operation and malicious destruction of property over $1,200. Read more: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu to apologize for wrongful arrests in 1989 murder Meade was arraigned on Dec. 12 and ordered held until a dangerousness hearing on Monday, according to court records. At the hearing, a judge found him to be a danger to the community and ordered him held until April 18, 2024. According to court documents, Meade has numerous previous criminal convictions on charges such as assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and larceny.

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crime

Roger Reddick Jr. of Cambridge convicted of 13-year-old girls rape in 2000

It was not quite light outside when a stranger broke into a 13-year-old girl’s home in Cambridge and ran up to her second-floor bedroom. He covered her mouth with his hand at her bedside. Then, he began to rape her. It was three times in total before she screamed for help and he disappeared into the night. But despite the pile of evidence he left behind in the now 37-year-old woman’s bedroom, including green men’s boxers, work boots and fingerprints, it took 23 years and new DNA testing to convict the child rapist who’d lived less than a half-mile away.

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2 teens in fatal crash lived in Dorchester; car was reported stolen, police say

Two teenagers from Dorchester were among the four teenagers inside a car that crashed on Morrisey Boulevard on Thursday, killing two boys inside the vehicle, Massachusetts State Police announced. State police said their preliminary investigation indicates the teens were driving fast in a Hyundai Accent when it crashed on Morrissey Boulevard near UMass Boston. A state trooper saw the rollover crash happen at 3:17 a.m. and called for backup. Read more: Fall River man sentenced for OUI crash that killed his friend One of the teenagers who died in the crash was only identified as a 14-year-old male from Dorchester, while the other teenager killed has been tentatively identified and thus not confirmed, state police said in a statement. A third teenager, also male, was not identified. He remains in grave condition in a Boston hospital. The fourth teenager, who is expected to survive but remains hospitalized, was identified as a 15-year-old male also from Dorchester. So far in the investigation, the Hyundai they were in was reported stolen out of Jamaica Plain Thursday morning, state police said. A gun was found inside it and taken by the State Police Ballistics Unit, while the car was towed by State Police for further investigation. One of the teens was declared dead at the scene, and the other three were rushed to a hospital where a second boy was pronounced dead, state police said. Pictures of the crash shared on social media Thursday morning show the Hyundai still on its side. Authorities are still investigating the crash, but Morrissey Boulevard was fully open again as of about 7:30 a.m. after being partially closed for more than four hours. The investigation into the crash remains ongoing.

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Boston man charged with assault in connection with hurting woman in front of children

A Boston man was met with several assault charges after he attacked and injured a woman in her apartment in front of her children on Monday, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office announced Tuesday. Erick Arevalo, 23, was charged with armed assault with attempt to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (knife), assault and battery and assault and battery on a family or household member, Hayden’s office said in a statement. At around 12:21 a.m., Boston police received a domestic violence call at an apartment on Princeton Street, Hayden’s office said. Officers found a woman with multiple lacerations to her head, neck and one of her hands. She gave officers a description of her attacker, who left the apartment in her car, Hayden’s office added. Officers found that the attacker, Arevalo, struck a stone wall and three parked cars, left the vehicle and punched another person who yelled at him for striking the driveway. Police called Arevalo on his cell phone and arrested him in Brighton at around 1:40 a.m. “This was a brutal assault, made even worse by the fact that it occurred while the victim’s children were present in the apartment. The quick work by investigators with help from those with knowledge of what happened helped make for a quick arrest,” Hayden said in the statement. Judge Shelley Joseph ordered he be held on $5,000 bail. He is due to return in court on Feb. 12 for a probable cause hearing.

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crime

Man Who Attacked Las Vegas Judge Gets Up to 4 Years in Prison

Detroit is on track to record the fewest murders since the 1960s. In Philadelphia, where there were more murders in 2021 than in any year on record, the number of homicides this year has fallen more than 20 percent from last year. And in Los Angeles, the number of shooting victims this year is down more than 200 from two years ago. The decrease in gun violence in 2023 has been a welcome trend for communities around the country, though even as the number of homicides and the number of shootings have fallen nationwide, they remain higher than on the eve of the pandemic. In 2020, as the pandemic took hold and protests convulsed the nation after the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis, the United States saw the largest increase in murders ever recorded. Now, as 2023 comes to a close, the country is likely to see one of the largest — if not the largest — yearly declines in homicides, according to recent F.B.I. data and statistics collected by independent criminologists and researchers. The rapid decline in homicides isn’t the only story. Among nine violent and property crime categories tracked by the F.B.I., the only figure that is up over the first three quarters of this year is motor vehicle theft. The data, which covers about 80 percent of the U.S. population, is the first quarterly report in three years from the F.B.I., which typically takes many months to release crime data.

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crime

15 years after bus slaying, police renew plea to find killer of Boston teen Devonte Franklin

A judge who was attacked by a defendant in a Las Vegas courtroom last week sentenced the man on Monday to 19 to 48 months in prison on a previous battery charge, emphasizing that his actions last week did not affect her sentencing decision. The man, Deobra Redden, 30, drew national attention on Wednesday when courtroom video showed him leaping over the bench onto the judge, Mary Kay Holthus of Clark County District Court, causing the flags behind the bench to fall. Judge Holthus, 62, was injured in the attack, as was a court marshal and the judge’s law clerk, officials said. On Monday, Mr. Redden returned to Judge Holthus’s courtroom to complete the sentencing hearing that his violent outburst had interrupted.

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crime

Lawyer for Waltham crash victims family calls suspect a habitual offender

BOSTON — Police on Sunday appealed to the public to help find the killer of 16-year-old Devonte Franklin, who was fatally stabbed while riding an MBTA bus in Dorchester on New Year’s Eve in 2008. “15 years ago today 16y/o Devonte Franklin was murdered on an #MBTA bus in Dorchester,” MBTA Transit Police said in a social media post. The suspect remains at large, police said. “We know someone could help the TPD identify his killer,” police said. “PLEASE do the right thing for Devonte. Contact us w/any info 617-222-1050.” 15 years ago today 16y/o Devonte Franklin was murdered on an #MBTA bus in Dorchester. The SP responsible remains at large. We know someone could help the TPD identify his killer. PLEASE do the right thing for Devonte. Contact us w/any info 617-222-1050. U can remain anonymous. TY pic.twitter.com/EOfKhdQFD2 — MBTA Transit Police (@MBTATransitPD) December 31, 2023 On Dec. 31, 2008, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Devonte was stabbed multiple times while riding on an MBTA Route 28 bus in the vicinity of Blue Hill Avenue and Harvard Street in Dorchester, according to Transit Police. “Tragically Devonte did not survive this horrendous and senseless attack,” Transit Police said in an earlier statement. “It’s an understatement to say Devonte’s murder was devastating to his family, friends and all those who knew him.” Anyone with information is urged to call Boston Police or the MBTA Transit Police at 617-222-1050. Police said people who come forward with information may remain anonymous. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW ©2023 Cox Media Group

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crime

Chicopee man indicted by federal grand jury for allegedly robbing, assaulting confidential informant

SPRINGFIELD — Federal authorities say a Chicopee man has been charged with allegedly holding up a confidential informant at gunpoint for $1,400 in government money. Hector Laureano, 38, was charged by a grand jury with assault with a dangerous weapon on a person assisting an officer or employee of the United States. He is also charged with brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and armed robbery, according to an announcement by Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy.

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crime

Former N.Y.P.D. Officer Is Charged With Child Sex Offenses

The officer was suspended with pay and retired in September, according to a Police Department spokesman. Vinoo Varghese, Mr. Terranova’s attorney, said his client denied all charges. “He looks forward to clearing his name,” Mr. Varghese said. The case began when Mr. Terranova was arrested in May on Staten Island, where he was an officer assigned to the 121st Precinct, in the Graniteville neighborhood. Mr. Terranova used police records to find the personal phone number of a 15-year-old boy who was the victim of a robbery, federal prosecutors said. He sent the boy explicit pictures of himself and pressured the minor to reciprocate, according to a request to deny bail filed Thursday by the prosecutor’s office. Mr. Terranova knew another victim as a family friend, the prosecutor’s office said. He contacted the boy on social media in 2022, sent nude photos and engaged in sexual conversations, according to prosecutors. Mr. Terranova later drove the boy to a wooded area and engaged in sex acts, according to the detention request. A search of Mr. Terranova’s home on Staten Island uncovered letters he had sent to another person, who appeared to be a minor living in another state, prosecutors said. Mr. Terranova purchased a home close to the minor’s house and kept notes in his personal safe on the child’s likes, dislikes, family and religion, according to prosecutors. Additional searches uncovered possible evidence of several other victims, prosecutors said, including an instance in which Mr. Terranova might have approached a teenager who was hospitalized during a mental health crisis. The charges against Mr. Terranova do not include any related to the possible victim in another state or the one who was hospitalized. These details were described in the document in which prosecutors argued that Mr. Terranova should not be allowed bail.

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crime

Brockton murder suspect found, taken to hospital, DA says

Brockton murder suspect found, taken to Boston hospital for treatment of wound, DA says The suspect in the fatal shooting of a Connecticut woman was found with a gunshot wound and taken to a Boston hospital, the Plymouth District Attorney’s Office announced early Saturday.Gelson Fernandes, 29, of Brockton, is the suspect in the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Stephanie Beatty, of Norwich, Connecticut. Beatty was shot and killed while sitting in a car in Brockton early Friday. According to the district attorney's office, Fernandes was found with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound and was taken to a Boston hospital for treatment. Shortly after 12:20 a.m. Friday, Brockton police received a 911 call about a shooting outside 17 Nason St.Responding officers found Beatty inside a parked vehicle suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.Authorities said Beatty and Fernandes were previously acquainted. The suspect in the fatal shooting of a Connecticut woman was found with a gunshot wound and taken to a Boston hospital, the Plymouth District Attorney’s Office announced early Saturday. Gelson Fernandes, 29, of Brockton, is the suspect in the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Stephanie Beatty, of Norwich, Connecticut. Beatty was shot and killed while sitting in a car in Brockton early Friday. Advertisement According to the district attorney's office, Fernandes was found with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound and was taken to a Boston hospital for treatment. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. UPDATE: Brockton Homicide Gelson Fernandes, the murder suspect in the fatal shooting of a Brockton woman, has been found with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was transported to a Boston hospital where he remains for treatment. @MassStatePolice @BrocktonPolice — DA Tim Cruz (@PlymouthCtyDAO) December 9, 2023 Shortly after 12:20 a.m. Friday, Brockton police received a 911 call about a shooting outside 17 Nason St. Responding officers found Beatty inside a parked vehicle suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said Beatty and Fernandes were previously acquainted.

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crime

Couple charged after stealing cart full of tools from Reading Home Depot

A lawyer for the family of Roderick Jackson, the utility worker officials said was killed along with a police officer when a man drove a truck into a work site in Waltham last week, wants to know how the crash suspect came to be in a position where he was able to cause a crash given his criminal history. New Hampshire resident Peter Simon, 54, is facing charges including manslaughter for the Dec. 6 crash, which killed Jackson, a 36-year-old Cambridge resident, and 58-year-old Waltham Police Officer Paul Tracey. But according to court records, Simon was previously charged in connection with at least two different car crashes in New Hampshire. Simon is now accused of driving a truck into a National Grid work site on Totten Pond Road where Jackson was working as an employee and Tracey was working a police detail. He pleaded not guilty to all charges last week and was held without bail. “The man accused of killing Mr. Roderick Jackson and Officer Paul J. Tracey is a habitual offender who should have never been in the position to take the lives of these two beloved members of our community,” Attorney Thomas Flaws, who is representing Jackson’s family, said in a statement. Read more: Funeral plans announced for Waltham officer killed in double fatal crash In 2009, Simon led police on a car chase through Keene and hit a public bus head-on, The Brattleboro Reformer reported. The crash seriously injured a passenger, and Simon was criminally charged. But in 2011, Simon successfully pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and was reportedly sentenced to five years in a psychiatric ward in a state prison, the Reformer reported. At the time, his lawyer told the newspaper his client had a dissociative disorder and needed to be on medication, but that he was remorseful about the crash. In 2016, Simon was again arrested in New Hampshire and faced a slew of charges for causing another crash and then strangling a man, Patch.com reported. This time, Simon pleaded guilty to half the charges, including aggravated DUI, second-degree assault and criminal threatening, according to court records. Simon was sentenced to several years in prison after this incident, but it is unclear how long he was actually incarcerated for. He also had his license revoked and was ordered to complete an impaired driver care management program, according to court records. At the time of the Dec. 6 crash, Simon, who is now a Woodsville resident, did not have a valid license. “The system failed these two innocent men, and we intend to seek civil justice to the fullest to avenge Mr. Jackson’s tragic passing, which we hope can bring some semblance of peace to the Jackson family in due time,” Flaws said in the statement. It is unclear how Flaws might “seek civil justice” in this case. Jackson is remembered as a “selfless” man who was the “heart of his family.” His mother, Norma Asprilla, told news outlets last week that she wanted to see Simon “behind bars” and that what he did was “unforgivable.” Read more: United Steelworkers mourn National Grid employee killed in Waltham crash A GoFundMe has been created to benefit Jackson’s family, and another fundraiser is collecting money on behalf of all the victims and their families.

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crime

4 people wanted in random attacks in Boston

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crime

Michigan Teenager Who Killed Four Students Is Sentenced to Life

A couple is facing charges after it “stole a cart full of tools” from a Home Depot in Reading earlier this month, according to the Reading Police Department. Police Chief David Clark said the 31-year-old man and the 34-year-old woman, both with no known addresses, are being charged with larceny under $1,200. In addition, the man is being charged with receiving stolen property and possession of a Class D substance with intent to distribute. The couple walked out of the Home Depot at 60 Walkers Brook Drive with the cart of tools on Tuesday, Dec. 12, Clark said in a statement Friday. Employees described the vehicle the duo left in, and police found the vehicle abandoned close by. The stolen tools, some of which were in plain sight, were found inside the vehicle as well, according to Clark. The couple was arrested on Thursday, Dec. 14. During their arrest, officers found more merchandise and numerous baggies of marijuana packaged for resale. Authorities are still trying to determine if this merchandise, most of which had tags and security devices on it, was stolen as well. The man and woman will be arraigned in Woburn District Court at a later date, Clark said. The investigation is ongoing.

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crime

Lynn teacher pleads guilty to sexually exploiting Laotian children

Editor’s note: This article contains a description of sexual assault. A Lynn man pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges stemming from allegations that he had impoverished Laotian children “pay for rent” by giving him massages while he was naked, the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s Office announced. Michael Sebastian, 56, pleaded guilty to three counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places in connection with the sexual exploitation of these children, the U.S. Attorney’s office said in a press release. Read more: Lobster trap Christmas tree in Lynn man’s backyard brings community joy The sexual abuse happened while Sebastian was operating a school in Laos that taught english to impoverished children, the U.S. Attorney’s office said. Sebastian allowed some of his students to stay at his apartment with him, but required that they pay him for housing them. “Students who were unable to pay for their living expenses performed ‘chores’ around the house to earn credit towards their rent payments,” the U.S. Attorney’s office wrote in the release. “One of the ‘chores’ eligible for rent credit was to give Sebastian massages, during which Sebastian would be naked.” Between May 2018 and September 2019, Sebastian sexually abused three minor children who lived with him, sometimes requiring his genitals to be part of the massages, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Read more: Salem police investigate daycare after postal worker finds 3-year-old walking alone “Mr. Sebastian ingratiated himself into a position of trust and then manipulated his relationships to exploit vulnerable minors who sought refuge and education. His horrific conduct is a parent’s worst nightmare,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said in the release. “ ... This case should send a resounding message to Americans in Massachusetts and beyond: predators will be identified, prosecuted and held accountable.” Sebastian was arrested and charged in July 2020 following his return to the U.S., the U.S. Attorney’s office said. He was soon indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2020. Sebastian is scheduled to be sentenced on March 28, 2024. Each charge of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. If you are a victim of sexual assault, you are not alone. Rape Crisis Centers in Massachusetts offer free, confidential services for adolescent and adult survivors, as well as their loved ones. For a list of crisis centers across the state and how to contact them, click here.

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crime

Police: 2 arrested, following narcotics drug bust on Pine Street in Holyoke

A multi-agency operation has lead to the arrests of two people after a month-long narcotics investigation.

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crime

Boston police: 4 stabbed at Dorchester hotel, suspect in custody

While it’s not quite as cold this morning as yesterday morning, we still have a chill in the air with temps near 20 outside of Boston and around 30 in the city. With very little wind in place, it’s an easy cold to handle. Temps this afternoon rebound into the lower 40s, under light winds and a mix of sun and clouds. A nice seasonable December day to end the workweek. The temp trend is up through the weekend, peaking late Sunday into Monday morning. It’ll stay dry Saturday into Sunday morning, but we’ll likely have scattered showers start to kick in mid to late afternoon Sunday, especially inland. Sunday night into Monday morning is the main concern for a potent storm moving through. As southerly winds increase Sunday night, temps stay warm, near 60. A lot of moisture moves in from the west, with downpours, thunder and strong winds predawn Monday, through most of the morning commute. Rain totals run 1-3″ across Southern New England and winds will gusts 45-65mph, strongest down across Cape Ann and the Cape and Islands. We’ll watch for isolated to scattered tree damage and power outages where winds are the strongest. Some minor coastal flooding is possible along the south coast of MA/RI during the Monday morning high tide too. Rain tapers off mid to late morning and temps crash from near 60, back into the 40s as we dry out. We’ll stay dry mid week with a seasonable chill.

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crime

Police investigate two Christmas overnight incidents in Boston

The teenager who committed the deadliest high school shooting in Michigan history, killing four students and injuring seven other people, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Friday. Ethan Crumbley was a 15-year-old sophomore at Oxford High School in suburban Detroit on Nov. 30, 2021, when he pulled a 9 millimeter Sig Sauer handgun out of his backpack. He had persuaded his father to purchase the gun for him just days earlier. Killed in the attack were Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Tate Myre, 16; Justin Shilling, 17; and Hana St. Juliana, 14. Michigan does not have the death penalty. In September, Judge Kwamé Rowe ruled that despite being a minor, and despite his difficult life, Ethan was eligible for a sentence of life without parole. He had pleaded guilty to 24 charges, including first-degree murder.

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crime

Man arrested, after pointing loaded ghost gun at Springfield officer

Boston EMS says one person was taken to the hospital after a reported stabbing on Court Street early Christmas morning. The incident happened just down the street from Boston City Hall and the Government Center MBTA station.Police officers responded to the area just after 2 a.m. for a report of a stabbing. The victim was treated and transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Police also responded to the area of Tremont and Stuart Streets, but the nature of that incident was not immediately clear. Boston EMS says one person was taken to the hospital after a reported stabbing on Court Street early Christmas morning. The incident happened just down the street from Boston City Hall and the Government Center MBTA station. Advertisement Police officers responded to the area just after 2 a.m. for a report of a stabbing. The victim was treated and transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Police also responded to the area of Tremont and Stuart Streets, but the nature of that incident was not immediately clear.

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crime

Juvenile attacked with machete in Lynn armed robbery, police say

Three juveniles were arrested after an armed robbery in which a young victim was attacked with a machete Wednesday afternoon in Lynn, Massachusetts. Police responded just before 3 p.m. to Fayette Street after a robbery was reported. Two juvenile victims told officers they were approached by a group of males. One of the victims was assaulted with a machete, and the other's backpack was taken, according to investigators. Police say the person who was attacked suffered a minor injury and did not require medical attention. Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters. After a search, three juvenile suspects were identified and arrested. They are facing charges of delinquency by reason of armed robbery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and trespassing. Authorities are continuing to investigate. No further details were immediately available.

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crime

Man faces murder charge in fatal stabbing of soon-to-be father in Boston

A 20-year-old man from Everett has been arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of a soon-to-be father in Boston last week, Boston police said Friday. Edwin Mendez, was arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of Wilfredo Landaverde Arevalo, 34, of Medford on Dec. 22. Mendez, who was wanted on a warrant for murder, is expected to be arraigned in East Boston District Court, police said. Read More: Victim identified in fatal Boston stabbing was about to become father Landaverde Arevalo was found stabbed near 186 Gove St. on Dec. 15 in East Boston and was brought to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said. Born on April 16, 1989, Landaverde Arevalo was a native of El Salvador and was called “a loving young man” in his obituary. He was also about to become a father to a baby girl, which he took great pride in, his obituary said. Read More: Man found stabbed on Gove Street in Boston dies at hospital “He was a very intelligent man, as he studied both Spanish and English,” his obituary read. “He set off to become an American citizen and gained so much knowledge along the way.” A GoFundMe page organized by Landaverde Arevalo’s mother, Marina Arevalo, raised more than $4,400 of its $20,000 goal as of Friday afternoon. “We are heartbroken,” the GoFundMe says in Spanish. “Thank you to all who appreciate my son.” An investigation into the stabbing is still ongoing, police said. The department’s homicide unit asked that anyone with information about the incident is urged to call them at 617-343-4470. Anonymous tips can be sent to the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1-800-494-TIPS or by texting the word “TIP” to CRIME (27463).

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crime

Murder suspect in Lawrence McDonalds fatal stabbing held without bail

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Springfield Police have arrested a man after he pointed a gun at an officer in a Harriet Street apartment overnight. According to the Springfield Police Department, officers were conducting a follow-up connected to a domestic assault involving a gun and were looking for 30-year-old Joseph Morales-Dejesus when they received permission to enter the apartment he was staying in. When officers arrived at the apartment Morales-Dejesus walked into view with a loaded large-capacity ghost gun with an extended magazine in hand. Police said he pointed it directly at an officer before complying and tossing it away from him. Morales-Dejesus was arrested and charged with the following offenses: Firearm Violation with Three Prior Violent/Drug Crimes Firearm-Armed Assault in Dwelling Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Two Counts) Assault with a Dangerous Weapon Carrying a Loaded Firearm without a License Possession of a High-Capacity Magazine/Feeding Device Possession of a Firearm without an FID Card - Subsequent Offense Possession of Ammunition without an FID Card Threat to Commit a Crime Witness Intimidation Authorities also revealed Morales-Dejesus was convicted on firearms charges in 2019, numerous drug distribution charges in 2017 and several domestic related charges in 2020 including assault & battery on a pregnant female. Copyright 2023. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.

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Quincy man allegedly tried to set caged raccoon on fire, police say

Crime Quincy man allegedly tried to set caged raccoon on fire, police say Officers found the raccoon stuck in a trap cage with apparent burn injuries. The animal survived Saturday's ordeal, according to police. A Quincy man is charged with animal cruelty after he allegedly placed a caged raccoon on top of an outdoor fire Saturday. Officers responded to a home on Royal Street after receiving a call about a person trying to light a raccoon on fire in the backyard, the Quincy Police Department said in a press release. Upon arrival, police reportedly saw two neighbors arguing and a live raccoon stuck in a trap cage with apparent burn injuries. Video obtained by the officers allegedly showed Andrew Chieu, 63, building a fire in a tin can and then placing the caged raccoon on top of the can as the fire grew. Advertisement: Chieu pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of animal cruelty in Quincy District Court on Tuesday and was released on personal recognizance, online court records indicate. Boston.com has reached out to his attorney for comment. A Quincy Animal Control officer brought the raccoon to a local animal hospital for treatment. “The raccoon survived the incident and the extent of its injuries is unknown at this time,” police said.

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crime

Jonathan Majors found guilty on two counts in assault trial

A judge ordered 47-year-old Marcos Muniz held without bail during his arraignment Tuesday on a first-degree murder charge in the killing of 32-year-old Kendrick Marcus Brown. Muniz is accused of stabbing Brown to death at a McDonald’s on Broadway in Lawrence Tuesday evening. The Essex County District Attorney’s Office said previously that police found Brown at the McDonald’s with a stab wound around 5 p.m. and took him to Lawrence General Hospital where he died. Court documents list Muniz as a homeless Lawrence resident. He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment in Lawrence District Court and was ordered to have no contact with witnesses in the case. During the arraignment, prosecutors claimed Muniz was out on bail when Brown was killed, WBZ-TV reported. Court documents indicate that Muniz was charged with receiving stolen property in late August 2023. Muniz is due back in court on Feb. 28 for a probable cause hearing.

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crime

Linda Gauthier of New Hampshire killed in head-on crash with fire vehicle

A woman died and two people were injured in a head-on collision Sunday morning in Pinkham’s Grant, New Hampshire, State Police said. Linda Gauthier, 54, of Gorham, New Hampshire was killed when the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado truck she’d been riding in collided head-on with an Errol, N.H., fire vehicle — a 2017 Silverado on Route 16, police said. It was around 11:37 a.m. when the 2011 truck driving southbound and the Errol, N.H., fire vehicle heading northbound crashed, police said.

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crime

State Police Arrest Men Wanted for Separate Assaults on Troopers

Today, July 11, 2023, the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section (VFAS) arrested HERNAN AYBAR ROMERO, 24, of Lawrence who was wanted for a violent assault on an MSP Trooper on I-495 in Tewksbury late last week. A Trooper stopped AYBAR ROMERO on the night of Friday July 7, 2023, for motor vehicle violations, and subsequently determined that AYBAR ROMERO had four outstanding warrants for his arrest, including for charges of trafficking in heroin/morphine/opium/ fentanyl (100 grams or more). After exiting his vehicle, AYBAR ROMERO became violent and assaulted the Trooper as he was being put into handcuffs. The suspect was able to re-enter his vehicle and sped away. The Trooper was later treated and released from Lowell General Hospital. An exhaustive investigation by VFAS, the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Essex District Attorney’s Office, the State Police Critical Incident Technical Investigations Unit, Commonwealth Watch Center, and State Police Troop A tracked AYBAR ROMERO to an apartment in the Town of Lawrence. AYBAR ROMERO is currently being held pending arraignment on the following additional charges: 1. Assault and battery on a police officer; 2. Assault with a dangerous weapon; 3. Resisting arrest; 4. Malicious destruction of property over $1,200; 5. Refusing to identify himself to police; 6. Unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle; 7. Attaching plates; 8. Operating with a suspended/revoked registration; 9. Operating an uninsured motor vehicle; and 10. No inspection sticker. That violent attack came on the heels of a vehicular assault of a Trooper last Wednesday, July 5, 2023, on the I-95 Exit 57 off ramp in Wakefield, whereby the operator of a motorcycle attempted to run over a Trooper who had approached him on foot. The Trooper approached the motorcyclist after observing him operating erratically on I-95 and repeatedly ordered him to turn off the bike’s engine and dismount. The operator repeatedly refused to comply – at one point turning the bike’s ignition on again after it had been shut off – and then drove forward with the Trooper in front of the handlebars and front wheel. The Trooper was able to disengage from the motorcycle as it continued forward, allowing him to narrowly avoid being hit by a pickup truck passing through the intersection. Video of the incident is posted below. On Friday, July 7, 2023, Troop A and members of the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office arrested COLIN JAMES WEBB, 19, of Reading for the assault. WEBB was charged with the following: 1. Assault and battery on a police officer; 2. Assault with a dangerous weapon; 3. Refusing to identify himself to police; 4. Negligent operation of a motor vehicle; 5. Number plate violation; 6. Speeding; 7. Failure to stop/yield at traffic signals; 8. Marked lanes violation; 9. Failure to yield at an intersection; 10. Breakdown lane violation; 11. Missing number plate; and 12. Failure to stop for police. “These incidents were brazen, and deliberately violent assaults perpetrated by motivated offenders on public servants who were engaged in their duties to protect our roads, our communities, our citizens, and our visitors,” said Colonel John Mawn Jr., Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police. “We work very hard to ensure that violence directed against any victim – police officer or civilian – is answered with a swift and thorough response, and that was exactly what was done in these two investigations.”

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crime

Boston shooting leaves woman with life-threatening injuries

CNN — A jury found actor Jonathan Majors guilty on two of four counts in the New York criminal case stemming from a domestic dispute with his former girlfriend. Majors was convicted on Monday of one count of reckless assault in the 3rd degree and a non-criminal charge of harassment as a violation. He was acquitted on of another assault charge and one count of aggravated harassment. The trial, which began on December 4, stems from a March 25th domestic dispute involving Majors - who plays a villain in the Marvel cinematic universe - and his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. Prosecutors alleged Majors “didn’t hesitate to use physical violence” against Jabbari in the March dispute when he grabbed Jabbari’s right hand, twisted her arm behind her back and then “struck a blow” to her head. Majors’ attorney reiterated his innocence during her closing argument, calling the accusations against him “fake” and alleging that Jabbari was the aggressor in the March dispute. This story is developing and will be updated.

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crime

Criminal investigation opened into Cape Cod boat crash that killed teen girl

The boat crash off Cape Cod that killed a 17-year-old girl from Sherborn, Massachusetts, is now the subject of a criminal investigation, the Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office told the Boston Globe. There have not been any charges or arrests announced in connection with the crash, which happened on July 21, according to the Globe. The girl who was killed was identified as Sadie Mauro, a rising senior and lacrosse standout at Dover-Sherborn High School. She was remembered for her kindness and smile. The teen's body was recovered from the water by the United States Coast Guard at around 11:30 p.m. Massachusetts State Police say the crash happened around 9 p.m. off Cold Storage Beach in Dennis. Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters. According to the Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office, the Dennis Police Department received a 911 call around 9:01 p.m. on July 21 that a boat had crashed into a jetty in Sesuit Harbor and that a 17-year-old girl was unaccounted for. The U.S. Coast Guard, the Dennis and Sandwich fire departments, and the Barnstable County Dive Team were involved in the response off Cold Storage Beach in Dennis. The teen's body was recovered from the water by the regional dive team, with assistance from Dennis Fire-Rescue personnel, around 11:30 p.m. A preliminary investigation revealed that the vessel -- a Regulator equipped with two outboard 250 horsepower engines bearing an Alabama registration -- was occupied by six people at the time of the crash, which occurred at the jetty by the channel leading to the Northside Marina in Sesuit Harbor. The DA's office said other occupants of the boat were treated at Cape Cod Hospital. At least one boat passenger, a teenage male, had a head laceration. The cause of the crash is not known at this time.

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crime

Bags of fake Adderall, Xanax pills laced with fentanyl and meth seized in bust

A total of 35 pounds of pills disguised as Adderall and Xanax tablets that actually contained fentanyl and methamphetamine were seized from a makeshift Whitman drug laboratory during a state police bust in late December, according to state police. Andrew Billings, 39, of Plymouth, was arrested during the bust on Dec. 21, 2023. He was arraigned at Plymouth District Court on charges of trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl, along with the unlawful manufacture of a Class B drug. After months of investigating, the department said officers were able to link Billings to a property on Essex Street and executed a search warrant on that late December Thursday. Troopers found thousands of counterfeit prescription pills, large amounts of white powder, a pharmaceutical grade pill press and other drug paraphernalia at the property, state police said. There were six pounds of fake Adderall tablets that tested to be fentanyl taken from the scene, and 27 pounds of fake Xanax pills and loose powder that was tested to be methamphetamine, police said. A search warrant was also executed on Billings’ SUV, which found 145 grams of blue oxycodone pills, the department said. The Essex Street building had to be condemned after investigators secured the scene and evidence — during the bust, the property was “so badly contaminated with strewn drug material that troopers evacuated the address,” state police said. Inspectors from the United States Postal Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the five agencies within the W.E.B. Major Crimes and Drug Task Force, detectives from Plymouth, Whitman and State Police and other organizations assisted the Norfolk SPDU in the investigation.

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crime

Everett man arrested in connection with fatal East Boston stabbing

Police have made an arrest in connection to the fatal stabbing of a Medford man in East Boston last week, according to Boston police. Edwin Mendez Hernandez, 20, of Everett was arrested at approximately 8 a.m. Friday on 20 Hancock St. in Everett. At the time of his arrest, Hernandez was wanted on a warrant for the Dec. 15 killing of Wilfredo Landaverde Arevalo, 34, of Medford, police said in a statement. Hernandez will be arraigned in East Boston District Court.

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crime

Ukrainian Missile Attack on a Russian City Kills at Least 22, Officials Say

The Russian authorities said on Saturday that a Ukrainian attack on the city of Belgorod had killed at least 22 people and injured nearly 110 others, in what would be the deadliest single assault against a Russian city since the start of the war nearly two years ago. Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that Ukraine had hit Belgorod — a regional center of around 330,000 residents about 25 miles north of the Ukrainian border — with two missiles and several rockets, adding that the strike was “indiscriminate.” The ministry said that most of the rockets had been shot down, but that some debris had fallen on the city. The Ukrainian government has not officially commented on the Belgorod attack, and Russian claims could not be independently verified. The attack seemed to be Ukraine’s response to a massive and deadly Russian air assault against its territory a day earlier, and another sign of Kyiv’s determination to bring the war to Moscow’s doorstep. In his overnight address on Friday, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said that his country would continue to “work toward pushing the war back” to “where it came from — home to Russia.”

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crime

Woman seen beating dog with glass bottle arrested near Boston Common, police say

A woman was left with life-threatening injuries after a shooting in Boston late Friday, according to police. Officers responded to a report of a person shot in the area of 30 Business St. in the Hyde Park neighborhood of the city around 10 p.m. Friday. The woman was found with gunshot wounds, Boston Police Sgt. John Boyle told MassLive. The woman was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for her life-threatening injuries, according to Boyle. No arrests had been made as of Saturday morning, Boyle said. No further details regarding the shooting were immediately released to the public by authorities Saturday morning.

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crime

One-man crime spree: Man accused of vandalizing several Boston sites hurls expletives in court

A woman was arrested for allegedly punching, kicking and beating a dog with a glass bottle near Boston Common Tuesday night, police said. Jasmine Velasquez, 26, was arrested on animal cruelty charges after officers who happened to be in the area heard the dog crying and spotted her kicking it, according to the Boston Police Department. They rushed to the scene, across Tremont Street from the MBTA's Park Street Station, and got the dog away from its attacker as well as broken glass on the ground, police said. The woman was seen by witnesses hitting the dog multiple times, including hitting it with a glass bottle. The dog was placed with Boston Animal Care and Control. Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters. Velasquez was due to face charges of animal cruelty and assault and battery on a police officer in Boston Municipal Court on Wednesday. It wasn't immediately clear if she had an attorney who could speak to the charges. Police didn't share details about her alleged assault of the police officer.

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crime

Springfield police investigate deadly shooting on Albemarle Street

BOSTON — A Boston man who prosecutors said acted out a “one-man crime spree” over the weekend -- by vandalizing the Holocaust Memorial, Paul Revere’s grave and other tombstones, and damaging federal buildings, businesses and a police cruiser -- hurled expletives while facing a judge during his arraignment on Monday. Lawrence Hawkins, 46, is charged with vandalizing property, two counts of malicious destruction of property greater than $1,200, and injury to a church of synagogue. Additional charges are expected, prosecutors said. Judge Paul Treseler set bail at $22,500 cash, considerably higher than the $3,000 bail that had been requested by prosecutors. Hawkins was also ordered to stay away from all of the locations that were vandalized, to wear a GPX with an exclusion zone of downtown Boston, and ordered to undergo evaluation by a court clinician to determine whether he is competent to stand trial. “This is an individual who over the weekend was his own one-man crime spree down downtown Boston,” Assistant District Attorney Samuel Jones said in court. “He took bricks and rocks and threw them into businesses throughout the Commonwealth.” As Jones spoke, Hawkins began shouting expletives, loudly. “You (expletive) piece of (expletive). (Expletive),” Hawkins shouted out in court. The judge asked Hawkins to back down. “Sir, why don’t you have a seat? Have a seat and relax, OK?” Treseler said. Two court officers stood on either side of Hawkins, watching him. Jones said surveillance video captured Hawkins on a vandalism spree throughout Boston. Hawkins is accused of throwing a brick into a building on Charles Street South, smashing the front windshield of a Boston Police cruiser, breaking a window at a business on Washington Street, vandalizing another location at Court Square, and also breaking a window on Sudbury Street. Lawrence Hawkins (Boston 25) He is also accused of smashing windows at two federal buildings, the John F. Kennedy Federal Building on Sudbury Street and the Thomas P. O’Neill Jr. Federal Building on Causeway Street. Prosecutors estimated damages to both federal buildings at $20,000 to $30,000. “He took bricks and rocks and threw them into the glass of businesses windows and doors. He was seen on surveillance video committing all of these acts,” Jones said. Surveillance video captured Hawkins throwing an object at the Holocaust Memorial located at 98 Union St., prosecutors said. Police later found the historic memorial, which honors the millions of people who died in the Holocaust, vandalized with a brick on the ground. “These are random acts of violence against businesses, against property, the defendant having no wherewithal for the public and just going around throwing objects, causing damage to businesses, federal property, national landmarks and also landmarks for the deceased and honor for the dead,” Jones said. Lawrence Hawkins (Boston 25) Hawkins is also a person of interest in other reported vandalism, including at the Granary Burying Ground off Tremont Street where Paul Revere’s tombstone was vandalized over the weekend, among more than a dozen tombstones that were pulled from the ground and broken into pieces, prosecutors said. Six additional tombstones in the adjacent King’s Chapel Burying Ground were also vandalized. Jones said federal and park authorities are investigating and additional charges are expected. Investigators were able to trace Hawkins to the vandalism at various sites through surveillance cameras. He also trespassed at the State House building, from where a state police trooper drove him to a local shelter, Jones said. Police later traced Hawkins to that shelter at 112 Southampton St., where he was arrested. Jones said that Hawkins “has a litany of committed time” on his lengthy criminal record, which dates back to the 1990s. He also has been to Bridgewater State Hospital. “He’s not a stranger to the criminal justice system. He’s also not a stranger to the Boston Police,” Jones said. Lawrence Hawkins (Boston 25) Hawkins then began shouting in court again, and the judge asked him to quiet down. “Sir! Sir! Stop! Your attorney will have an opportunity to address me, OK?” said Treseler, the judge. Defense Attorney Robert Glotzer said at one point, Hawkins “seemed to have a productive life” prior to his criminal record. He is a graduate of Tyngsboro High School, attended community college for a year, is a father and has worked as a construction worker. Hawkins now resides in a homeless shelter and takes “psychotropic medications,” Glotzer said. Glotzer said it is “appropriate” for Hawkins to undergo a competency evaluation. “Order that doctor come down. He can go. He can go at this point,” Treseler said at the close of the arraignment. “Let’s get a doctor down here.” This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW ©2023 Cox Media Group

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crime

Police charge Quincy man with lighting a raccoon on fire, report says

Authorities are investigating Monday night’s deadly shooting on Albemarle Street in Springfield. Springfield Police Department responded to the incident at 6:05 p.m. in the 0-100 block of Albemarle Street after a ShotSpotter activation. First responders found a man with a gunshot wound and brought him to Baystate Medical Center. He later died at the hospital, police said. Police have not released the victim’s name nor any arrests in connection with the shooting. The Springfield police homicide unit is investigating under Captain Trent Duda along with the Hampden District Attorney’s Murder Unit. If you have any information on this incident, police urge you to call the detective bureau at 413-787-6355 or anonymously Text-A-Tip. Text CRIMES type SOLVE and your tip. Police are also investigating after a body was found in the pond at Van Horn Park on Monday afternoon. Police responded at 4:20 p.m. to the park at 629 Armory St. to reports of the body, said Ryan Walsh, police spokesman.

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crime

Up to 138 packages stolen from Boston apartment building's mailroom

ERIKA NO ONE WANTS THEIR PACKAGE IS STOLEN, ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR. THIS HAPPENED AT THE JAY VIEW APARTMENT BUILDING HERE IN ROXBURY. INVESTIGATORS HAVE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO WHICH SHOWS THE THIEVES STEALING AS MANY AS 138 PACKAGES. IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR WHEN LOADS OF PACKAGES ARE DELIVERED FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND PACKAGE THEFTS BECOME A MAJOR CONCERN AT THIS BUSY APARTMENT BUILDING IN ROXBURY BOSTON POLICE SAY UP TO 140 PACKAGES WERE STOLEN LAST NIGHT. IT IS FRUSTRATING BEING A STUDENT, GETTING A PACKAGE MISSING IS VERY FRUSTRATING. POLICE SAY THE BUILDINGS CONCERN WAS DISCOVERED. ALL 138 PACKAGES DELIVERED YESTERDAY WERE MISSING. THIS MORNING. VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SHOWS AROUND SIX LAST NIGHT. A MAN BREAKING INTO THE ROOM WHERE PACKAGES ARE KEPT. TWO OTHER MEN FOLLOW AND THEY’RE SEEN REMOVING PACKAGES. I JUST NEED TO ENTER THAT THIS SPECIFIC CODE RESIDENTS TELL US THE BUILDING USES AN APP TO NOTIFY THEM WHEN PACKAGES ARE DELIVERED. TENANTS GET A CUSTOMIZED CODE TO ACCESS THE ROOM. THE POLICE REPORT SAYS THAT SYSTEM WAS DOWN YESTERDAY, BUT ONE OF THE SUSPECTS ON SURVEILLANCE APPEARS TO OPEN THE CONTROL PANEL AND GET IN. I HAD A PACKAGE DELIVERED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. JANE VARGHESE SAYS SHE RECENTLY HAD A PACKAGE STOLEN AND FILED A COMPLAINT WITH POLICE. IT WAS SO FRUSTRATING BECAUSE IT WAS A GIFT AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS MEANT FOR SOMEONE ELSE. SHE HOPES THE BUILDING WILL TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS TO MAKE SURE PACKAGES ARE SECURED. AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE LIVE IN THE BUILDING, BUT THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOBS A LITTLE BETTER NOW, WE DID REACH OUT TO THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY AND OWNERS OF THIS PROPERTY, THE JEFFERSON APARTMENT GROUP. WE DID NOT RECEIVE A Advertisement Up to 138 packages stolen from Boston apartment building's mailroom Share Copy Link Copy Boston police are investigating after receiving a report that up to 138 packages from various delivery services were stolen from an apartment building. The lead concierge for the building at 75 St. Alphonsus St. in Roxbury met officers at the building after 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to a police report. She said that tenants were informed the day before of an issue with the mail system that would prevent the retrieval of packages, but several residents told her they could reach the packages area through an unlocked door, only to find the space empty.According to the report, the concierge informed her manager and then called the police.Surveillance footage described in the police report shows a man opening the control panel for the mail storage facility and then accessing the room. The report also indicates the building used a package storage system from California-based Luxer One. "In the video footage, that male and two others can be seen entering and retrieving packages," the report states. "Due to this door now being opened, other tenants could be seen taking packages from the storage unit."The suspect who was seen interacting with the iPad is described in the report as being of Indian descent and about 5 feet 7 inches tall. He was wearing a purple T-shirt, gray and black striped shorts and sandals. Additionally, the report describes the other men as being of Indian descent, and both wore glasses. One had a black puffer jacket, blue T-shirt and black shorts with white stripes. The other wore a black T-shirt with black pants. Various delivery services deposited the 138 packages into the storage room on Tuesday, but none were present as of Wednesday morning, the report states. Tenants who have missing packages were advised to follow police reports. NewsCenter 5 reached out to the building ownership and management company for comment but they have not provided a comment on the situation.

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crime

Maine shootings: Families explore lawsuits against agencies

“For my clients, money and compensation is the least of their concerns,” said Travis Brennan, an attorney with the Lewiston-based firm Berman & Simmons. “They want answers; they want accountability. They want to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.” If filed, the claims would be at least the fifth time in recent years that shooting victims have used the courts to hold the federal government accountable for such bloodshed. Families of those killed or injured in the Maine mass shooting are exploring potential litigation against the Army and other agencies for failing to take actions to disarm the assailant, an Army reservist, despite numerous reports he was delusional and fixated on violence. Advertisement Since 2021, the Justice Department has paid $360 million in settlements stemming from three mass shootings, which occurred in 2015, 2017, and 2018 and left a total of 92 people dead or wounded. And at least one other lawsuit is pending, which involves a single victim killed by a former Marine. After each of the shootings, the federal government pledged to improve its systems for protecting the public from potentially dangerous people. Yet despite numerous warnings that he was delusional and fixated on violence, Army reservist Robert R. Card II still had unfettered access to firearms on Oct. 25 when he shot 23 people in two separate locations in Lewiston. Just six weeks before the attacks, a fellow reservist reported, “Card said he has guns and is going to shoot up the drill center at Saco and other places,” referring to an Army facility in Maine. Card was found dead on Oct. 27 with a self-inflicted gunshot. Last week, Brennan’s firm sent 25 notices to local, state, and federal agencies, and the New York hospitals that treated Card, to “preserve all documents and information” relevant to the shootings. Advertisement Separately, the law firm of Gideon Asen, also based in Maine, has teamed up with two attorneys who won landmark victories in mass shooting cases: Jamal Alsaffar of Texas, in a case against the Air Force; and Josh Koskoff of Connecticut, against Remington, the manufacturer of the AR-15-style rifle used in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. The attorneys held a Nov. 6 forum in Lewiston to discuss potential legal avenues for victims. Alsaffar said the Army’s handling of Card echoes the Air Force’s failures before a former airman shot 48 people at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, in 2017. A military court had sentenced the assailant to a year in confinement after he admitted to domestic assaults, then discharged him in 2014. Military investigations also determined he had committed numerous rapes and repeatedly threatened to shoot people — including military brass — court records show. Yet the military never reported the airman to the FBI for inclusion in its National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which is used to screen gun purchasers. As a result, he was able to repeatedly lie about his conviction on paperwork at gun stores to buy high-powered weapons, including those used in the shooting. In 2021, a federal judge found the Air Force “60 percent liable” for the massacre. The Air Force agreed to improve its reporting practices, and the Justice Department eventually settled on $144.5 million in damages. The same year, the Justice Department agreed to pay $88 million to resolve claims the FBI failed to complete a timely background check on a white supremacist when he bought the gun he used to attack congregants at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Carolina, murdering nine parishioners. Advertisement And in 2022, the Justice Department paid $127.5 million to settle lawsuits stemming from the Parkland, Fla., high school shooting, which came after the FBI failed to investigate a tip that the assailant “was going to slip into a school and start shooting the place up.” He shot 34 people, killing 17. In the fourth case, which is still pending and was filed in California federal court last year, the mother of 24-year-old Navy hospital officer Devon Rideout claims the military failed to report Rideout’s killer, a Marine, for inclusion in NICS after a military court committed him to a psychiatric facility and declared him unfit for duty. As a result, he was able to buy the gun that he used to kill her. Records released in the aftermath of the Lewiston attack revealed numerous instances between May 3 and Sept. 16 in which the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Department and the Army handled reports that Card was hearing voices, threatening to shoot people, and heavily armed. In July, after altercations with his fellow reservists at a training facility in New York, Card was involuntarily taken to a psychiatric hospital, where he spent 14 days, military spokespeople said. He was back home in Bowdoin, Maine, by Aug. 3. Advertisement The Army directed that while on military duty “he should not have a weapon, handle ammunition or participate in live-fire activity,” and declared him to be nondeployable, Army spokesperson Bryce Dubee said. But the Army and sheriff’s department took no apparent action to restrict his access to guns as a civilian. Dubee said the Army “is unaware of any actions that meet the requirements” to report Card to the FBI for entry into the NICS database. Instead, in a Sept. 16 phone call, Reserve unit commander Captain Jeremy Reamer advised a Sagadahoc sheriff’s sergeant, Aaron Skolfield, that it was “best to let Card have time to himself for a bit,” according to the sergeant’s report. Card’s family was tasked with coaxing him to give up his guns. The Army has repeatedly declined to provide more details on how it handled Card’s psychiatric issues, citing privacy laws and its own “ongoing investigation.” Asaffar said the Air Force did the same thing after the Sutherland Springs shooting. “We had to haul them into a courtroom over and over again to get them to turn over documents and to tell the truth. They were hiding documents, hiding evidence,” he said. The Lewiston families are also exploring claims against the manufacturer of any gun used in the attacks, information that has not yet been released. In 2022, Koskoff won the first successful case against a gun manufacturer on behalf of shooting victims since Congress enacted the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act in 2005, which granted the gun industry broad immunity from civil litigation. Advertisement In Koskoff’s case, Remington, maker of the AR-15-style rifle used in the Sandy Hook shooting, agreed to pay $73 million to the families of nine of the 26 people killed at the school — and to release troves of internal company documents. The families declined Remington’s earlier settlement offer, declaring, “No documents, no deal.” Earlier this month, Maine Governor Janet Mills announced an independent commission to evaluate if authorities could have done more to prevent the mass shooting, while Maine Senators Susan Collins and Angus King asked the Army inspector general to do the same. But Benjamin Gideon, of the law firm Gideon Asen, said people are growing impatient with the failure of elected representatives to take steps to stem the growing numbers of gun deaths. “The one area that seems like it has actual potential to force change is civil litigation,” he said. Sarah Ryley can be reached at sarah.ryley@globe.com. Follow her @MissRyley.

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crime

Man suffers life-threatening injures in Boston shooting; suspect under arrest

A Quincy man was arrested after police say he tried to light a raccoon on fire, according to a report. Police arrived at the backyard of a home on Royal Street in Quincy on Dec. 30, according to NBC Boston. Police told the outlet that, upon arrival, they saw two people arguing and a raccoon in a cage that appeared to have burn injuries. Police got video of a 63-year-old Quincy man making a fire in a tin can, then placing the cage with the raccoon inside on top of the burning trash can, according to NBC Boston. The man was charged with animal cruelty and was arraigned on Tuesday, while the raccoon was taken to an animal hospital, where it survived, but the severity of the injuries was unknown, NBC Boston said.

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crime

Pedestrian killed in hit-and-run crash in Charlestown, police say

A pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run crash in Boston's Charlestown neighborhood early Monday morning, police said. The incident happened just after 3 a.m. on Alford and Dexter streets, Boston police said. The vehicle fled the scen. The victim was pronounced dead later Monday morning. Police didn't immediately share information on the vehicle that killed the driver or if any arrests had been made. Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters. Traffic in that area was impacted, police said. Drivers were being urged to take alternative routes. Update: Alford Street (outbound)is currently closed at Sullivan Sq. Traffic coming into Charlestown from Everett remains open. https://t.co/WMA4GUUbcF — Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) December 18, 2023 This story is developing and will be updated once more information becomes available.

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crime

French Police Officer Convicted in High-Profile Abuse Case

Man suffers life-threatening injures in Boston shooting; suspect under arrest A suspect is facing charges after a man suffered life-threatening injuries in a shooting Monday in Roxbury.Boston police officers responded just before 4 a.m. to a ShotSpotter activation for six rounds of gunfire in the area of 48 Clifford St.Officers found a man suffering from life-threatening gunshot wounds. The victim was taken to a local hospital. Police said a suspect had been arrested, however, the person's identity was not released.WCVB will have more information when it becomes available. A suspect is facing charges after a man suffered life-threatening injuries in a shooting Monday in Roxbury. Boston police officers responded just before 4 a.m. to a ShotSpotter activation for six rounds of gunfire in the area of 48 Clifford St. Advertisement Officers found a man suffering from life-threatening gunshot wounds. The victim was taken to a local hospital. Police said a suspect had been arrested, however, the person's identity was not released. WCVB will have more information when it becomes available.

2edb2fd4f932f355386e4f47a540592c

crime

Man accused of stabbing mother to death at NH home

A police officer who brutalized a 22-year-old Black man with an expandable baton during an arrest seven years ago was convicted by a French court on Friday of “intentional violence” in one of the country’s highest-profile cases of police abuse. The young man, Théo Luhaka, sustained a four-inch tear to his rectum after the police subdued him during an identity check while he was cutting through a known drug-dealing zone in his housing project in a suburb northeast of Paris. Two other officers who assisted in the arrest were also found guilty at the court in Bobigny, a suburb northeast of Paris, in a decision that was, however, unlikely to fully satisfy either police unions or anti-police brutality activists. The officer who wielded the baton was sentenced to a one-year suspended prison sentence, meaning he will serve time only if he commits a new crime within a given time frame and a court then orders the full sentence to be served. The two other officers were sentenced to three-month suspended sentences. The sentences were less than what prosecutors had requested.

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crime

Guns from South Carolina used in Massachusetts crimes, feds say

A man has been arrested for allegedly stabbing his mother to death at their home in Goffstown, New Hampshire, this week, prosecutors announced Friday. Thomas Humphrey, 47, is facing a charge of second-degree murder in the killing of his mother, 70-year-old Linda Tufts, at their home on Tuesday, according to the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office and state and local police. He's due in court in Manchester on Monday, officials said. It wasn't immediately clear if Humphrey had an attorney who could speak to the charge. Authorities didn't share more information about the killing. They'd previously announced that Tufts' death was considered a homicide. Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters. Linda Tufts' cause of death was multiple stab and incised wounds, and the manner of her death was homicide, officials announced Wednesday. New Hampshire State Police's major crime unit was still at Tufts' Joffre Street home on Wednesday, a day after the alleged stabbing, taking photos and collecting evidence. Goffstown police were initially called to the single-family residence around 2:20 p.m. Tuesday and found Tufts dead, as well as an active fire, officials have previously said. Officers extinguished the fire and conducted a safety check of the home, at which point they found Humphrey also inside. The 47-year-old was alive but injured, officials have said, and he was hospitalized for treatment for apparent self-inflicted knife wounds. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support. An autopsy performed Wednesday determined Tufts died from multiple stab and incised wounds, and her manner of death was homicide, officials said. Both Tufts and Humphrey lived in the Joffre Street home where they were found. Police in Goffstown, New Hampshire, say they found a woman dead inside of a home on Tuesday. They say her death is considered suspicious. Neighbors previously told NBC10 Boston that an older husband and wife live at the home, as well as their adult son who had just moved back in. "She was always joking and laughing. She was 71 years old. She was a sweet lady if you got to know her, talk to her," Chia Guy told NBC10 Boston. "They had their son there for a while, they kicked him out and then they just recently, you know she felt sorry for him so she had him come back in," Guy shared. He added that her husband, who was at work at the time of the killing, is heartbroken. "He's hanging in there as best as he can I just got off the phone with him," Guy said. Michelle Toto, who lives across the street, said the scene was chaotic. "All of a sudden, we saw some police cars come up. Cops running," Toto said. "We could hear them saying, you know, they're trying to get in. They had guns drawn." "This is not the type of street, dead end, we all know each other," she added. "Honestly it's extremely eerie, like goosebumps but like not the goosebumps." She said her husband told her someone else at the home had stab wounds. Get updates on what's happening in Massachusetts to your inbox. Sign up for our News Headlines newsletter. Another neighbor, who didn’t want to be identified, said, "My phone has been blowing up from friends and other neighbors just saying, 'My gosh, are you OK? Is everything OK?' It's nerve wracking. Of course, you don't usually see stuff like this happen on your home street." Toto said she hasn't had any issues with the family that lives at the home that had become the center of a police investigation: "Very nice people. I can't imagine, it's heart-wrenching."

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crime

Boston University police investigating second pair of sexual assaults this week

BOSTON — Boston University police are investigating a second pair of sexual assaults this week that occurred Wednesday night. A student walking down the sidewalk near 168 Bay State Rd. around 10 p.m. reported they were approached by a person on a bicycle who touched the student inappropriately “The suspect rode away and the student was able to call BUPD who searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect,” police said in a campus crime alert. The suspect is described as a white male riding a dark-colored bicycle wearing blue jeans and a dark cap or hooded sweatshirt. An hour later, around 11 p.m., a student reported that they were approached by a person on a bicycle who touched them inappropriately on the Charles River Esplanade near the Silber Footbridge “The suspect rode away and the student was able to call BUPD who searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect” officials added. The suspect is described as a male riding on a black bicycle wearing a black hooded sweatshirt. The student was not able to provide any further details at this time. This is the second pair of sexual assaults reported on BU’s campus this week and police say they are unrelated to the ones reported on October 24th. Police are anyone with information is urged to contact BUPD at (617) 353-2121. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW ©2023 Cox Media Group

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crime

Man who was rescued after falling overboard from tanker has died

Danvers, MA (01923) Today Areas of patchy fog early. A mix of clouds and sun. High near 65F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 51F. Winds light and variable.

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crime

Couple from Mass. dead in Puerto Rico murder-suicide, authorities say

A man killed his partner, then himself, in Puerto Rico early Thursday, days before they were set to return to Massachusetts, in a shooting heard by the woman's daughter, according to authorities and the woman's family. Zuleyka Santiago Fuentes, 36, was shot by her partner, identified as 31-year-old Benny J. Nieves Cabrera, after an argument near a gas station near a resort in Dorado. Investigators said Santiago Fuentes and Nieves had traveled from Massachusetts to Puerto Rico to resolve a legal matter and were supposed to leave the island on Saturday. About 2:40 a.m. Thursday morning, the woman decided to pack up her luggage and leave the apartment where they were staying, according to authorities. Police said Nieves intercepted her in his car, got out of the vehicle and shot her, then shot himself. Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522. The shooting was heard by Santiago Fuentes' daughter, who lives in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood — she was on the phone with her mother after she left the apartment, according to Fuentes' mother, Maria Ortiz, who spoke to Telemundo Puerto Rico. Police have spoken to witnesses to the crime, according to Puerto Rican Police Lt. Coronel Roberto Rivera, auxiliary superintendent of Criminal Investigations. "What they see is the moment in which he approaches her, fires a shot and then walks towards the vehicle and then a shot is fired near the car from which he got out," Rivera said. Police said they were continuing to investigate the case. The couple had only been dating for three months, Ortiz said, but Santiago Fuentes said she was happy. They were in Puerto Rico for an appointment with plans to fly back to Boston Saturday, but when Nieves decided he didn't want to go back, Santiago Fuentes made the decision to leave immediately, according to Ortiz. "The last conversation was, 'I love you, I might talk to you tomorrow.' That was the last one. 'I love you,' 'I love you more,'" Ortiz said. Now, Ortiz says, she wishes she knew what had been going on before it was too late. "It's horrible, horrible. I'm going to live with this all my life," she said.

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crime

Former Milford teacher pleads guilty to child sex abuse video possession

Two men, one from Boston and another from South Carolina, are accused of bringing more than two dozen illegal firearms from the south into Massachusetts, where federal prosecutors say many of the guns were used in crimes. Aizavier Roache, 30, of Boston and Trevon Brunson, 31, of Columbia, S.C., were both arrested and charged earlier this month on one count of firearms trafficking and conspiracy, according to recently unsealed documents and Acting United States Attorney for Massachusetts Joshua Levy.The case began after investigators determined that a gun purchased in South Carolina was recovered from a Boston shooting 15 days later, Levy's office said.Prosecutors said that over three years, Roache would send Brunson photos of the guns he wanted. Roache also allegedly provided the cash used to purchase the weapons.Roache and Brunson would meet in South Carolina to transfer the weapons before Roache brought them home to Massachusetts. “Over the course of several years, these defendants allegedly trafficked dozens of illegal firearms many of which ended up on the streets of our communities – 11 of those guns, it is alleged, were involved in criminal activity and have since been recovered,” Levy said in a statement. “The unchecked flow of weapons amplifies violence, empowers criminals and puts innocent lives at risk. Our office is committed to working with ATF, FBI and local partners like the Boston Police to aggressively investigate the origin of every gun used in crime and hold accountable the people who import illegal guns into Massachusetts.”According to Levy and charging documents, prosecutors have bank, travel and firearm records that detail the alleged conspiracy. Roache was ordered to be detained following a hearing in Boston on Jan. 12, and Brunson made his first court appearance in South Carolina on Jan. 10. Two men, one from Boston and another from South Carolina, are accused of bringing more than two dozen illegal firearms from the south into Massachusetts, where federal prosecutors say many of the guns were used in crimes. Aizavier Roache, 30, of Boston and Trevon Brunson, 31, of Columbia, S.C., were both arrested and charged earlier this month on one count of firearms trafficking and conspiracy, according to recently unsealed documents and Acting United States Attorney for Massachusetts Joshua Levy. Advertisement The case began after investigators determined that a gun purchased in South Carolina was recovered from a Boston shooting 15 days later, Levy's office said. Prosecutors said that over three years, Roache would send Brunson photos of the guns he wanted. Roache also allegedly provided the cash used to purchase the weapons. Roache and Brunson would meet in South Carolina to transfer the weapons before Roache brought them home to Massachusetts. “Over the course of several years, these defendants allegedly trafficked dozens of illegal firearms many of which ended up on the streets of our communities – 11 of those guns, it is alleged, were involved in criminal activity and have since been recovered,” Levy said in a statement. “The unchecked flow of weapons amplifies violence, empowers criminals and puts innocent lives at risk. Our office is committed to working with ATF, FBI and local partners like the Boston Police to aggressively investigate the origin of every gun used in crime and hold accountable the people who import illegal guns into Massachusetts.” According to Levy and charging documents, prosecutors have bank, travel and firearm records that detail the alleged conspiracy. Roache was ordered to be detained following a hearing in Boston on Jan. 12, and Brunson made his first court appearance in South Carolina on Jan. 10.

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crime

Police say they're looking for a crew that attacked several people at random on Mission Hill

Boston Police report they are seeking help to find for four men they say "attacked several people at random in the Mission Hill Area and robbed another victim, taking his cellphone" on Dec. 1. Police did not specify where on Mission Hill, but surveillance photos of the four were taken on the plaza in front of the Stop & Shop at Brigham Circle. Police described the suspects: Suspect 1: Light skinned Male, wearing a blue/maroon Nike hooded jacket, white hoodie underneath, light colored pants with dark “S” on right leg red “M” on left, and white sneakers Suspect 2: Short light skinned male, with dark curly hair, wearing a dark hoodie, and light jeans Suspect 3: Light skinned male, wearing a gray hoodie, black pants with rips, and white sneakers with black on outer Suspect 4: Black male, wearing a black hooded puffer coat, navy hoodie, navy sweatpants, and white/gray New Balances Anyone with information can contact detectives at 617-343-4275 or the anonymous tip line by calling 800-494-TIPS or by texting TIP to CRIME (27463).

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crime

Boston man arrested in connection with Worcester Caribbean Festival shooting

A second man was arrested in connection with a shooting in August at the end of the Worcester Caribbean Festival, which sent two people to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Worcester police announced Tuesday. In a statement on Facebook, Worcester police said Chequan Griswold, 24, of Boston, was arrested on Dec. 29 in Boston and charged with armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (firearm), assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (firearm), carrying a firearm without an FID/LTC, carrying a loaded firearm without an LTC, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and discharging a firearm in with 500 feet of a dwelling. Read more: Worcester Caribbean American Carnival joyful celebration of culture prior to nearby shooting The shooting happened on Aug. 27 near Institute Park, where the sound of gunshots ended the festival an hour early. Police previously said they believed the shooting stemmed from a dispute on Boynton Street near the intersection of Salisbury Street outside of Institute Park, but that the two victims were bystanders and not involved in the dispute. The victims, a 15-year-old and a 23-year-old, were shot in close proximity to the event and taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A few weeks later, Worcester police announced the arrest of Omar Molina on Sept. 13. He was charged with armed assault with intent to murder, carrying a loaded firearm without an LTC (second or subsequent offense), and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling. Prosecutors during his arrangement said Molina fired a gun four times in response to a shot fired at him. Molina pled not guilty. “We were so excited to see everyone out there, everyone celebrating with us,” Worcester Caribbean American Carnival Association President Jennifer Gaskin told MassLive in August. “And we just wish that it could have concluded on a better note, but we will continue to work with the city and our community to address what occurred and hopefully put measures in place to better support the community to prevent future acts of violence.”

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crime

Logan Clegg, accused of murder

A former second-grade teacher from Milford appeared in federal court in Worcester on Monday, where he pleaded guilty to possessing child sex abuse videos, acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy’s office said. Vincent Kiejzo, 36, pleaded guilty today to one count of possession of child pornography, Levy’s office said in a statement. Read more: Sutton magician Scott Jameson pleads guilty to child porn charges A search of Kiejzo’s home in September 2020 resulted in the findings of a USB drive connected to Kiejzo’s bedroom television, Levy’s office said. The USB drive contained links to websites with videos depicting children being sexually exploited, along with over 6,000 images of child sex abuse, including pictures involving infants. The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Kiejzo was arrested and charged that same month before he was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy Hillman scheduled Kiejzo’s sentencing for April 4, 2024.

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crime

Boston man charged with assault in connection with hurting woman in front of children

The 11-page law enforcement affidavit was filed Thursday in a Vermont court by New Hampshire authorities to establish the 26-year-old Clegg was a fugitive who should be returned to face two counts of second-degree murder in the Granite State. Clegg is now expected to appear in a New Hampshire courtroom next week, officials said Friday. After months of questions surrounding the slayings of Concord, N.H., couple Stephen and Djeswende Reid, who were shot as they walked on a quiet trail near their home , court documents reveal startling new information about Logan L. Clegg, the man now charged in their deaths . Advertisement What follows are a host of details gleaned from the affidavit, all of which provide new insight into the killings, the suspect, and how authorities allegedly linked him to the crimes. — Stephen and Djeswende Reid, a married couple in their 60s, were fatally shot on April 18 between 2:54 and 2:59 p.m. on the Marsh Loop Trail, not far from their apartment in the Alton Woods complex in Concord, N.H., according to the affidavit. During that five-minute window, the Reids’ bodies were apparently moved off the trail into a wooded area. Get N.H. Morning Report A weekday newsletter delivering the N.H. news you need to know right to your inbox. Enter Email Sign Up — The Reids were reported missing on April 20. Police searched their apartment and the wooded area behind the property, where they encountered Clegg, a native of Washington state, according to the document. He allegedly identified himself as “Arthur Kelly” and was “in possession of” several cans of Mountain Dew Code Red soda. Police labeled him “Mountain Dew Man” or “MDM.” — On April 15, three days before the shootings, a local resident brought a Concord police officer to a tent site less than a third of a mile from where the Reids were later shot, according to the document. The officer “observed a single tent padlocked with no one around,” the affidavit said. The officer “could not see inside the tent and recalled that the site was well-kept” with a pair of boots placed “neatly” by the entrance. Advertisement — On April 22, police went to the tent site and found it had been set afire. In court papers, investigators referred to this location as the “Burnt Tent Site.” There, police recovered 155 small propane tanks, 47 cans of Mountain Dew and Coca-Cola, several pieces of silverware and small knife blades, as well as remnants of “food packing, cans, glass jars, mugs, and apparent glass.” They also found 10 foreign coins, according to the document. — That same day, on April 22, an unidentified witness provided new information. A woman told police she’d been hiking on the Marsh Loop Trail with her dogs on April 18 when she was passed by a couple she believed to be the Reids, who she said were moving “at a faster pace than her.” Five to 10 minutes later, the woman heard five gunshots that came from “a handgun as opposed to a rifle,” according to the affidavit. She was reluctant to keep hiking but told investigators she “ultimately continued down the trail.” Minutes later, she allegedly encountered a young man on the trail looking in the direction where the Reids were later found. The man walked by her without saying anything, and after she passed him, she turned to look back “and found that he was looking at her,” according to the affidavit. She said she kept walking and never saw the man again. Advertisement — In May, authorities released a sketch of a person of interest and were told about a man seen multiple times between November 2021 and April 2022, often carrying plastic grocery bags or Amazon packages into the woods. “He was described as clean shaven, neat in appearance, but unfriendly to others. No one reported seeing the male after news of the homicides,” police wrote. — In July, a detective reviewing surveillance footage from a Shaw’s supermarket in Concord noticed a man leaving the store on April 18, about a half an hour before the murders. In the footage, the man wore clothing and carried a shopping bag that largely matched the description given by the woman, according to the affidavit. Surveillance footage allegedly showed the man crossing Loudon Road and then accessing a trail “believed to have been used by the Reids” to get from their apartment to the Marsh Loop Trail. — Clegg was an international traveler, according to investigators. He flew to Paris from Denver on Oct. 23, 2019, and returned to the US via Las Vegas on Nov. 3, 2019. Last year, he flew from Chicago’s O’Hare airport to Lisbon, Portugal, on June 21, returning on Nov. 7, 2021, at Boston’s Logan International Airport. “Clegg reportedly flew from Munich, Germany, to Reykjavik, Iceland, to Boston, Massachusetts,” police wrote. He was scheduled to fly one-way to Berlin, Germany, on Oct. 14, but he was arrested in South Burlington, Vt., on Oct. 12, according to the affidavit. Advertisement — On Nov. 10, 2021, three days later after landing in Boston in 2021, Clegg started working at the McDonald’s on Loudon Road in Concord, N.H., according to the affidavit. The manager “described Clegg as quiet with no friends, and stated that she came to consider that he was homeless as he appeared to be living out of his backpack.” — Though Clegg had been living in the woods, he was arrested not at a campsite but at the South Burlington Public Library in Vermont on Oct. 12. The affidavit doesn’t specify what he was doing at the library, but it does note repeatedly that his primary mode of contact was e-mail, not cellphone. “At the time of his arrest, Clegg was in possession of a laptop and a black backpack,’’ police wrote. The day of his arrest, Clegg waived his Miranda rights and spoke with investigators. He “denied staying near the Alton Woods apartment complex/Broken Ground Trail system, staying in a tent, shopping at Walmart more than ‘a couple of times,’ using the alias Arthur Kelly, having any interaction with Concord PD officers, ever using or possessing firearms while in Concord, or being involved in the murders of Stephen and Wendy Reid,” police wrote. — According to the affidavit, Clegg had $7,150 in cash, two Vanilla gift cards, and his US passport in the backpack. In a letter-sized envelope addressed to the Arthur Kelly alias, police also found an “’apparent Romanian passport card bearing the name ‘Claude Zemo’ with a photo of Clegg.’’ Advertisement — On Oct. 13, the day after Clegg’s arrest, police located his most recent campsite in Vermont by using data from his seized cellphone. He had set up camp off Patchen Road on wooded grounds of the University of Vermont in South Burlington. “The site had an Ozark Trail tent, a camouflage tarp, and several Mountain Dew Bottles. The tent is the same model purchased by Clegg at the Concord Walmart on April 19, 2022, the morning after the Reids’ homicides,” police wrote. — The alleged murder weapon was discovered in Clegg’s black backpack when police searched it Oct. 13. A holstered Glock 17 pistol loaded with one Sig Luger 9mm bullet in the chamber was allegedly found, according to the affidavit. Ballistic testing in New Hampshire showed a connection between shell casings recovered from the crime scene and the Burnt Tent Site, police allege. “The lab concluded that Clegg’s Glock 17 was the source of the spent shell casings recovered at both the crime scene and at the Burnt Tent Site,” police wrote. — Clegg apparently was an Internet consumer even as he was living in a tent in the woods. On March 26, Iowa-based Brownells allegedly shipped two 17-round clips for a Glock 17 to Clegg at a general delivery address in Concord. Two ammo clips of the same type were found in the tent in Vermont. — Clegg practiced firing a handgun in New Hampshire during spring 2022 in Concord. Police found spent shell casings from 9mm Sig Luger bullets at the “Burnt Tent Site” and bullet fragments in trees. — Clegg used cash and the “Arthur Kelly” alias on Feb. 12, 2022, to buy a Glock 17 and three boxes of Sig Luger 9mm ammunition, according to the documents. “A Vermont driver’s license was provided for the transaction, but the number was found to be ‘not on file’ indicating that it was likely a fraudulent identification card,’’ police wrote. Read the full affidavit: John R. Ellement can be reached at john.ellement@globe.com. Follow him @JREbosglobe. Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com.

a66b245d9979ed2d4efb6dfbe5c4f2ff

crime

Conn. pair arrested with drugs, guns after high-speed chase on I-91 in Deerfield

A Boston man was met with several assault charges after he attacked and injured a woman in her apartment in front of her children on Monday, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office announced Tuesday. Erick Arevalo, 23, was charged with armed assault with attempt to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (knife), assault and battery and assault and battery on a family or household member, Hayden’s office said in a statement. At around 12:21 a.m., Boston police received a domestic violence call at an apartment on Princeton Street, Hayden’s office said. Officers found a woman with multiple lacerations to her head, neck and one of her hands. She gave officers a description of her attacker, who left the apartment in her car, Hayden’s office added. Officers found that the attacker, Arevalo, struck a stone wall and three parked cars, left the vehicle and punched another person who yelled at him for striking the driveway. Police called Arevalo on his cell phone and arrested him in Brighton at around 1:40 a.m. “This was a brutal assault, made even worse by the fact that it occurred while the victim’s children were present in the apartment. The quick work by investigators with help from those with knowledge of what happened helped make for a quick arrest,” Hayden said in the statement. Judge Shelley Joseph ordered he be held on $5,000 bail. He is due to return in court on Feb. 12 for a probable cause hearing.

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crime

Police: 2 arrested, following narcotics drug bust on Pine Street in Holyoke

DEERFIELD — Two Connecticut men were ordered held on $10,000 bail after they were arrested on a variety of charges following a high-speed chase on Interstate 91 on Thursday. Massachusetts State Police troopers from the Shelburne barracks attempted to stop the Acura sedan they were traveling in, after police determined it had been reported stolen in the Bronx, New York, several weeks ago.

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crime

Boston Police seek publics help in identifying suspect in series of credit card fraud incidents

BOSTON — Boston Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying a suspect in connection with a series of credit card fraud incidents that occurred downtown. Police said the suspect may be linked to three separate incidents where false credit cards were used to withdraw money from ATM machines. Anyone with information is strongly urged to contact Boston Police detectives at 617-343-6150. Community members wishing to assist investigators anonymously can do so by calling the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1-800-494-TIPS or by texting the word ‘TIP’ to CRIME (27463). Boston Police say the department will protect the identity of anyone who wishes to help investigators anonymously. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW ©2023 Cox Media Group

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crime

Police investigate multiple overnight Christmas stabbings in Boston

A multi-agency operation has lead to the arrests of two people after a month-long narcotics investigation.

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crime

Father killed wife, daughter in murder-suicide in Dover mansion, DA says

Boston EMS says one person was taken to the hospital after a reported stabbing on Court Street early Christmas morning. The incident happened just down the street from Boston City Hall and the Government Center MBTA station.Police officers responded to the area just after 2 a.m. for a report of a stabbing. The victim was treated and transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Police also responded to the area of Tremont and Stuart Streets, where investigators say one man was stabbed multiple times and another man suffered a facial injury. Both of their injuries are non life threatening, according to police. There was no word if the two crime scenes are related. Boston EMS says one person was taken to the hospital after a reported stabbing on Court Street early Christmas morning. The incident happened just down the street from Boston City Hall and the Government Center MBTA station. Advertisement Police officers responded to the area just after 2 a.m. for a report of a stabbing. The victim was treated and transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Police also responded to the area of Tremont and Stuart Streets, where investigators say one man was stabbed multiple times and another man suffered a facial injury. Both of their injuries are non life threatening, according to police. There was no word if the two crime scenes are related.

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crime

Charles Stuart shooting: 5 top findings about the murder case

Investigators believe a Dover father shot and killed his wife and daughter in their home late last month, according to the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Initial autopsy results confirm that 54-year-old Teena Kamal and her daughter, 18-year-old Arianna Kamal, died of gunshot wounds, and that their manner of death was homicide, the district attorney’s office said in a press release Tuesday. The autopsy found that the Kamals’ husband and father, 57-year-old Rakesh Kamal, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Rakesh Kamal was found with a gun that was not registered to him, the district attorney’s office said. Authorities are still determining where he got the gun. Dover police found the family dead in their home at 8 Wilson’s Way on Dec. 28 after a concerned relative called police, authorities said previously. It is unclear when they were killed. Arianna Kamal was a first-year student at Middlebury College in Vermont, according to school officials, and is remembered as “a brilliant student and an amazing singer.” The American Red Cross previously confirmed that Teena Kamal served on the regional Board of Directors. Rakesh Kamal worked as the managing director and chief technology officer for Harvard Business School Online from 2015 to 2019, Harvard Business School confirmed previously. Officials have not released any further information about the murder-suicide, including what led to the killings, but public documents indicate that the family was having financial difficulties. According to federal court documents, Teena Kamal filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in September 2022. Additionally, property records indicate that the family missed mortgage payments for the Wilson’s Way property, which included five acres of land and an 11-bedroom mansion. The property, which the Kamals bought in 2019 for $4 million, went into foreclosure in late 2022 and was sold at auction for $3 million to their mortgage lender, Massachusetts-based Wilsondale Associates.

a62910beec4905044c3d983303db8273

crime

$3,000 stolen in armed robbery in Boston's South End

Boston police are investigating an armed robbery at a business in the city's South End neighborhood.Police said a person walked into Richdale Food Shops on Dartmouth Street near Columbus Avenue at 10 p.m. Thursday and showed a gun.Surveillance video shows the person entering the market and waiting for a customer to pay at the counter. The clerk said the person paid for a drink and then pulled out a gun and demanded money.The person stole about $3,000 from the register and fled the area.No injuries were reported in the incident.Police are searching for a suspect. Boston police are investigating an armed robbery at a business in the city's South End neighborhood. Police said a person walked into Richdale Food Shops on Dartmouth Street near Columbus Avenue at 10 p.m. Thursday and showed a gun. Advertisement Surveillance video shows the person entering the market and waiting for a customer to pay at the counter. The clerk said the person paid for a drink and then pulled out a gun and demanded money. The person stole about $3,000 from the register and fled the area. No injuries were reported in the incident. Police are searching for a suspect.

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crime

Oct. 7 Assaults, Including Sexual Violence, Could Be Crimes Against Humanity, 2 U.N. Experts Say

A team of Globe journalists recently reexamined the case, poring through thousands of pages of police reports and grand jury testimony, and interviewing hundreds of people. Reporters uncovered new truths about the botched police investigation, sought out the stories of many of those most affected, and took a deep look at the impact of the case and its legacy on Boston. The Charles Stuart case is one of the most seismic crimes in modern Boston history. The shooting death of Carol Stuart — and the chaos that ensued — forever changed how the city sees itself. Yet for decades, many have gotten key parts of the story wrong. Advertisement Here are some of the top findings from the “Nightmare in Mission Hill” series and podcast “Murder in Boston”: Early on, police ignored multiple tips that Chuck was the killer To some, Stuart’s claim that he and his wife had been shot by a Black man immediately seemed suspicious. The first detectives on the case — Robert Ahearn and Robert Tinlin — found several holes in his initial story, from the path he took leaving the hospital to the description of the area where they were shot. It reminded them of a case they’d worked before, where a man had shot himself to deflect suspicion after robbing and killing a man in Boston’s red-light district. But police brass sidelined Ahearn and Tinlin as pressure to find the shooter grew. Ahearn received a tip weeks later that Chuck had asked a friend for help in murdering his wife, but dropped the lead after the friend denied the allegations in a phone call. A State Police trooper working dispatch on the night of the shooting also got the same tip within days of Carol’s death. But that trooper — Dan Grabowski — appears to have done nothing with the information. Advertisement Murder in Boston: How the Charles Stuart investigation was born Share Pulitzer prize-winning investigative reporter Brendan McCarthy and a team of Boston Globe reporters spent years reexamining the 'Nightmare on Mission Hill.’ At least 33 people knew the truth behind Carol’s death, long before the police Stuart’s brother Matthew confessed to being an accomplice, helping get rid of the murder weapon and some of Carol’s belongings. Matthew maintained throughout his life that he was unaware — until after the shooting — that Chuck had planned to kill Carol. Within hours of Carol’s death, Matthew began telling people in his orbit that Chuck was the murderer. Matthew’s friend John McMahon, who helped him get rid of the gun, also told several people in the following days. The Globe ultimately found at least 33 people knew Chuck was responsible for Carol’s death before Matthew went to the authorities. Eleven of them knew the truth by the day of Carol’s funeral — two months before Chuck picked Willie Bennett out of a police lineup. The case against Willie Bennett was flawed from the start The police case against Willie Bennett largely centered on the testimony of two teenagers — Erick Whitney and Dereck Jackson — who reportedly heard that Willie was the shooter. Though the teenagers’ stories shifted multiple times and they attempted to recant just a day after making their statements, prosecutors used it as a basis for building the case against Willie. Some of those prosecutors and detectives continued to believe for years Willie Bennett was involved in Carol’s death, despite evidence to the contrary. Matthew Stuart may have played a larger role in the shooting Though Matthew Stuart denied seeing Carol in Chuck’s car, there’s evidence that he or someone else may have played a larger role in the crime. Three witnesses said they saw a third person in or near the Stuarts’ car that night, around the time of the shooting. Advertisement The chief doctor who treated Chuck — and had seen hundreds of gunshot wounds in Vietnam — was also adamant that he could not have shot himself. The Globe spoke to two other doctors involved in Chuck’s care at the time who agreed it was implausible his gunshot wound was self-inflicted. Lewis Gordon, an independent forensic consultant interviewed by the Globe, reviewed material collected by Globe reporters and determined that he couldn’t settle on an definite conclusion. “We just don’t have enough information to reach a conclusion one one way or the other.” The crime and its aftermath shaped a generation of people in Mission Hill The Stuart case may now be a part of the city’s lore, but it’s also stayed with many people. Walk around Mission Hill now and you’ll hear from people who still vividly remember the months after the shooting in 1989: when countless Black and brown boys and men were stopped by police, or questioned multiple times as detectives searched for the shooter. Tito Jackson, a former city councilor and mayoral candidate, recalled being forced to strip outside the Tobin Community Center as a teenager and being humiliated in front of a crush. Because of his interaction with police, DonJuan Moses, who was an 11-year-old boy during the Stuart case, keeps a dashboard camera in his car today in case he’s ever stopped. Advertisement “Cops just ran through the projects and just ripped it apart,” Moses said. “That stopped everything.” Willie Bennett’s sister, Veda, said she still dreams of the Stuart case decades later. “If I go to sleep, I might hear a knock again,” she told the Globe. “For people to say it’s over with... it’s never going to be over. They can say that because it didn’t happen to them. This is where it started, so I’m never going to forget.” Read the entire Globe series “Nightmare in Mission Hill,” or listen to “Murder in Boston,” the podcast. Elizabeth Koh can be reached at elizabeth.koh@globe.com. Follow her @elizabethrkoh.

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crime

Woman accused of posing as Boston student used identity of child in state custody as alias, prosecutors say

What would suicide by bat look like? Only a comedian would think long and hard on the subject. In “From Bleak to Dark” (Max), Marc Maron imagines it as pitiful, anguished and riotously comic. This act-out, coming at the end of a special haunted by death, operates like the scene in Hunter S. Thompson’s book on the Hells Angels in which Thompson, after spending months hanging out with the biker gang, describes getting beat up by them. It’s a perverse catharsis. Best Online Roaster The arch-elitist Dan Rosen has created his own critical beat on Instagram, doing stylish and ruthless insult comedy on tasteless interior design, hack décor and shallow architecture. Projecting his face over photos of celebrity homes, he displays an acute eye for overdone trends (anyone with a green kitchen should be ashamed) and a knack for the perfect put-down (“the granny couch”). He compares Chris Brown’s floors to a bowling ball, then says: “I would say it’s the worst crime he ever committed” before a pause. Best Canadian Newcomer “I moved to America this year,” Sophie Buddle said at the start of her “Tonight Show” set in April. “I wanted to see it before it ends.” Then she sucked in her bottom lip and giggled. This chirpy, comic maintains a steady nervous chuckle while joking about masturbation and annoying Los Angeles types. But she knows what she’s doing, finding fresh spins on familiar subjects. She is part of a long line of cheerfully raunchy young comics, and her sneaky jokes are full of sharp elbows. When talking about the United States, there’s pity in her voice that feels like revenge for so many years of American comic condescension toward our northern neighbor. Best Take on Crowd Work In a short Netflix set commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Improv club, Deon Cole lays into how comics repeatedly ask audiences to do things like “give it up for the ladies.” Looking besieged, he says, “Got me wasting my claps.” Best Response to a Beeping Cellphone Upon hearing that familiar sound during his recent hour, Joe Pera responded in a deadpan, “You just ruined my life,” then kept it moving. Best Impression That the John Mulaney special “Baby J” (on Netflix) manages to live up to expectations is a feat, considering he addresses his much-publicized stint in rehab and, less so, his equally talked-about divorce. His re-creation of his star-studded intervention shows off a multitude of niche accents. And yet, he gets the biggest laughs going broad and traditional with his Al Pacino take. One distinctive voice nails another.

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crime

Suspicious death near NH high school ruled homicide, victim IDed

Violence that included sexual atrocities committed during the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7 in Israel amounts to war crimes and may also be crimes against humanity, two United Nations human rights experts said on Monday, following months of frustrated accusations from Israel and women’s groups that the U.N. was ignoring the rape and sexual mutilation of women during the Oct. 7 invasion. Alice Jill Edwards, a special rapporteur on torture, and Morris Tidball-Binz, a special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, said the growing evidence of sexual violence in the day’s wide range of “brutal attacks” was “particularly harrowing,” noting allegations of sexual assault, gang rape, mutilation and gunshots to the genital areas. In a statement, they called for “full accountability for the multitude of alleged crimes,” and urged all parties to agree to a cease-fire, abide by international law, and investigate any crimes alleged to have occurred during the fighting. “These acts constitute gross violations of international law, amounting to war crimes which, given the number of victims and the extensive premeditation and planning of the attacks, may also qualify as crimes against humanity,” they said. “There are no circumstances that justify their perpetration.” Israeli officials say about 1,200 people were killed and more than 240 taken hostage on Oct. 7. Investigators with Israel’s top national police unit, Lahav 433, have been gathering evidence of cases of sexual violence but have not specified a number. Hamas has denied the accusations of sexual violence. Reacting to the experts’ statement on Monday, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said on social media: “Harrowing. Hamas’ horrific acts of sexual violence must be immediately and unequivocally condemned.” Accounts of sexual violence on Oct. 7 were shared in a presentation at U.N. headquarters in New York in early December. “Silence is complicity,” said Sheryl Sandberg, the former Meta executive, who helped organize the presentation. Hundreds of protesters outside accused the United Nations of holding a double standard on sexual violence, which the U.N. has acknowledged in many other conflicts. Some chanted: “Me too, unless you’re a Jew.” The New York Times published a two-month investigation in late December, finding that the attacks against women were part of a pattern of gender-based violence on Oct. 7. The Times identified at least seven locations where Israeli women and girls appeared to have been sexually assaulted or mutilated. Reporters interviewed witnesses who described seeing women raped and killed along a highway, reviewed photographs that showed a woman’s corpse with dozens of nails driven into her thighs and groin, and spoke with volunteer medics and Israeli soldiers who came across at least 24 bodies of women and girls in at least six houses, some mutilated, some tied up, and many naked and alone.

77d42c031ddcee12a094a374e9b1b394

crime

Body found in Lawrence apartment apparent homicide, officials say

Authorities have identified the man found dead near a high school in Manchester, New Hampshire on Thursday afternoon and said he was killed. The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office had previously said only that it was investigating the death in the vicinity of Central High School and that it was considered suspicious. The investigation prompted a stay-in-place order at the school Thursday. But on Friday, prosecutors and Manchester police announced that the man was 46-year-old Te-Jay Thomas and he died by homicide, from blunt-force trauma to his head and neck. There is not believed to be a threat to the public, and all parties who investigators suspect were involved have been identified, prosecutors said, though no arrests were announced as of Friday. Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters. The investigation was still continuing on Friday afternoon. The incident on Lowell Street near Beach Street was reported to police around 12:30 p.m. as an assault. Police said Thursday that it was not related to the school and didn't involve either students or guns.

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crime

Update to Four Infants found in Freezer on East Broadway Last Year

A person whose body was found in a basement apartment in Lawrence Tuesday appears to have been killed, according to authorities. Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker and Lawrence Acting Chief of Police William Castro announced in a press release Tuesday evening they are investigating an apparent homicide but assure people there is no “ongoing threat to the public.” Lawrence Police were called to a basement apartment at 243 Salem St. for a well-being check at about 7:48 a.m. Dec. 26. Officers found an unresponsive person who was pronounced dead at the scene, the press release said. Officials did not name the person or indicate the gender, although NBC10 Boston has reported sources told the media outlet the body was that of a woman. Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the District Attorney’s Office and the Lawrence Police Department are investigating the death as “an apparent homicide.” Officials did not anticipate releasing any other information Tuesday night.

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crime

Police investigating after Nativity scene vandalized at Boston Common - Boston News, Weather, Sports

Police in Boston say they are investigating after a Nativity scene on the Boston Common was vandalized early Thursday morning. The Boston Police Department said it was just before 8 a.m. when they first received a call stating the Nativity scene off of Tremont Street had been vandalized with spray paint. “At 7:57 AM Officers from District A-1 responded to 139 Tremont St in Downtown for a report of vandalism,” the department stated. “Upon arrival it was discovered that someone had vandalized the base of the nativity scene with graffiti, the incident is currently under investigation and no further information is available at this time.” An image shared with 7NEWS showed the Nativity scene intact, with “JESUS WAS PALESTINIAN” spray-painted in white on a wooden board at the scene’s base. By 9:30 a.m., the words had been painted over. No additional details have been released. (Copyright (c) 2023 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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crime

Its criminal behavior: Hundreds involved in a series of violent incidents across Boston

Only six hours later, at around 11, a similar scene played out downtown at the AMC Boston Common 19, as moviegoers spilled out onto the sidewalks after the theater was evacuated because of fighting. Police estimated 150 youths crowded the streets and nearby sidewalks, including, one officer wrote, “the same group of teenagers that just caused chaos at the South Bay mall.” One person stomped on top of a car, and others fought with officers, who at one point used pepper spray, according to a police report. The South Bay shopping center was in a state of chaos. Just after 5 p.m. Sunday night, a crowd nearing 400 young people devolved into multiple violent melees outside the AMC movie theater, Target, and Starbucks, forcing those stores to close early and swarms of police officers to respond from across the city. Several officers said they were assaulted. Advertisement Between the two incidents, police arrested 13 teenagers on charges including assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct, and disturbing the peace in what police called an overwhelming burst of disorder. “This behavior is not kid behavior — it’s criminal behavior,” police Commissioner Michael Cox said during a Monday press conference. City leaders say the explosion of violence involving young people over the weekend underscores a critical need for more specific services and oversight targeting teenagers, such as more places for them to gather and greater efforts to enlist the help of parents and guardians to try to stem the disorder. In addition to the two large melees, eight people were shot at a neighborhood gathering at the city’s Caribbean festival, and a crowd of out-of-town youth disrupted the St. Anthony’s feast in the North End. Cox did not know whether police officially verified whether a group involved at the Boston Common was also involved at South Bay. But he called the youth violence in general “a disturbing trend to see continue.” Advertisement The brawl at South Bay was the latest incident of violence there in recent months in what police have called a shopping center “plagued with countless incidents of violence, property destruction, and other crimes at the hands of this ever-growing group of juveniles.” Downtown Crossing has experienced similar mayhem involving random attacks or violence against police officers. The incidents over the weekend, however, were unusually large in scope and featured numerous group attacks on officers, including one who was beaten while he was lying on the ground, according to police. “These actions should be seen as a wakeup call to the city and the state,” said Michael Kozu, executive director of Project R.I.G.H.T. in Grove Hall. “Everybody has to step up — they don’t have a choice.” Kozu, whose organization offers youth programming and outreach, said the young people involved “feel that they’re anonymous” and that they won’t face consequences. He said school personnel, law enforcement, and social service organizations need to coordinate to identify them and talk to them and their guardians. “We need to send a message that one, that these actions are unacceptable. Two, that we want to work with you and channel your energies in a more productive direction,” Kozu said, “And three, that continued pursuit of these actions will have consequences. It can work.” Emmett Folgert, a longtime youth outreach worker in Boston, said there needs to be a “public education campaign” aimed at parents, guardians, and other adults like coaches who hold influence over young people. Advertisement “Show the families the video and audio of what their kids are doing and saying,” he said. “They won’t like it, and I think they’ll do something about it.” The weekend’s most shocking incident occurred around 7:45 a.m., Saturday, when a blaze of gunfire on Talbot Avenue disrupted the annual J’ouvert celebration that’s part of the festival, injuring eight, one severely. Four people were ultimately arrested on weapons charges, but no one has been charged with the shooting. At the North End festival, police arrested six people Sunday night, Cox said, after “people not from the city” disrupted it with underage drinking and scuffled with officers. The South Bay incident began at 5 p.m., when, police said, officers responded to a call of a “disturbance”. Arriving officers needed backup from multiple other precincts and State Police to control the crowd. “As officers attempted to apprehend suspects, they were met with resistance by other juveniles, who began to assault officers,” the Boston Police Department wrote in a press release. Police arrested eight people, five boys and three girls, between 12 and 17 years old after the fracas. Police released them to guardians, as is typical for minors, though they plan to file charges in the juvenile justice system, according to the police report. The South Bay movie theater was one of two cinemas in Boston listed as taking part in “National Movie Night,” which featured $4 tickets. Advertisement The other theater was the Boston Common cinema, where police responded at around 11 that night to reports of a large fight outside. Police said a large group blocked “both vehicle and pedestrian traffic on streets in the surrounding area.” “Officers observed one juvenile jump on top of a car and began to stomp on the roof of the vehicle,” police wrote, saying officers tried to break up “multiple fights.” In one incident downtown, two people reported they were assaulted and robbed by “one of the groups” outside the Godfrey Hotel on Washington Street. A woman said she was “grabbed by her hair from behind and pulled to the ground and then surrounded and punched and kicked repeatedly while on the ground,” a police report said. The woman said her phone, credit card, and wallet were stolen, while her male companion was also attacked and robbed of about $20. Both victims declined medical attention, police said. AMC didn’t respond to a request for comment. Police reported officers were assaulted at both locations, including officers who were punched — one was reportedly placed in a chokehold. Cox said all the officers are at home recovering. He thanked his officers for their “restraint” and “professional behavior.” One 13-year-old boy and two aged 14, as well as two girls, ages 14 and 16, were arrested in the incident at the Common, police said. They were released after they were processed and were referred to the juvenile justice system, and in at least one instance police filed a complaint with state social service workers for neglect. Advertisement Cox made “a plea to parents” to talk to their children about the incidents. “Make sure you know where your kids are,” Cox said. “We are not babysitters.” City Councilor Frank Baker, whose district includes South Bay, said young people need “physical places to go” in the evenings for sports and arts, like the youth center he advocated for last year in Columbia Point. “I had the Little House when I was growing up, which saved me,” the councilor from Dorchester said, referring to a now-defunct program on East Cottage Street about a half mile south of South Bay. The mall is owned by the management company Edens, which did not respond to requests for comment on Monday. Baker said Edens has been working with officials. Isaac Yablo, Mayor Michelle Wu’s senior adviser for public safety, said the city and its partners have to get creative in offering evening programing that’s more appealing to teens. He said pop-ups with food, for example, could pull in kids who otherwise don’t want anything to do with the generally straight-laced city programming. “They need to be able to eat, kick it, get their energy out,” said Yablo. “We need to be innovative.” Sean Cotter can be reached at sean.cotter@globe.com.Follow him @cotterreporter. Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com.

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crime

Teacher resigns after allegations of inappropriate contact at Mass. Catholic school

Schools Teacher resigns after allegations of inappropriate contact at Mass. Catholic school This isn’t the first time an Arlington Catholic High School staff member has been accused of inappropriate conduct. Arlington Catholic High School. Pat Greenhouse/Boston Globe Staff, File A teacher at Arlington Catholic High School has resigned amid allegations of “inappropriate contact” toward students, according to school officials. Writing to families and staff Tuesday, school administrators said the allegations came to light last week, according to a copy of the letter obtained by WCVB. “On Thursday, December 14, allegations were brought forward before school regarding inappropriate contact from a member of the teaching staff towards students,” the letter read. “The students had reported the activity to a teacher/teachers after school the previous day, and, as mandated reporters, they notified the administration.” The school alerted Arlington police and the legal department at the Archdiocese of Boston, according to the letter. School leaders also launched an internal investigation, which remains ongoing. Advertisement: The teacher was placed on administrative leave Thursday morning and escorted from the building, and they submitted their resignation later that day, school officials said. “Our priority is to ensure a safe learning environment for the entire ACHS/SAS community,” the letter read. “We are proud of our faculty members who promptly and without hesitation brought this incident to the Administration. All members of our community take seriously their role to protect our students and the school community as a whole.” A spokesperson for the Arlington Police Department said the law enforcement agency is aware of the allegations. “The investigation is active and ongoing at this time and as such no further information is available,” the police spokesperson said. This isn’t the first time an Arlington Catholic High School staff member has been accused of inappropriate conduct; in February, The Boston Globe reported that the school fired a part-time employee following an “inappropriate interaction” with a student in the hallway. In May, three people who said they were sexually abused by a former Arlington Catholic High School administrator filed a lawsuit against the leader of the Archdiocese of Boston and two bishops. That lawsuit is still pending.

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crime

Man robbed while trying to solicit sex at Boston hotel, DA says

Man robbed at knifepoint while trying to solicit sex at Hilton hotel in Boston, DA says Massachusetts authorities say a man who was lured to a downtown Boston hotel for a sexual encounter was robbed at knifepoint by a woman.The Suffolk District Attorney's Office said the incident happened Wednesday at the Hilton Boston Back Bay at 40 Dalton St.Boston police officers met with a man at the hotel who said he had been informed about a sex-for-fee service and then contacted a female on a website, with whom he arranged to meet on the 23rd floor of the hotel.The man told police that the woman called him into her room when he arrived, brandished a knife and ordered him to hand over $200. The man handed the money over to her and then reported the incident.Danine Simpson, 27, of the Bronx, New York, was arrested on a charge of armed robbery, according to authorities. She was arraigned Friday in Boston Municipal Court and ordered to be held on $1,500 bail by Judge James Coffey.The district attorney's office said that when officers set up initial surveillance of the hotel room where the robbery happened, they saw a man exit and walk away from them. Authorities said the man tried to back away from officers and began profusely sweating when they stopped him. Those officers then conducted a pat frisk and found a Glock 9mm handgun loaded with eight rounds inside of a fanny pack the man was wearing.Robert Santana, 28, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was arrested on charges of illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, illegal possession of a loaded firearm and illegal possession of a high-capacity magazine. He was also arraigned Friday in Boston Municipal Court, and the judge ordered Santana to be held without bail pending a Dec. 28 dangerousness hearing.The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said the man who went to the hotel seeking sex will be charged with engaging in sexual conduct for a fee at a later date. Massachusetts authorities say a man who was lured to a downtown Boston hotel for a sexual encounter was robbed at knifepoint by a woman. The Suffolk District Attorney's Office said the incident happened Wednesday at the Hilton Boston Back Bay at 40 Dalton St. Advertisement Boston police officers met with a man at the hotel who said he had been informed about a sex-for-fee service and then contacted a female on a website, with whom he arranged to meet on the 23rd floor of the hotel. The man told police that the woman called him into her room when he arrived, brandished a knife and ordered him to hand over $200. The man handed the money over to her and then reported the incident. Danine Simpson, 27, of the Bronx, New York, was arrested on a charge of armed robbery, according to authorities. She was arraigned Friday in Boston Municipal Court and ordered to be held on $1,500 bail by Judge James Coffey. The district attorney's office said that when officers set up initial surveillance of the hotel room where the robbery happened, they saw a man exit and walk away from them. Authorities said the man tried to back away from officers and began profusely sweating when they stopped him. Those officers then conducted a pat frisk and found a Glock 9mm handgun loaded with eight rounds inside of a fanny pack the man was wearing. Robert Santana, 28, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was arrested on charges of illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, illegal possession of a loaded firearm and illegal possession of a high-capacity magazine. He was also arraigned Friday in Boston Municipal Court, and the judge ordered Santana to be held without bail pending a Dec. 28 dangerousness hearing. The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said the man who went to the hotel seeking sex will be charged with engaging in sexual conduct for a fee at a later date.

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crime

Picking Pockets, Moving Fast and Working Hard: the History of Hustling

In Word Through The Times, we trace how one word or phrase has changed throughout the history of the newspaper. In 1892, The New York Times printed an account from a reporter in St. Petersburg, Russia. The reporter said Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, posing as a “peasant,” got into a “squabble with a baker.” Not knowing who he was, police officers “hustled” the duke. They were about to arrest him when he revealed his identity. The verb hustle came from the Dutch “husselen,” meaning “to shake or toss,” and was first recorded in the 17th century, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. By the 18th century, it could also mean “to push or knock a person about roughly” (what happened to the duke, most likely) or to move hastily. By 1800, to hustle meant to rob someone while pretending to bump into the person, according to Grant Barrett, the head of lexicography for Dictionary.com. And a “hustler,” William Safire wrote in The Times in 1975, was someone “who shook up, or jostled, a victim while an aide picked his pocket.” By the turn of the 20th century, the meaning “to aggressively pursue an activity that will benefit you” was firmly established, Mr. Barrett said. Sometimes, a hustle was a moneymaking scheme or prostitution: For example, a Times article from 1997 described dealing drugs as one of the hundreds of “hustles” in New York; an article from 1975 stated, rather heedlessly, that women in an Alaskan oil town were “hustling pipeline workers.”

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crime

Karen Read: Judge impounds motion to disqualify DA from pursuing murder case

On Monday, a judge impounded a motion to disqualify the Norfolk County district attorney’s office from pursuing the murder case against Karen Read, the Mansfield woman charged in the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe. The motion, submitted by Read’s defense team, will not be public for the next two weeks after Judge Beverly Cannone described a desire to “protect the integrity of the federal grand jury proceedings” in her order to seal the documents. The federal grand jury proceedings reportedly refer to federal authorities looking into the handling of the investigation of O’Keefe’s death. Read, 43, is currently out on bail and a trial is set to start in March. Arguments on the motions to sanction and bar the district attorney’s office, along with a motion to dismiss the case, are slated for Jan. 18

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crime

Two people hospitalized after getting slashed in Cambridge

CAMBRIDGE, Mass — Cambridge Police are searching for a suspect after a violent outburst at a popular restaurant takeout franchise that left two people with stab wounds. It happened around 7:40 p.m. Thursday at The Halal Guys in the Porter Square Shopping Center. Workers told Boston 25 News that it began with a man causing a disturbance inside near the register. They said things escalated when employees tried to get him to leave, and a violent struggle then spilled outside. Cell phone video captured by a witness shows two workers being slashed as a man in a black hooded jacket swung a sharp object. “It’s totally crazy. I was trying to figure out what happened,” said Andrew Dobak, who regularly visits the shopping center. “It’s kind of kind of surreal to see the whole parking lot taped off.” Police said the two people who suffered stab wounds were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Workers told Boston 25 News that the attack left employees shaken up, but they continued serving food throughout the ordeal. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW ©2024 Cox Media Group

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crime

Arrest warrant issued for former Holyoke city councilor, Wilmer Puello-Mota

WARWICK, R.I. — Former Holyoke City Councilor Wilmer Puello-Mota has a warrant out for his arrest for failing to appear Tuesday at a disposition hearing in Rhode Island. Facing a variety of charges, including possession of child pornography, Puello-Mota was scheduled for the disposition hearing in Superior Court in Warwick. His attorney, John M. Cicciline, told the court that his client was aware that he was supposed to appear for the hearing. Puello-Mota’s criminal trial on the child pornography charges and charges of obstruction of the judicial system, forgery and counterfeiting was scheduled to begin Jan. 16. The trial has been cancelled because of the warrant for his arrest. According to an official in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, a U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force would be searching for Puello-Mota. The case stems from a May 2020 arrest at a hotel near the T.F. Green State Airport in Warwick. Puello-Mota had called police to report a stolen firearm. Once police began investigating, they discovered Puello-Mota was at the hotel to meet a 17-year-old girl he had been corresponding with online. By searching his cell phone, they discovered he had nude photos and videos of the girl in a trash folder on the phone, and they charged him with possession of child pornography. During the initial investigation, the girl told police he had given her money. Police found evidence of payments made by Puello-Mota to the girl through the app Venmo. Puello-Mota told police at that time that he believed the girl was 22 and he had just learned she was 17. If convicted of the child pornography charges, he could face up to five years in prison. The second tier of charges stemmed from the former councilor being accused of forging a memo from a supervisor in the Massachusetts Air National Guard, which claimed the Air Force was aware of the charges and that Puello-Mota would be deployed if the case had a positive outcome for him. This would have provided certain considerations in the disposition of his case. Warwick police, who investigated the matter in May 2022, alleged that Puello-Mota lied to another Air Force supervisor, claiming he was involved in a research program about how service members progress through the criminal justice system and that the charges were not real. In November 2022, Rhode Island prosecutors filed a bail violation after Puello-Mota attended a Halloween party in Holyoke because stipulations of his personal recognizance bail instructed him to stay away from juveniles.

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crime

Shootings Dip in Chicago but Grow in Domestic Violence Cases

Chicago is expected to end 2023 with a double-digit decline in both shootings and homicides, a sign that the pandemic-era rise in gun violence is beginning to recede. But citywide data shows that a small subset of Chicago’s shootings — those involving domestic violence — have accelerated this year, a spike that is prompting new alarm among advocates for victims. As 2023 nears an end, shootings that Chicago authorities deemed domestic in nature have increased 19 percent compared with last year at this time, according to city data. While the number of fatal domestic shootings is unchanged from 2022, nonfatal shootings have increased 27 percent. Those shootings — 127, as of this week — include a broad array of situations that are classified as domestic, often occurring at home. They include violence against women at the hands of partners; a woman shooting her abusive partner in self-defense; and a man who shoots a cousin during an argument. Only a small portion of the more than 2,800 people who were shot in Chicago in 2023 were found to be victims of domestic violence, but domestic shootings were a source of concern because of their growing numbers.

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crime

21-year-old driver was racing cars on I-95 until he crashed into the woods, police say

Massachusetts State Police pursued a vehicle they learned was racing cars on Interstate-95 on Tuesday afternoon, but the vehicle fled out of sight of police, then crashed into the woods and those inside abandoned it, according to police. Massachusetts State Trooper Zachary Bolcome radioed police shortly after 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday that he was chasing a vehicle — a green Dodge Charger — on I-95 in Boxford that appeared to be racing vehicles, but that after he pursued them for three minutes, lost sight of the vehicle. Shortly after the chase, police got calls of a crash on the ramp from I-95 to Route 133 in Georgetown. Police officers found a green Charger abandoned in the woods, then set up a perimeter around the vehicle to find those who had been inside, police said. Police got a 911 call around 3:20 p.m. from a Georgetown resident that people were in the woods behind their home. Numerous cruisers went to the property, and arrested three people believed to be associated with the crash. The 21-year-old driver of Lynn, was charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle, street racing, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of property damage, failure to stop for police, marked lanes violation, breakdown lane violation, speeding, disorderly conduct and trespassing. The two passengers, ages 20 and 21 and also of Lynn, were also charged with disorderly conduct and trespassing. Read more: Harvard President Claudine Gay resigns amid antisemitism and plagiarism claims All three will appear in Haverhill District Court, according to police.

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crime

$200K bail for Winthrop police lieutenant facing child rape charge

WINTHROP, Mass. — A longtime member of the Winthrop Police Department was ordered held Wednesday on $200,000 bail in connection with an investigation into child rape allegations. Winthrop Police Lt. James Feeley, 56, of Winthrop was arraigned Wednesday morning in East Boston District Court on charges including aggravated rape of a child and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14, a Massachusetts State Police spokesperson said. Feeley was arrested by state police detectives assigned to the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office. Winthrop Police Chief Terence M. Delehanty said Feeley will remain on administrative leave pending the outcome of the state police investigation. Video captured by a Boston 25 News photographer showed Feeley in handcuffs as he was escorted out of a Suffolk County Sheriff’s van and into court to face the charges. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 4 Winthrop police lieutenant placed on administrative leave amid criminal investigation Feeley was promoted from sergeant to lieutenant in 2020 after holding the rank for three years. He previously served as a patrolman for six years and reserve police officer for eight years. He is also a medic for the Metro North Special Operations Unit. Feeley has been a member of the department for more than 20 years. A judge also ordered Feeley to stay away from the alleged victim in this case, surrender his passport and all firearms, remain in the Commonwealth, and refrain from having contact with children under the age of 16. The state initially requested bail of $500,000 but Feeley’s attorney argued for a lower amount, stating that his client had already brought “shame and embarrassment” upon his family and department. There were no additional details immediately available. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW ©2023 Cox Media Group

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crime

Crash on Route 140 in New Bedford kills 28-year-old woman

A 28-year-old woman was killed in a crash on Route 140 in New Bedford on Friday, according to authorities. Julia Luiz was identified as the New Bedford woman killed in the multi-vehicle crash on the highway Friday afternoon, Bristol District Attorney Thomas Quinn’s Office said in a statement. Massachusetts State Police responded to 911 calls around 5:10 pm Friday about the multi-vehicle crash just before exit 3 on Route 140, according to the statement. Law enforcement’s preliminary investigation revealed Luiz was driving a Toyota Camry when it apparently became disabled in the left lane. She was outside her car in the roadway when a 63-year-old New Bedford man driving a Toyota RAV4 struck her vehicle, the district attorney’s office detailed. Moments later, a Toyota Camry driven by a 58-year-old Rochester man also hit Luiz’s disabled car, according to Quinn’s office. Luiz died as a result of the crash. None of the other drivers were seriously injured, the district attorney’s office said. Read more: RI man faces negligence charge in Foxborough YMCA crash that hurt 4 children The investigation into the crash is active and ongoing. No criminal charges have been filed, Quinn’s office noted.

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crime

Video shows police knew Maine shooter was a threat and felt unsafe confronting him

Police in Maine feared that confronting an Army reservist in the weeks before he killed 18 people in the state’s deadliest mass shooting would “throw a stick of dynamite on a pool of gas,” according to video released Friday by law enforcement. The footage, which was released to the Portland Press Herald and then sent to The Associated Press, documents a call between Sagadoc County Sheriff’s Sgt. Aaron Skolfield and Army Reserve Capt. Jeremy Reamer. Skolfield was following up with Reamer about the potential threat posed by Robert Card, a 40-year-old Army reservist from the Lewiston area who carried out the Oct. 25 attacks at a bowling alley and a restaurant. Skolfield mentioned Maine’s yellow flag law, which can be used to remove guns from potentially dangerous people, after Reamer said Card had refused medical treatment after his hospitalization during his Army service. Reamer echoed the idea that officers could get hurt if they went further to make sure Card wasn’t a threat: “I’m a cop myself. ... Obviously, I don’t want to want you guys to get hurt or do anything that would that would put you guys in a compromising position have to make a decision.” A second video, which is also blurred, shows an officer at the home of Robert Card Sr. trying to check whether the shooter’s brother Ryan has his guns. “I understand that Ryan has his weapons, and I just want to make sure that’s the case. Are you familiar with that at all?” the officer asks. But Card Sr. says he hasn’t spoken with Ryan in the last few days. The officer says he’ll try again later. “I just wanted to make sure Robert doesn’t do anything foolish at all,” he says. Two days after the attacks in Lewiston, Card’s body was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound two days after the shootings. Reports soon began to emerge that he had spent two weeks in a psychiatric hospital months before the attacks and had amassed weapons. Under Maine’s yellow flag law, a warning to police can trigger a process where an officer visits an individual and makes a judgment call on whether that person should be placed in temporary protective custody, triggering assessments that with a judge’s approval can lead to a 14-day weapons restriction. A full court hearing could lead to an extension of restrictions for up to a year. Since the Lewiston shooting, questions have been raised about why the law wasn’t used to remove guns from Card. In the newly released videos, Reamer said the Card family had taken responsibility for removing the weapons, and Skolfield said he would reach out to a brother of Card’s and ensure that any weapons had been removed. Skolfield referred to the Cards as “a big family in this area,” and indicated that he didn’t want to publicize that police were visiting the home and kept the information off the police radio. A report released last week by Sheriff Joel Merry previously made clear that local law enforcement knew Card’s mental health was deteriorating. Police were aware of reports that he was paranoid, hearing voices, experiencing psychotic episodes and possibly dealing with schizophrenia. Merry declined to comment on the release of the videos. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has appointed an independent commission led by a former state chief justice to review all aspects of the tragedy. And Maine’s congressional delegation said Friday there will be an independent Army inspector general’s investigation to review the Army’s actions, alongside an ongoing administrative Army investigation.

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crime

American Airlines flight attendant arrested after allegedly filming teenage girl in bathroom on flight to Boston - Boston News, Weather, Sports

BOSTON (WHDH) - An American Airlines flight attendant accused of filming a teenage girl in an airplane bathroom on a flight to Boston last year has been arrested, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced. The incident happened in September while officials said Estes Carter Thompson III, 37, of Charlotte, North Carolina was working a flight from Charlotte to Boston. In its update Thursday, the US Attorney’s Office said Thompson was taken into custody in Virginia and charged with charges including one count of attempted sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor. In addition to the September incident, officials said Thompson was found to have allegedly possessed recordings of four other minor female passengers in bathrooms on planes where he was working. “The deeply disturbing conduct alleged here is something no parent or child should ever have to worry about when they travel,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy in a statement. “Protecting children is a paramount priority for this office and we will aggressively investigate and hold accountable people who victimize children,” Levy later added. The US Attorney’s Office outlined allegations against Thompson, saying he allegedly hid his iPhone under stickers inside a plane toilet lid in the September incident. Officials said Thompson directed a 14-year-old girl to use the bathroom after she had been waiting to use another bathroom. Thompson then allegedly re-entered the bathroom immediately after the girl left, officials said. The 14-year-old girl took a photo of the phone on the toilet seat and later showed the photo to her parents, who officials said reported the issue to other flight attendants. An investigation got underway once the plane landed in Boston and officials said law enforcement soon found Thompson’s phone “may have been restored to factory settings.” While an investigation continued, officials said authorities searched Thompson’s iCloud account and found four additional instances between January and August of 2023 “in which Thompson recorded a minor using the lavatory on an aircraft.” The US Attorney’s Office said investigators also found hundreds of images of AI-generated child pornography and more than 50 other images of one nine-year-old unaccompanied minor in the same iCloud account, including photos of the child’s face while she was sleeping. The US Attorney’s Office said all minor victims in this case had been identified, with their families contacted by law enforcement as of Thursday afternoon. Now charged, officials said Thompson is expected to appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. The family of the 14-year-old girl involved in the incident in September launched a lawsuit against American Airlines last year, alleging in part that the company “knew or should have known” the flight attendant in this case was a danger. Responding to allegations, at the time, American Airlines said the flight attendant had been “withheld from service” and has not worked since the September incident. In a new statement Thursday, the airline said “We take these allegations very seriously.” “They don’t reflect our airline or our core mission of caring for people,” American said. “We have been fully cooperating with law enforcement in its investigation as there is nothing more important than the safety and security of our customers and team.” An attorney for the girl involved in the September incident separately spoke to 7NEWS on Thursday, saying the family remains disappointed with the lack of response they’ve received from American. “We first reached out to American Airlines in September, 2023,” said attorney Paul T. Llewellyn. “It’s now been several months. In those intervening months, they have not even bothered to reach out to the family.” “I don’t think there could ever be closure from an incident like this,” Llewellyn continued. “We don’t know what happened to the images. They could be out there forevermore. So, of course, this is just the start of the criminal justice process.” (Copyright (c) 2023 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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crime

2 Brockton men arrested in connection with postal worker robbery

Two men arrested on Tuesday are believed to be the masked suspects who attacked a postal worker on Dec. 27, Brockton police announced Wednesday. Vashid Mashmasarmi, 20, of Brockton, was charged with unarmed robbery, possession of a burglarious tool and receiving stolen property, police said in a statement. Soul Gagnon, 20, of Brockton, was charged with unlawfully carrying a firearm, possession of a large capacity magazine, unlawful possession of ammunition and resisting arrest. Police said that they received a 911 call from a postal worker at 12:30 on Dec. 27 about being robbed in the Rosemont Square Apartment Complex. The mail carrier was physically assaulted by two men dressed in black and wearing masks and had injuries to their ribs and side, according to police. The mail carrier’s “arrow key,” a master key for mailboxes in a given area, was stolen. On Wednesday, at around 10:20 a.m., Randolph and Brockton police detectives and a Massachusetts State Police trooper issued a search warrant on a black Acura TL sedan in a parking lot at 984 N. Main St. in Brockton. The Acura had stopped in a parking spot next to the building facing an unoccupied postal vehicle. When the detectives and trooper approached the car, the driver, Gagnon, did not respond to police demands and reached for his waist, police said. They apprehended him, finding a .40-caliber Glock with a loaded high-capacity magazine and a round in the chamber on his person. Shortly after, Mashmasarmi arrived and the detectives and trooper executed a search warrant, finding the master key on him, police said. “Our detectives’ work on this case was phenomenal,” Brockton Police Chief Anthony Marag said in the statement. “They started with little evidence but put together a solid case and made arrests. We’d like to thank Brockton Police, Massachusetts State Police and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their continued assistance in this case.” Mashmasarmi was arraigned Wednesday in Quincy District Court, while Gagnon was arraigned in Brockton District Court. The investigation into the attack remains ongoing.

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crime

Man Cleared of Murder After More Than 48 Years in Prison

An Oklahoma man who in 1975 was convicted of murder in a liquor store robbery was exonerated in court on Tuesday after he had spent more than 48 years in prison, the authorities said. It was thought to be the longest time served by a wrongfully convicted inmate in the United States, according to the National Registry of Exonerations, which tracks the length of sentences for wrongful convictions. The man, Glynn Simmons, 70, was declared innocent in a ruling by Judge Amy Palumbo of Oklahoma County District Court. Mr. Simmons was released on bond in July after Judge Palumbo agreed during a status hearing to vacate the judgment and sentence at the request of Vicki Zemp Behenna, the Oklahoma County district attorney who had been reviewing his case. Ms. Behenna, whose office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday, found that important evidence in Mr. Simmons’s case had not been turned over to his defense lawyers.

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crime

Stories of Alleged Brutality by a Mississippi Sheriffs Department

Last month, The New York Times and the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting at Mississippi Today investigated a series of allegations that, for nearly two decades, Rankin County sheriff’s deputies tortured people suspected of drug use to extract information and confessions. Reporters examined hundreds of pages of court records and sheriff’s office reports and interviewed more than 50 people who say they witnessed or experienced these events. What emerged was a pattern of violence that was neither confined to a small group of deputies nor hidden from department leaders. Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey declined to comment on specific allegations against his deputies, but in a brief phone interview in November, he told reporters “I have 240 employees, there’s no way I can be with them each and every day.” The department also announced that it had updated its internal policies and that deputies would receive training on federal civil rights laws. These are portraits of some of the cases the investigation uncovered: Christopher Hillhouse, 19 October 2009, Pearl, Miss. Rankin County deputies arranged for a confidential informant to give marked money to Christopher Hillhouse to purchase drugs, according to department records. Mr. Hillhouse told reporters that he knew the informant was trying to set him up, so he spent the money at Dollar General and a gas station — stores deputies watched Mr. Hillhouse enter while tailing him, according to an incident report by Brett McAlpin, an investigator with the sheriff’s department. Later, deputies confronted Mr. Hillhouse at his family’s home. He and his mother said the deputies entered their house without permission or showing a warrant. Department officials told reporters they could not find a copy of a search warrant. Deputies demanded to know where the money was, the family said, before placing Mr. Hillhouse in handcuffs, punching him in the stomach and knocking his tooth out with a flashlight. Mr. Hillhouse said he was put in a van where a deputy continued to beat him for nearly half an hour. He was never prosecuted for a crime.

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crime

2 paramedics found guilty of criminally negligent homicide in Elijah McClains death

CNN — Two paramedics were found guilty of criminally negligent homicide Friday in the death of Elijah McClain, an unarmed 23-year-old Black man who was subdued by police and injected with ketamine in Aurora, Colorado, in August 2019. Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec had pleaded not guilty to the felony charges. Cichuniec was also found guilty of a second-degree unlawful administration of drugs assault charge. Prosecutors had argued the paramedics acted recklessly in administering a large amount of the powerful sedative ketamine to McClain, who had been violently subdued by police, despite not speaking with him or checking his vital signs. An amended autopsy report released in 2022 listed McClain’s cause of death as “complications of ketamine administration following forcible restraint.” However, the paramedics testified they were following their training for treating patients experiencing “excited delirium,” a controversial diagnosis describing extreme agitation generally applied to people being subdued by police. “During our training, we were told numerous times that this is a safe, effective drug,” Cichuniec told the court. “That is the only drug we can carry that can stop what is going on and calm him down so we can control his airway, we can control him and the safety of him, get him to the hospital as quick as we can.” Three Aurora police officers who subdued McClain have also faced trial for their involvement in the incident. Officer Randy Roedema was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide and assault and subsequently fired by the department, while officers Jason Rosenblatt and Nathan Woodyard were acquitted of all charges. This is a developing story and will be updated. CNN’s Eric Levenson and Jeremy Harlan contributed to this report.

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crime

Amherst man sentenced to 6-7 years for sexual assault on minor

A Hampshire Superior Court judge sentenced an Amherst man to serve six to seven years in state prison after he pleaded guilty to several charges in connection with sexual assaults on a minor. Kemal Banatte, 44, changed his plea to guilty at a hearing on Thursday after being charged with statutory rape of a child, indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child over 14, and witness intimidation, according to a statement from the Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan’s Office. Banatte admitted to sexually assaulting the victim, a teenage girl known to him multiple times between 2015 and 2019 in Amherst while she was between the ages of 12 and 15, according to district attorney spokesperson Laurie Loisel.

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crime

New Years Day shooting in Dorchester claims mans life

A man was fatally shot in Boston on New Year’s Day, according to the Boston Police Department. Police found the man with a gunshot wound at 34 High St. in Dorchester just before 5:30 a.m. on Jan. 1, police said in a statement. He was pronounced dead onsite. The man’s name was not released. This is the second fatal shooting in Dorchester within the past 72 hours in Boston. Curtis Effee, 41, was shot dead near 417 Geneva Avenue shortly before 1 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 30, Boston police reported. Police also announced that two people were arrested in connection with the shooting — Tyreese Robinson, 19, of Randolph and Dasahn Crowder, 21, of Quincy. The two were arrested on warrants with charges of murder near 380 Talbot Avenue in Dorchester, the police said. The suspects are expected to be arraigned at Dorchester District Court. Meanwhile no arrests have been made in connection with the High Street shooting, which remains under investigation. Anyone with information is strongly asked to contact the Boston Police Homicide Unit at 617-343-4470. Anonymous tips can be made by calling the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1-800-494-TIPS or by texting the word “TIP” to CRIME (27463).

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crime

Judge in Las Vegas Attacked By Man Who Was Denied Probation

A man who had been denied probation attacked a judge during his sentencing in a Nevada courtroom on Wednesday in a violent episode that was captured on video. The man, Deobra Redden, 30, was in court in Las Vegas for a sentencing hearing on Wednesday morning after pleading guilty to attempted battery with substantial bodily harm, a spokeswoman for the Eighth Judicial District Court said in a statement on Wednesday. In a video of the hearing, which circulated widely on social media, Mr. Redden is seen leaping over a courtroom bench onto Judge Mary Kay Holthus, sending flags behind the bench falling to the ground. The bench blocks the view of Judge Holthus and Mr. Redden for a few moments in the video as cursing is heard in the background. Seconds later, three men are seen trying to subdue Mr. Redden while also repeatedly punching him. Judge Holthus, 62, was injured, and her condition was being monitored, the court spokeswoman said. A court marshal was also injured and taken to a hospital, where he was believed to be in stable condition, the spokeswoman said.

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culture

Things to know about Minnesotas new state flag and seal

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Love it, hate it or yawn at it, Minnesota is set to get a new state flag this spring that echoes its motto of being the North Star State, replacing an old flag that brought up painful memories of conquest and displacement for Native Americans. During the monthslong selection process, some publicly submitted designs gained cult followings on social media but didn’t make the final cut. They included: a loon – the state bird – with lasers for eyes; a photo of someone’s dog; famous paintings of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln; and an image of a rather large mosquito. Instead, the flag design adopted in December includes a dark blue shape resembling Minnesota on the left, with a white, eight-pointed North Star on it. On the right is a light blue field that to those involved in the selection process symbolizes the abundant waters that help define the Land of 10,000 Lakes. The new state seal features a loon amid wild rice, to replace the image of a Native American riding off into the sunset while a white settler plows his field with a rifle at the ready. The seal was a key feature of the old flag, hence the pressure for changing both. Unless the Legislature votes to reject the new emblems, which seems unlikely, they will become official May 11. Other states are also considering or have already made flag changes. Here are things to know about Minnesota’s new flag and seal, and how the debate unfolded. Why this design? The flag was designed by committee — a commission that included design experts and members of tribal and other communities of color. More than 2,600 proposals were submitted by the public. The commission picked one by Andrew Prekker, 24, of Luverne, as the base design. The main changes the commission made were rotating the star by 22.5 degrees so it pointed straight north, and replacing the original light blue, white and green stripes with a solid, light blue field. The significance of the light blue area is up to the beholder. The original Dakota name for Minnesota, Mni Sóta Makoce, which will go on the new seal, can be translated as “where the water meets the sky.” The commission’s chairman, Luis Fitch, said that to him, the light blue represents the Mississippi River, which originates in Minnesota, pointing to the North Star. The criticism It’s fair to say that much of the public reaction to the new flag fell into the category of “meh” or worse when the design adoption was announced. But supporters of the new flag hope it will grow on people. It’s not like many people were particularly attached to the old flag. Some criticism circulated by conservatives has been inaccurate. The flag does not resemble that of Somalia nor of its Puntland region. While it’s true that both the original design and the Puntland flag had light blue, white and green stripes in the same order, the commission dropped the stripes in favor of simplicity and symmetry. And it’s a stretch to say the final version bears much resemblance to the Somali national flag, which is a solid light blue with a white, five-pointed star right in the center. The state Democratic Party chairman issued a news release taking one GOP lawmaker to task for fueling the spread of the misinformation on social media. Two Republican lawmakers who were nonvoting members of the commission objected to putting the Dakota name for Minnesota on the seal. They said they will propose letting voters decide up or down this November. That proposal is unlikely to get traction in the Democratic-controlled Legislature. And Democratic Secretary of State Steve Simon, a commissioner who backed both designs, said a referendum would probably be unconstitutional. Additionally, Aaron Wittnebel — a voting member of the commission for the Ojibwe community — said in a minority report last week that adopting the Dakota phrase on the seal “favors the Dakota people over other groups of peoples in Minnesota.” The praise While the new flag might strike some critics as uninspired — and a waste of time and the $35,000 budgeted for the commission — the change is important to many Native Americans in a state where there are 11 federally recognized Ojibwe and Dakota tribes. “Dare I say anything that’s not a Native person being forced off their land is a flag upgrade?!” tweeted Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe. “Excited to have a new state flag that represents every Minnesotan.” Democratic state Sen. Mary Kunesh, a descendant of the Standing Rock Lakota, was a chief author of the bill that launched the redesign and a nonvoting member of the commission. She said in a statement that the more than 2,600 submissions and the lively public debate showed that Minnesotans care deeply about their state. “It was an incredible experience to see our community’s energy and passion captured in the beautiful designs they submitted,” Kunesh said. “From loons and wild rice to water and the North Star, we have captured the essence of our state in the new flag and seal. These designs honor our history and celebrate the future of Minnesota.” One Indigenous graphic designer is already selling T-shirts online that bear the new design and say, “At least the flag isn’t racist anymore.” Ted Kaye, secretary of the North American Vexillological Association, who studies flags and was involved in the redesign, has said the new Minnesota flag gets an “A+” from him for its simplicity, uniqueness and inclusion of meaningful symbols. The rest of the country Several other states also have been redesigning flags. The Utah Legislature last winter approved a design featuring a beehive, a symbol of the prosperity and the industriousness of its Mormon pioneers. Mississippi chose a new flag with a magnolia to replace a Confederate-themed flag. Other states considering simplifying their flags include Michigan, Illinois and Maine. ___ Associated Press writer Trisha Ahmed in Minneapolis contributed to this report. By Steve Karnowski Associated Press

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culture

Survey: Children in state struggling to access behavioral health care

It’s the perfect post-pandemic storm: an increase of children needing behavioral health care and a decrease in available clinicians. A survey conducted by the Association for Behavioral Healthcare found that children in the state are waiting longer for behavioral health services. For instance, there is an average wait of 20.5 weeks for families seeking in-home therapy with MassHealth (the state’s Medicaid program), and those with private health insurance must wait even longer with an average of 26.5 weeks for those types of services. The survey said clinician shortages are hampering children’s ability to receive behavioral health help. “Massachusetts has an impressive system of home- and community-based mental health services for families with public and commercial health coverage, but that system is on paper only,” said the report released in December describing the survey results. “Children are suffering because we are failing to invest in services and in the workforce.” Association for Behavioral Healthcare is an organization that represents over 80 community-based mental health and addiction treatment organizations. Its survey, which it conducted in July, was answered by 30 organizations that run 208 sites across Massachusetts and found that “as many as 3,300 families were waiting to receive services at the end of Fiscal Year 2022.” Lydia Conley, president and CEO of the Association for Behavioral Healthcare, explained that if children are not given the resources when they initially need them, the children’s needs can become acute while waiting for care. In response to the federal litigation Rosie D. v. Romney, the state created the Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative for children with MassHealth to provide services such as in-home therapy and behavioral health services. In 2019, a similar standard of services was required for those with private insurance, called Behavioral Health for Children and Adolescents. The Association for Behavioral Healthcare survey notes that due to unclear guidelines from private insurance companies, “There is less incentive to accept families with commercial insurance, creating a two-tier system as to who accesses and receives CBHI services within the Commonwealth.” Meanwhile, the number of children the system is treating has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, the survey found. “To date, utilization of these services has not rebounded, due to diminished provider capacity. ... By the end of May 2023, respondents reported approximately 32% fewer children and families than pre-pandemic levels received these same services,” the report says. Wages for clinicians are a factor, the survey noted. Many of the services provided by Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative are based in an in-home setting to involve family members and caretakers. These appointments are often conducted on nights and weekends and present more complexities than in-office appointments, yet the wages paid are significantly lower than those for in-office or remote clinicians. As of August 2023, state officials have invested $70 million into the initiative, but Conley said, “it is not sufficient to elevate salaries to attract and keep staff.” As a result, about 756 staff positions are sitting vacant, and difficulties finding financing and staff have caused program closures. Between the 2019 to the 2023 fiscal years, the report said, six in-home behavioral services programs, 15 therapeutic mentoring programs and 17 in-home therapy programs have closed. In addition to the state’s Roadmap for Behavioral Health Reform, the Association for Behavioral Healthcare provided specific recommendations in order to meet the needs of families in the communities. It suggested providing sustainable rates for clinicians, paying a rate differential for non-English services, eliminating provider referrals, investing in outpatient services, implementing loan repayment awards and scholarships to attract and retain clinicians and reducing unnecessary administrative work for clinicians. Katherine Mague, senior vice president of Behavioral Health Network, confirmed that as one of the organizations that reported to the Association for Behavioral Healthcare’s survey and provides services to youths in both Hampden and Hampshire counties, the findings are spot on. “There was an exodus of staff during the pandemic and hiring back has been hard,” Mague said. “Kids come in with much more acute conditions now than before. This is a real mental health crisis and it’s now harder to do the work with many more needing it.” If you or someone you know is looking for help, call or text the Behavioral Health Help Line at 833-773-2445.

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culture

Mass. corrections officer Tom Cooke dies of cancer after 27 years of service

Correction Officer Tom Cooke, an employee of the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, died this week of cancer, the office said. In a message on X, formerly known as Twitter, the sheriff’s office announced “with a heavy heart” that Cooke died “following a courageous battle with cancer.” “As we mourn his loss, we ask that you keep the Cooke family, his friends and colleagues in your thoughts and prayers,” the message continued. Cooke, 55, was born in Winchester and died on Dec. 16, according to his obituary. The day before, fellow officers with the Middlesex Sheriff’s office accompanied Cooke from the hospital to be with loved ones, according to a video posted to Facebook. Cooke worked for the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office for 27 years, and enjoyed boating, camping and sports. “A music-lover, Tom enjoyed playing the guitar and drums, and loved rocking out with his son to classic bands like Zeppelin and Sabbath,” his obituary read. A funeral will be held on Saturday, Dec. 23, his obituary said.

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culture

Ninety-one is a lot (Bostons version)

Beth Wolfensberger Singer is a Boston-based artist. You can see more of her work at Bethwolfensbergersinger.com.

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Middle schoolers in Westfield, Southwick to join state peers in year of service

Fathema Jaleel and Riley Westcott will join more than 300 other 8th graders this weekend in this year’s class of “unsung heroes” for a statewide youth-led community service program. Tomorrow, they will attend a day of Project 351 activities in Boston to kick off a transformative year of service and leadership. A nonprofit organization, Project 351inspires students through the ethic of service and values of kindness, compassion, humility and gratitude. Jaleel is a student at the Westfield Middle School while Westcott attends Southwick Regional School. They’re among a group of “quiet leaders” selected from eighth graders in nearly every one of the state’s 351 towns and cities.

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culture

Ask Amy: How do I tell my friend I just need her ear, not endless advice?

Dear Amy: “Carol” and I are extremely good friends. I know she cares deeply about me. However, whenever she asks about my life, instead of sympathizing with my problems and my feelings, she clings to an issue I’ve mentioned and immediately brainstorms solutions to my problem -- as though I or my family members were incompetent at solving our own problems. She asks me about how my life is, and I respond honestly. In these situations, I have not asked her for any advice. I believe that Carol cares deeply for me and my family. She does not want to see us have struggles, but I find her unsolicited reactions very hurtful. I know she thinks she’s helping, but her drive to fix everything implies that if I did things her way I wouldn’t have problems or negative feelings. I can’t share about my life without getting some sort of “stop the pity party and get solving this” response. It is affecting our friendship. I find myself selecting specific, insignificant issues to tell her about. I’ve stopped telling her about important issues in my life until they are resolved. How do I get her to lay off the condescending solution-seeking sessions? Am I unreasonable to want to share my feelings with someone and just have them empathize with me? Is it wrong to have some validation, instead of streams of constant unsolicited advice? – No Messy Feelings Allowed Dear No Messy Feelings: I have a little sticky note on my desk with this sentence written on it: “All unsolicited advice is self-serving.” I heard this once on a call-in radio show and immediately wrote it down. Most people loathe unsolicited advice; hearing instant “solutions” can make a person feel oddly defensive about one’s own problems. So think about that quote. “Carol” is serving her own needs by leaping onto your problems. She is self-serving when she offers her instant solutions (“I’m Carol, the problem-solver!”) and self-soothing, too – tamping down the anxiety that arises when she believes someone she loves is making a mistake or in trouble. Plus – leaping in like this is annoying, plain and simple! You should pull back the curtain a little and tell her honestly about how this habit affects you: “I know you’re smart. I trust your instincts. But you may not realize that when I open up about problems or issues in my own life, I’m not asking for solutions. I’m just expressing how I feel about things. I’m hoping that you can listen without problem-solving. This might seem frustrating for you, but it helps me the most when I feel heard and understood.” You can also preface a narrative by saying, “I’m not looking for answers here; I just feel the need to vent about some things that are going on. Can you offer me your sympathetic ear?” Dear Amy: My daughter is a single mother of two children, ages 7 and 5. She and the children have lived with me for all but a few months of the eldest child’s life. We have a nice little household and get along very well. My daughter is the primary parent and I’ve always respected that. I’m here to help. We talk things through, but she makes ultimate decisions regarding her children. She has been dating “Brian,” for about a year, and they are talking about marriage. The problem is that he is pushing back regarding the children. He believes he should have the power to make parenting decisions and to discipline him. I disagree with this approach, but I have not weighed in at all. I’m wondering what you think. – Gram Dear Gram: Stepparents integrate best into a new family by taking it slowly and developing trusting and affectionate friendships with the children. The stepparent role (certainly at the beginning) is to support the primary parent. In my own life as a stepparent, I think of this as “holding hands” with my spouse through challenges. (This sounds very much like the role you’ve assumed in your household.) In my opinion, it is a red flag for a prospective spouse to approach the stepparent role with discipline on his mind – and on the table. Dear Amy: “Wondering Employee” didn’t know how to respond to her employer’s statement that he went without a pay raise in order to give the staff a raise. I’m wondering if he neglected to mention a year-end bonus that he gave himself. I had a boss who did that: a six-figure bonus! – Empty-pocket Employee Dear Employee: Crafty! (You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.) ©2023 Amy Dickinson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Blocked Toilets Close Eton, Boarding School for Britains Elite Sons

“Following extensive flooding in the region, the Thames Water sewers which serve the town of Eton flooded,” the school said in a statement to The New York Times on Wednesday. “Therefore boys could not return for the scheduled start of term on 9 January, and the College has moved to remote teaching. We are in regular contact with Thames Water as they seek to resolve the situation, and we look forward to welcoming boys back as soon as possible.” The statement discreetly avoided using the word “toilet.” “The sewers in the center of Eton won’t cope with the arrival of nearly 1,350 boys,” it said in a slightly more frank letter to parents reported by Bloomberg and other news media outlets. It costs 50,000 British pounds per year, or about $63,500, for boys ages 13 to 18 to attend the school just outside London. There has been significant flooding in England this month after heavy rainfall. The Thames in some places reached water levels not seen in a decade. The utility company Thames Water had warned earlier in the week that the weeks of rainfall and high ground water levels had “put huge pressure on our sewers and pumping stations. Water is entering our network above and below ground, and flows from flooded rivers are adding to the problem in some areas.” In a statement about the Eton closure on Wednesday to The Press Association, the company said: “We are sorry to staff and students who have been impacted. Our teams will be carrying out a cleanup in the coming days once the river levels recede.”

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Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie, Who Looked at History From the Bottom Up, Dies at 94

Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie, a French historian at the forefront of a scholarly movement that sought to understand the past from the bottom up, by probing the beliefs and psychology of anonymous peasants and priests rather than the exploits of triumphant generals and rulers, died on Wednesday. He was 94. His family confirmed the death, according to Agence France-Presse and other French news organizations. The magazine L’Obs said he died in Paris. In a statement from the Élysée Palace, President Emmanuel Macron of France called Mr. Le Roy Ladurie “one of our greatest historians,” adding, “His work truly extended history’s domain — the discipline was enriched because he was able to invent new tools, new approaches, and new subjects.” A prolific and eminently readable scholar, Mr. Le Roy Ladurie was most familiar for his books “Montaillou: The Promised Land of Error” (1975) and “Carnival in Romans” (1979), both of them best sellers and instant classics on both sides of the Atlantic.

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Critics see double standard in Harvards handling of plagiarism allegations

The controversy began with a conservative activist circulating the first allegations online, and entered new territory this week when a Republican-controlled congressional committee demanded Harvard turn over all documentation related to its review of Gay’s writings. The collision of partisan politics with a question of academic integrity has left some Harvard faculty members conflicted, and added to a sense of deep anxiety at a university that for two months has been roiled by debates and protests related to the Israel-Hamas war. But Harvard’s response addressed only a portion of the allegations against her, leading to an awkward second round of correctives to her academic writings this week that, far from settling the matter, brought new scrutiny and criticism to the revered school. More than a week ago, Harvard’s top board sought to quell a building controversy over plagiarism allegations against its new president, Claudine Gay, saying an independent review found several instances of inadequate citation in her writings but no violations of the university’s research misconduct standards. It also comes on the heels of another controversy, over Gay’s equivocal answer at a congressional hearing on campus antisemitism about whether calls for genocide of Jews would violate Harvard’s rules. Advertisement On Wednesday, Harvard announced newly discovered instances of “duplicative language without appropriate attribution” in Gay’s PhD dissertation completed at Harvard in 1997, but said she had not committed “research misconduct.” That left some on campus grumbling that a student found to have committed the same infraction might face suspension, in part because students and faculty are generally judged according to different rulebooks. “I think there’s a clear double standard,” said Shabbos Kestenbaum, a Harvard graduate student who has sharply criticized Gay’s handling of reports of rising antisemitism on the campus in the midst of the war. Students are sometimes suspended for plagiarism, he said. But in Gay’s case, he said, “not only is there no discipline, but on the contrary the board unanimously expressed their approval and confidence in her.” Advertisement On Dec. 12, following Gay’s congressional testimony and after the plagiarism allegations began circulating widely online, Harvard’s top board, known as the Corporation, publicly backed Gay. “Our extensive deliberations affirm our confidence” in her, the board said in a statement. It also acknowledged several instances of “inadequate citation” in Gay’s writings and stated that she was requesting corrections to two journal articles. The public backing seemed to end a period of debate, including calls for Gay’s resignation, over whether she should remain the university’s president. But the controversy was revived on Tuesday when an anonymous complaint was filed with a Harvard office that investigates research misconduct, raising questions about whether the Corporation’s reviews of the plagiarism allegations were thorough and consistent with the school’s policies. The next day, a Republican-led congressional committee, the same one that convened the Dec. 5 hearing on campus antisemitism, announced an inquiry and demanded Harvard turn over all documentation related to its reviews of the plagiarism allegations. That inquiry adds to another one already initiated by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce into campus antisemitism. “While the antisemitism and plagiarism investigations being conducted by the committee are separate and distinct, they both raise questions of hypocrisy in academia,” said Virginia Foxx, a North Carolina Republican and the committee’s chair. “In this case, how could a serial plagiarizer like Claudine Gay hold a student accountable for plagiarism ever again?” Advertisement The controversy over Gay’s citation practices in the midst of what some see as opportunistic point-scoring by political partisans has left some Harvard professors and students conflicted. “As scholars we need to do our absolute utmost to adhere to the practices that we very clearly tell our students they are to follow,” said Edward Hall, director of undergraduate studies of Harvard’s philosophy department. But the “noise . . . from political actors outside our walls,” he added, “makes it harder to have the right conversation about it.” Hall said he is skeptical of lawmakers’ motives. “There is very little reason to think that prominent people in the Republican Party right now are pushing this issue because they care deeply about the quality of scholarship at Harvard and other universities,” he said. Maya Bodnick, a Harvard sophomore, said she doesn’t have a strong opinion about the plagiarism allegations but insisted that “it’s really important Harvard does not succumb to nefarious right-wing actors.” The plagiarism allegations were first circulated widely by conservative activist Christopher Rufo and amplified by Bill Ackman, a billionaire Harvard alumnus who has sharply criticized Gay in recent months. But other Harvard faculty members say the political context notwithstanding, the substance of the allegations is serious. Some of the accusations look “very credible,” and others “seem serious,” said Brendan Case, associate director of research at Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program, which researches human well-being. He has been embarrassed by the Corporation’s response, he said, because it seems to undermine the school’s commitment to academic integrity. Advertisement “Just speaking from my own corner of Harvard, there is no question in my mind [that] if we uncovered that pattern of academic dishonesty in any of our researchers, including myself, they would be dismissed immediately,” Case said. “It seems unavoidable to me that many people within and outside Harvard will infer they don’t take this kind of thing seriously.” Gay has been accused of copying language from other scholars’ works without placing the words within quotation marks or properly citing the original sources. On Wednesday, Harvard provided the Globe a detailed summary of the Corporation’s reviews of the allegations. The document said that Gay’s alleged conduct was judged against a rulebook that generally applies only to faculty, and has a high bar for a finding of misconduct. According to those rules, a transgression only amounts to research misconduct if it is committed “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly.” That standard must be met by a “preponderance of the evidence.” Referring to those rules, the Corporation concluded that Gay’s “inadequate citations, while regrettable, did not constitute research misconduct,” according to the summary. Students are bound by a different set of rules. “Students who, for whatever reason, submit work either not their own or without clear attribution to its sources will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including requirement to withdraw from the College,” Harvard College’s plagiarism policy says. Five sentences in her 1997 PhD dissertation closely tracked language from a 1996 paper by Bradley Palmquist and D. Stephen Voss with only minor changes of word choice and punctuation. Advertisement In part of the passage, Gay wrote, “The average turnout rate seems to increase linearly as African-Americans become a larger proportion of the population. This is one sign that the data contain little aggregation bias.” In the 1996 paper, Palmquist and Voss had written, “[T]he average turnout rate seems to decrease linearly as African Americans become a larger proportion of the population. This is one sign that the data contain little aggregation bias.” The dissertation will now be updated to add quotation marks or a citation, Harvard said Wednesday. In the acknowledgments of her dissertation, Gay used language that closely tracks that from a book by Harvard scholar Jennifer Hochschild. In the passage, Gay is praising a mentor for reminding her of “the importance of getting the data right and following where they lead without fear or favor.” Hochschild, in her 1996 book, praised another scholar for showing her “the importance of getting the data right and of following where they lead without fear or favor,” according to the anonymous complaint sent to Harvard that compiled dozens of allegations of plagiarism. Some scholars have pointed to a distinction between different types of plagiarism. One kind involves copying without proper attribution. The other includes stealing original ideas, and is much more egregious, several academics said in recent interviews. Gay’s alleged plagiarism, some said, falls into the first, and less severe, category. However, others have taken a more unsparing view. “There are few things more repellent than a top official getting and taking a pass for something they punish underlings for doing,” said Richard Parker, a Harvard Law School professor. He criticized the Corporation’s handling of the allegations as “irregular” and “opaque,” saying it was a departure from a typical plagiarism investigation. “The contrast exudes contempt for our students and faculty and for Harvard itself,” he said. Mike Damiano can be reached at mike.damiano@globe.com. Hilary Burns can be reached at hilary.burns@globe.com. Follow her @Hilarysburns.

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Dear Annie: Is it OK to shield newborn from alcoholic grandparents?

Dear Annie: My partner and I were surprised to find ourselves expecting with my very loved rainbow baby. We had known each other less than two years and had just moved in together. So far, my relationship with his parents had been rocky at best. Both parents drank to the point of blacking out daily, which often made them unpleasant. When I first got pregnant, I had been hopeful everyone could be part of my daughter’s life. It became increasingly doubtful as my delivery date approached. Then, my partner’s mom missed our baby shower because she was sick and vomiting. She was admitted to the hospital for alcohol-induced pancreatitis a week later. My daughter was born, and we invited his parents to the hospital. They also came to visit the baby several times over the next few months. My partner’s father always showed up incoherently drunk and would yell and swear, at times getting nasty. His mother tried to hide it, but she had never really stopped drinking after the hospital. She acted nasty toward me, too. My partner got text messages from his siblings trying to see if anyone was free to drive their mom home from the bar so she wouldn’t drink and drive. Their drinking was a problem. It was already hard to visit with people because we were busy taking care of the baby, but we started to visit with the parents less because their behavior made me uncomfortable, and I didn’t want to expose my child to it. I also didn’t want to rely on them for help because I refused to let them be alone with the baby. People’s feelings were hurt, but no one’s behavior changed. After becoming increasingly erratic and forgetful, my partner’s mother missed my daughter’s first birthday party because she was incoherent. She ended up in the hospital shortly after, this time for alcohol-induced ammonia poisoning. My dad, who raised me and two of my three brothers on his own, hasn’t had a drink in decades. He joined AA early on in our childhood, and we’ve never seen him stray. In fact, events on his side of the family were almost always dry. In my teens, all three of my brothers were addicted to heroin at some point. My youngest brother is still in the throes of addiction, but two of my brothers got clean and just recently bought a house. Watching my family’s journey has made me incredibly sensitive to substance abuse. I’m afraid I’m unfairly withholding my daughter from her grandparents on my partner’s side because I’m letting my sensitivity to addiction cloud my judgment. Am I unfairly punishing my partner’s parents? — Affected by Substance Abuse Dear Affected: You’re not withholding your daughter from her paternal grandparents — you’re protecting her from them. On their best, sober days, I believe your partner’s parents probably have nothing but good intentions. But it’s clear that when they are drunk, which seems constant, they cannot control themselves or be trusted around your children. I’m sure your partner would agree. Being part of your daughter’s life is a privilege, not a right. If her grandparents want to be active in her life, they must do so soberly and play by your rules. “How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM

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Seal pup lost on Nantucket road returned to beach by local rescuers

It’s baby seal season on the Cape and the Islands, and though some year-round residents might get the chance to see one swimming or lounging on the rocks at a distance, any up-close encounters with the public are strictly prohibited and therefore extremely rare. That is, unless you were the lucky man who happened upon one on Polpis Road in Nantucket on Wednesday morning.

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The Inscrutable Glamour of Melania Trumps Mother

Throughout the Trump presidency, Amalija Knavs — mother to first lady Melania Trump — was something of a mysterious figure. Mrs. Knavs, who died earlier this week, rarely made public comments or gave interviews. Striking and perfectly coifed, Mrs. Knavs was a recurring but almost entirely silent presence during the Trump presidency, much like her daughter. Mrs. Knavs and her husband Victor appeared often in the background of photos of the first family, accompanying them on trips to places like Camp David or Mar-a-Lago, and attending special events. And there’s something startling, even uncanny about photos containing both the Trumps and the Knavses: The two couples look like mirror images of each other. Mr. Trump and Mr. Knavs, just two years apart in age, have similar physiques and stature — even hair styles.

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This Melrose barbershop is the best in Greater Boston

Readers Say This Melrose barbershop is the best in Greater Boston "Great haircuts, great people, great vibes, great atmosphere. My barber is like a partner, I take it very serious." Looking through the window of Fades Away Barbershop in Melrose. Fades Away Barbershop Barbershops are an important center of community in Boston neighborhoods and towns across Greater Boston. They are a place where people can socialize and interact with familiar faces. For many non-native English speakers, the barbershop is also a community hub to connect with others who speak the same language. And in a region as diverse as Greater Boston, there are shops that cater to all hair types and styles. In response to our best barbershop reader callout, 76 readers shared their favorite barbershops in the Boston area with us. See the full list of barber shops, including the top five reader-recommended shops, where they’re located, and what readers had to say about them below. We also included a map so you know where to go if you’re looking to get a fresh cut, line up, or something more. Some responses have been lightly edited for clarity. “It’s a quintessential small town barbershop, where the barbers know every customer by name. The local Little League sponsor team has photos on the wall, along with the requisite Boston sports memorabilia going back many years. Owners Joe and Sam treat everyone like family. I’ve been going there for years, the place is great!” —Neil H., Needham 4. La Flamme Barber Shop (21 Dunster St., Cambridge) “It is close by my home, and it is a warm and welcoming environment. Every haircut I get it is exactly what I am looking for. It is easy to make an appointment at as well!” —Evan B., Woburn “The owner is down to earth and the classic, original and authentic culture of the shop. They have many collectibles and transitional barber decor.” —Jeff D., Melrose “The straight razor shaves is one of the most relaxing and rejuvenating 30-minutes you can possibly imagine. Then, there are the Fresh Cut Concerts! Yes Concerts in the barbershop!” —Scully W., Somerville “I have been taking my sons there since they were little kids, and the care that Anthony shows each of the customers that walk through the door, does not go unnoticed. My sons now make their own appts and choose to stick with him because he gives a great haircut and the conversation flows like old friends.” —Stacy W., Winchester 1. Fades Away Barbershop (36 W. Wyoming Ave., Melrose) “Great haircuts, great people, great vibes, great atmosphere. They are professional and friendly. I won’t go anywhere else. To me, my barber is like a partner, I take it very serious. 10/10.” —David F., Melrose “This place is amazing! The ambiance and atmosphere is great, the barbers are great at what they do, and the merchandise is super sick. Additionally, the Shop gives back to the local community a ton by sponsoring to the local teams, donating to just about every cause and charity, and always puts aside a budget to help out.” —Rich F., Melrose “Not only are they great barbers but they are great guys. They have a relaxed, friendly environment and always give a quality haircut. I don’t feel like I am going to a barbershop, but more like a friends house when I go get a haircut.” —Jason D., Wakefield The best barbershops in Greater Boston, according to readers

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Loneliness Is Inescapable. So Lets Talk About It. - The New York Times

The Opinion video above gives voice to the lonely. We are publishing it at the end of a year in which loneliness started getting the kind of attention it has long deserved — an effort led, in large part, by the surgeon general of the United States, Dr. Vivek Murthy. In a guest essay last spring, he revealed that he, too, had struggled with loneliness and said the nation was facing “an epidemic of loneliness and isolation.” Several days later, he issued a surgeon general advisory about the problem, calling it a “public health crisis” and outlining a strategy to confront it. The New York Times invited readers to share how loneliness was affecting their lives. More than 1,400 people responded — young and old, from every corner of the country, every walk of life. Each response was like a message in a bottle cast into the water from a distant island. “I should have recognized my malaise long before I found myself lying on my living room floor each night after work,” wrote Karen S., a 37-year-old from California. “I’d just lie on the hardwood and stare at the ceiling for hours, paralyzed. In December 2019, I suffered a heart attack. I believe stress and loneliness caused, if not contributed, to the attack.” John W., 51, from Massachusetts wrote: “I feel most lonely when my spouse comes home after a long day and decompresses with social media. I keep it to myself, since expressing my loneliness to my spouse is only met with gaslighting. It would be nice if someone would extend an invite to coffee or something.”

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Opinion | We Await You With Dread, 2024

Bret Stephens: Hi, Gail. This is our last conversation for the year, so let me first wish you and Dan a Merry Christmas. Gail Collins: Thanks, Bret. And the best, of course, to you and Corinna and your kids. Bret: As much as I’ve loved our exchanges, I can’t say I’ve loved the year. From Donald Trump’s political resurrection to Congress’s failure to come together to help Ukraine to America’s premier university presidents being unable to say that calling for the genocide of Jews violates campus policies to this latest ludicrous impeachment inquiry to the clown show that made Kevin McCarthy speaker of the House and then the clown show that brought him down to Vivek Ramaswamy merely opening his mouth, it feels like the year in which America slipped into terminal decline. Gail: Hey, let’s go for something a little less drastic. I admit any year in which all the most positive stories seemed to involve Taylor Swift wasn’t exactly great for politics. But looking back, I see some bright spots. Bret: I’m all ears. Gail: Even though people can’t wrap their heads around it, the economy’s really improved. Lots of jobs available. The unemployment rate is, gee, nearly the lowest since I was in grad school. President Biden’s battle against global warming has been showing signs of progress. Electric car sales, for example, are up. Solar energy is booming.

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Granite State of Mind: 5 things to know about the New Hampshire primary

Stop — It’s primary time. For the next week, the eyes of the nation’s political and chattering classes will be trained on New Hampshire, as this year’s crop of marquee Republican White House hopefuls — what’s left of of them ― and a handful of Democrats, descend on Massachusetts’ nearest northern neighbor for the first primary of the 2024 campaign cycle. The Jan. 23 contest, which comes on the heels of the frigid Iowa caucuses, will be make-or-break time for the GOP candidates looking to shake loose what appears to be former President Donald Trump’s chokehold on the Republican primary electorate. Meanwhile, supporters of President Joe Biden — notably including Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey — are trying to get Biden’s name onto the ballot as a write-in candidate. In an eyebrow-raising move, the nation’s 46th president took a pass on the Granite State’s plebiscite over a dispute whether New Hampshire or South Carolina should come first on the Democratic nominating calendar. With that in mind, here are five things to know about the New Hampshire primary. Why does New Hampshire go first? New Hampshire has kicked off the presidential primary calendar for more than a century, going first in 1920, after hosting its first primary in 1916, according to a history compiled by the League of Women Voters. And the grumbling about first-place status going to a state that is whiter and less representative than the nation as a whole, has continued pretty much unabated ever since. But the state’s small size and a populist political culture that prides itself on easy citizen access to elected officials has made it a logical stop for White House aspirants looking to build early momentum heading into such critical contests as the South Carolina primary in February, and the Super Tuesday primaries in March. Granite State voters also turn out in big numbers, as evidenced by the record-setting nearly 30% of registered voters who cast their ballots during the 2020 primary cycle, according to the League of Women Voters. It’s also a so-called “purple” state, which makes it prime territory among candidates looking to pick off support from independents and the opposing political party. Last year, Democrats tried to kick New Hampshire out of first place, as they attempted to move South Carolina to the front of the queue. True to their stubborn Yankee nature, Granite State political bosses weren’t having any of it. “The New Hampshire primary is democracy at its purest, as much as can be,” James B. Splaine, a former New Hampshire lawmaker who sponsored the 1975 vintage bill requiring the state’s top elections official to schedule New Hampshire’s primary at least seven days before another primary, told the Boston Globe in 2023. Who’s running? After cleaning up in Iowa on Monday night, Trump comes into New Hampshire as the prohibitive favorite in the primary pack. Trump held an average lead of 43.4% in the Granite State, with former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley was in second place at 30.3%, according to polling site FiveThirtyEight. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who came in second in Iowa on Monday night, narrowly edging Haley 21.2% to 19.1%, is in a distant third place in New Hampshire, with an average of 5.8%, according to FiveThirtyEight. As of Tuesday, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who took less than 1% support in Iowa, remains in the GOP nominating pack. Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who took 7.7% support in the Iowa caucus, suspended his campaign on Monday, throwing his support to Trump. And those are just the marquee names. In all, there are 24 Republican hopefuls on the New Hampshire GOP primary ballot, according to the League of Women Voters. On the Democratic side of the ledger, the party faithful will have their choice of 21 candidates, according to the League of Women Voters. That includes U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., and the author Marianne Williamson. Though his name is not officially on the ballot, Biden leads handily in most public polls ahead of the Jan. 23 election. What does the primary mean to Nikki Haley? Heading into New Hampshire, both DeSantis and Haley will be doing everything they can to eat into Trump’s substantial polling lead and his enduring popularity among GOP primary voters — despite two impeachments, as well as the four criminal indictments and the civil actions pending against him. For Haley, the New Hampshire primary is a crucial test, particularly after her poor finish in Iowa on Monday. Haley has the backing of Granite State Gov. Chris Sununu, who has been marshaling his own forces in an effort to elevate the former South Carolina governor, the New York Times reported. Haley, for her part, has tried to tie Biden and Trump together, painting them as the out-of-touch standard-bearers of another political generation. “The question before Americans is now very clear: Do you want more of the same or do you want a new generation of conservative leadership?” Haley asked a crowd in a speech after the Iowa caucus, according to the Times. Haley runs strongest among college graduates and men, the former of whom tend to stay away from Trump, while the latter tend to gravitate to the former president, ABC News reported. What does the primary mean to Ron DeSantis? DeSantis, meanwhile, has had trouble building support in New Hampshire, where he has tried to portray himself as both more accomplished and more Trumpian than the rest of the GOP pack — just without the Trumpian levels of drama, according to Spectrum News. But if DeSantis has one thing going for him, it could end up being his second-place finish in the Hawkeye State. That’s because the candidate who wins Iowa doesn’t always do as well in New Hampshire, as Politico reported Tuesday. Republican also-rans Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum and Ted Cruz each got the nod from Iowa voters during their respective White House bids, only to watch their candidacies collapse, the news organization reported. But is there room in the Republican primary field for a candidate who wants Trump’s popularity without all of Trump’s baggage? The short answer, according to NPR, is maybe not. And that’s where things could get problematic for DeSantis. “If Trump wins New Hampshire, he will be the first non-incumbent Republican to carry the first two states on the calendar since the caucuses gained prominence in the 1970s. Stopping him after that will become more difficult by the week,” Dan Balz wrote for the Washington Post on Tuesday. Who can vote in New Hampshire? According to the League of Women Voters, voters must cast ballots in the party where they’re registered: Republicans can only vote for Republicans, while Democrats can only vote in the Democratic primary. Voters who are undeclared can vote in either primary. And that’s a big deal because about 40% of New Hampshire voters are undeclared, according to the League of Women Voters, giving them an outsized say in the contest, and helping to set the tone for the primaries to come. “That’s really why candidates are trying to appeal in a broad way,” she said. “They’re not just appealing to R or D, they’re trying to capture these undeclared or independent voters,” Liz Liz Tentarelli, the president of New Hampshire league, said. And for new American citizens looking to participate, the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s Office has a dedicated voter guide, according to the New Hampshire Bulletin. How do you register and cast your ballot? You can either register to vote at the local town or city clerk’s office; at a local supervisors of the checklist meeting; at the polls on election day; or by mail using the absentee process if you are temporarily out of town or have a disability that prevents you from applying in person. Voters can contact their municipalities for registration deadlines, the Bulletin reported. On primary day, if you’re already registered to vote, at check-in, show the ballot clerk your photo ID and tell them your name and address. Once you receive a blank ballot, enter a voting booth to vote for the candidate(s) of your choice by completely filling in the oval, the Bulletin reported. Then, exit the booth and place your ballot in the ballot-counting device or hand it to the moderator to place in the ballot box, the online news organization reported.

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culture

Ask Amy: Is it OK to read my teen daughters diary if she leaves it out?

Dear Amy: Six years ago, my two adult stepdaughters confronted us with their “concerns” that their mother and I knew that our 17-year-old son smoked marijuana. We did know about his pot use and clearly explained the steps we were already undertaking in getting him the help he had recently requested. Our stepdaughters immediately alerted DCFS. A conviction would have destroyed our professional careers and seriously damaged our family’s future. Agonizing months later, our case was dismissed, and the charges were characterized as unfounded. This betrayal led to familial estrangement from the stepdaughters. Our now 23-year-old son is doing well, and my wife understandably wants her offspring back in our lives. I have encouraged my wife to pursue reconciliation. I do not share this interest. (Independently, neither does our son). My wife is pressuring me to partake in the perilous voyage of reconciling with her daughters. I would prefer being keelhauled. Please share your reflections on this possible mission impossible. – Dismayed Dear Dismayed: Alerting DCFS set in motion a very serious set of circumstances for your family. From your narrative, this choice to “hotline” you seems extremely overblown; I wonder what else your stepdaughters might have seen or perceived that doesn’t fit into your narrative, and if your son was taking risks that are genuinely more alarming than that of a teenager smoking pot. The only way to find out about their motivations and to describe the impact on you and your family is to communicate with these women. People do sometimes issue false reports to DCFS in order to punish family members; this is a very serious issue in that it breaks apart families, and also absorbs time and resources that would better be used to investigate actual situations that involve at-risk children. I hope that in this case your adult stepdaughters were overreacting and naïve about the impact of their choice. It’s good that you are encouraging your wife to reconcile with her daughters; she should not force you to join her immediately, but I hope you would be open to a gradual thaw. Much of what happens next rests on the behavior of these women; obviously they owe you an apology and an understanding and sincere reckoning concerning the impact of what they set in motion. Dear Amy: My eldest daughter is 15. She is a sweet girl, has friends, and does pretty well in school. Her dad and I love and like her. She takes basic care of her clothes and her room, but about once a week I go into her room and basically straighten up. She knows I do this because – well, she sees the result when she gets home from band practice. My question concerns her diary. She usually leaves it peeking out from under her pillow, and sometimes on top of her bed. Lately I’ve been reading through her diary. I haven’t seen anything too alarming (or even very interesting), but I’m wondering if what I’m doing is wrong? My whole family reads your column and we talk about your questions and answers at the dinner table sometimes. I’m curious to know what you think about what I’m doing? – Wondering Mom Dear Mom: I think that what you’re doing is wrong. And so do you. How do I know? You answer this ethical question yourself when you ask: “… I’m wondering if what I’m doing is wrong?” If your teenage daughter told you she was eavesdropping on a friend or family member and asked, “I’m wondering if what I’m doing is wrong?” you would wisely answer: “If you are wondering enough to ask this question, then I think you already know the answer. Step back, reflect on your actions, and respect others’ privacy – just as you expect others to respect your own.” The only justification for reading your teen’s diary is if you have credible evidence or an obvious concern that the teen might hurt herself or someone else. Being curious about your daughter’s inner life is not a justification for prying. Dear Amy: “Unappreciated Tipper” wanted the wait staff to express appreciation for his generous tips. As one who was trained to be a waiter in five-star restaurants, I should point out that courtesy and privacy are key items in the training and that you should not look at the tip until the customer is out of the building, in order to avoid bias, good or bad, anytime they return. – May I Take Your Order Dear Order: Thank you for passing along your wisdom. (You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.) ©2023 Amy Dickinson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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culture

Dear Annie: How worried should I be that my husband secretly texts other women?

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for more than 50 years. We have had a great life together, sharing a lot of the same interests. We had a great friendship with another couple. Several years ago, the husband caught my husband and his wife sexting each other. I do believe it was a one-time thing, as she was drinking and the circumstances pointed to being a one-night thing. I wanted to forgive and forget, as she was a really great friend. However, her husband insisted that we have no further contact with each other. We have another friend who is a single mom with two grown children. They live a couple of hundred miles from us. For some reason, she started texting my husband about issues she has had with her children. Over the years, they have continued to text each other, but it is getting more and more frequent. One time I looked at his text messages, and she was sending him pictures of herself. She is beautiful and younger. I told him that I was not comfortable with all the texting and the pictures she sends. Since then, I have found them texting a lot more. I confronted her, and she said that my husband is her best friend and a big support system to her. She has a lot of issues with her grown children. I told my husband that I did not have an issue with their friendship, but my issue is his keeping it from me. I asked that he tell me about her texting, and what’s going on. He agreed. But nothing has changed. I knew they were still texting, and he wasn’t saying anything to me, so I tried to check his messages from his computer, but he changed the password. When I asked him what his new password was, he gave me a number, but when I have tried it, it doesn’t work. So I have gone behind his back and checked his messages on his phone and have found that they pretty much text daily. He has not said a word to me about it. And I have noticed at times that he deletes her messages but not anyone else’s, so I am feeling he is trying to hide them from me. I have yet to confront him with this. Am I being stupid about this or should I be concerned? His lying is what bothers me about this whole situation. — Disgruntled Wife Dear Disgruntled Wife: The first time you caught your husband sexting another woman should have called for some serious relationship repairs. Not just sweeping it under the rug as a one-time thing. That behavior is unacceptable, and if you’re going to stay married to him, then some serious counseling should be done. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Your husband is lying to you and keeping secrets about his correspondence with another woman. Kindly tell this woman that she needs to find a professional therapist to help her with her grown children problems, and she needs to stay away from your husband. Your husband has lied to you many times, and his behavior points to him knowing better. Otherwise, he wouldn’t feel the need to delete these messages. It is not unreasonable for you to ask him for honesty and openness in his communication. It is time to go into marriage counseling and have your husband come clean. You sound like too kind of a woman to be lied to and taken for granted. It is time to stick up for yourself and tell him no more, once and for all. “How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM