Violent Crimes
Commonwealth v. P.S. – Brockton District Court
ASSAULT and BATTERY: DISMISSED
Police received a 911 call from an identified caller stating that her friend (alleged victim) sounded in distress and she (caller) could hear the defendant in the background heckling her. Upon arrival, the alleged victim was crying. She stated that the defendant pushed in the window in order to get into the apartment. Police observed the glass window on the floor with the blinds ripped off. Police also observed that the front wooden door was broken. She alleged that the defendant pushed her to the floor and stuck his foot in her face yelling at her, “You’re a fucking bitch.” Police observed blood on the defendant’s hand. Defendant has a total of seven restraining orders against him, two of which are permanent. The alleged victim in this case sought and obtained a restraining order. Attorney Gerald J. Noonan filed a Motion to Dismiss arguing that the alleged victim had a fifth amendment privilege against self-incrimination should she testify against him at trial. Specifically, there was evidence (text messages) showing that the alleged victim broke the front wooden door. There was also evidence that the alleged victim punched the defendant in the face earlier. Police also observed that the alleged victim was intoxicated. Absent the alleged victim’s testimony, the Commonwealth did not have enough evidence to proceed to trial and the case was dismissed.
Result: Attorney Gerald J. Noonan gets domestic violence charge dismissed at trial.
Commonwealth v. M.R. – Brockton District Court
ASSAULT & BATTERY: DISMISSED at CLERK’S HEARING
Brockton Police were dispatched to a residence for a call of domestic violence in which the caller stated that he was hit by his girlfriend. Upon arrival, the alleged victim told police that his girlfriend pushed him and scratched him, leaving marks on his right shoulder. Defendant is 32 years-old and a mother of two with no criminal record. She has worked as a Home Health Aide for over four years. She graduated from Community College and, prior to this incident, applied to several nursing schools to become a Registered Nurse.
Result: No complaint issued, and client may report No Record on school applications.
Commonwealth v. J.R. – Brockton District Court
THREATS TO COMMIT CRIME: DISMISSED
Bridgewater Police were dispatched to a neighborhood disturbance. Upon arrival, police spoke to the alleged victim who stated that the Defendant walked into her backyard and made sexual gestures directed toward her. She told him to leave and he returned five-minutes later and threatened to kill her. Police observed that the alleged victim was crying and very alarmed. Police spoke with the Defendant who smelled of alcohol. At a clerk magistrate’s hearing, the alleged victim testified and Attorney Gerald J. Noonan called witnesses on behalf of the Defendant.
Result: Attorney Gerald J. Noonan convinced the Magistrate not to issue the complaint but to hold the matter open for a period of six-months with certain conditions. If no issues arise, the complaint will be dismissed.
Commonwealth v. M.I. – Taunton District Court
ASSAULT and BATTERY: DISMISSED
On May 8, 2015, the alleged victim (nephew of defendant) went to the Easton Police Station crying and reported that the Defendant pushed him, grabbed him from behind, wrestled with him and threatened to kill him. The alleged victim fled the house in his vehicle and went directly to the police station to report the incident.
Result: Attorney Gerald J. Noonan filed a Motion to Dismiss arguing that the alleged victim had a fifth amendment privilege against self-incrimination stemming from criminal acts he engaged in himself during the dispute and prior to the dispute. The judge dismissed the case.
Commonwealth v. J.M. – Brockton District Court
ASSAULT & BATTERY w/ DANGEROUS WEAPON: NOT GUILTY
Defendant was charged with Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon stemming from allegations that he grabbed his girlfriend’s phone and struck her repeatedly in the head with it. The alleged victim claimed that the Defendant slapped her, pushed her to the ground, and threatened to kill her. After the assault, the alleged victim immediately went to the police station to report it and she obtained an emergency restraining order.
Result: After a jury trial, Attorney Patrick J. Noonan got a Not Guilty verdict on the violent felony offense of Assault & Battery with a Dangerous Weapon.
Commonwealth v. R.P. – Brockton Superior Court
ASSAULT w/ INTENT TO MURDER: NOT GUILTY
Defendant was indicted for Assault with Intent to Murder stemming from allegations that he tried to murder his wife with knives he kept throwing at her. Attorney Gerald J. Noonan and Attorney Patrick J. Noonan tried the case before a jury. At trial, the Commonwealth introduced a 911 tape in which the alleged victim was screaming and crying that her husband was trying to kill her with knives he kept throwing. The Commonwealth also presented photographs of damage inside the couple’s home including stab marks in the wall, holes in the wall, furniture tossed over, and broken glass. Attorney Gerald J. Noonan and Attorney Patrick J. Noonan argued that the Defendant directed all his destruction on the house (not his wife) by throwing knives into the wall, stabbing the wall, punching holes on the wall, and tossing over furniture. During the course of his destruction, the Defendant never touched his wife, and Attorney Noonan presented evidence that the alleged victim did not sustain any injuries and never complained of any injuries.
Result: After a three-day trial, the jury found the Defendant Not Guilty of Assault with Intent to Murder, the most serious of the indictments. “Trial opens in Brockton for ex-firefighter charged with assaulting late wife.”
Commonwealth v. T.W. – Brockton District Court
ASSAULT & BATTERY: DISMISSED
ASSAULT & BATTERY w/ DANGEROUS WEAPON: DISMISSED
THREAT TO COMMIT CRIME (MURDER): DISMISSED
Brockton Police were dispatched to the Defendant’s residence after receiving a 911 call in which her husband reported that she had assaulted him with a hammer and fled the house. The husband told police that a verbal argument ensued between them and the Defendant threatened to kill him. The alleged victim stated that the Defendant same into his bedroom with a screw driver and hammer and struck him with the hammer. Police observed marks to the victim’s right shoulder. The victim took out an emergency restraining order against the Defendant, which was granted by the judge. After taking out the emergency restraining order, the victim went to spend the night at his church. The Defendant and her two sons went to the church and assaulted the victim by punching and hitting him. Attorney Gerald J. Noonan filed a pretrial Motion to Dismiss and presented an Affidavit from the victim stating that he would invoke his marital privilege and refuse to testify against his wife at trial.
Result: Attorney Gerald J. Noonan argued that, in the absence of the victim’s testimony, the Commonwealth would unable to prove the case at trial. The judge agreed and dismissed the criminal complaints.
Commonwealth v. J.C. – Lynn District Court
ASSAULT & BATTERY: RELEASED FROM CUSTODY
DISORDERLY CONDUCT: RELEASED FROM CUSTODY
RESISTING ARREST: RELEASED FROM CUSTODY
THREATS TO COMMIT ARSON: RELEASED FROM CUSTODY
STALKING: RELEASED FROM CUSTODY
The Commonwealth sought to hold the Defendant in custody for 120 days or until trial due to the seriousness of the allegations that he attempted to burn down his ex-girlfriend’s house with gasoline until police intervened to physically stop him. After a Dangerousness Hearing, Defendant was released from custody. Upon a finding of dangerousness and a finding that no conditions of release would ensure the public safety, the Defendant would be held in the House of Correction for 120 days under the new domestic violence statute. Attorney Patrick J. Noonan represented the client at the Dangerousness Hearing and thoroughly impeached and discredited the testimony of the alleged victim-girlfriend.
Result: Attorney Patrick J. Noonan saves his client from serving 120 days in jail.
Commonwealth v. R.M. – Brockton District Court
THREATS TO COMMIT A & B: DISMISSED (CLERK’S HEARING)
Client, 37 year-old business owner, was charged with Threats to Commit a Crime stemming from allegations that he threatened to assault and beat an ex-employee and the ex-employee’s father. Attorney Patrick J. Noonan argued that this was a simple verbal argument over a paycheck. The Magistrate agreed with Attorney Noonan to keep the matter open for a period of 3 months and to dismiss the case at that time.
Result: No criminal complaint issued and the client was able to complete the process of trying to become a Massachusetts State Trooper.
Commonwealth v. R.N. – Brockton District Court
ASSAULT with DEADLY WEAPON: DISMISSED at TRIAL
The alleged victim claimed that the Defendant pulled out a handgun, which he believed to be a Glock 9 mm. handgun, and threatened him with it in the aftermath of a heated domestic incident regarding child custody. In addition, the alleged victim claimed that the Defendant tried pulling him out his car and ripped the liner free from his driver’s side door. The alleged victim sped off in his car in fear and called 911. Today, the case was scheduled for trial.
Result: At the first trial date, Attorney Patrick J. Noonan successfully obtained an outright dismissal of the criminal charge.