Articles Posted in Assault & Battery on a Household Member

JP is a 32 year old licensed insurance salesman for a large insurance company in Boston. It is a well paying job that requires that he be licensed by the State Department of Insurance. Any criminal offense on his record could cause him to be ineligible for state licensure and it could cause his employer to fire him. JP lives in Salem, MA with his wife and two children. JP’s mother and step-father had been living in JP’s house for two years. JP and his wife told JP’s mother and step-father that they (the mother and step-father) had to find another place to live as the house was too crowded and relations were getting strained. On May 4, 2021 a loud argument broke out between JP and his mother. The police were called to the house. In the 911 call, all that can be heard is loud yelling (in Portuguese) between a female and a male. The police arrived at the house and the yelling was still going on. The police separate everyone.

The police speak with JP’s mother who says that JP “grabbed both the left and right collars of her jacket and pulled her forward in a violent motion”. She also tells the police that “she then slapped JP back across the face in self-defense”. The police then speak to JP. At first JP told the police that he and his mother had had an argument when his mother slapped him across the face for no reason. When asked, JP denied touching his mother. The police then told JP that his mother had told them that she had slapped JP in self-defense after he had pushed her. According to the police report “JP then immediately related that he was slapped in the face first and then pushed her in defense.” The police mad a determination that JP was “the dominant aggressor” and the police placed JP under arrest for Domestic Assault & Battery”.

JP was arraigned in Salem District Court the next day and his case was continued for a pre-trial hearing to July 19, 2021. JP sought out a lawyer. JP spoke (via zoom) with Attorney Robert Lewin from Andover and JP hired Attorney Lewin to represent him. JP explained to Attorney Lewin that his application for re-licensure had to be submitted in September and that he had to get the case favorably resolved by that time.

KC is a 39 year old director of IT for a high tech company. He is married with two young children. For about two years KC was having an affair with a 26 year old teacher at the day care center where his children go every day. On Saturday, April 6, 2019 KC told his wife he was going out to a birthday party for a fellow employee. That part was true; what he didn’t tell his wife is that he was meeting his girlfriend after the party. At about 10:00 pm that night KC left the birthday party and went to a local bar in Danvers where he met up with his girlfriend. She had been drinking and she continued to drink. Sometime shortly after midnight KC and the girlfriend left the bar and got into KC’s car. They began to argue and she told him “You are never going to leave your wife.” At that point the girlfriend went crazy and began to punch and hit and scratch KC. KC put his arms up to block the girlfriend’s punches and in the process her nose was struck and began to bleed. She then got out of the car and walked across the street to a fire station where she told the firemen that her boyfriend had beat her up. He left and drove home. Within minutes the police were at his door and KC got arrested for a domestic assault and battery on his girlfriend. Fortunately KC had the presence of mind and the smarts to take pictures of himself and all the scratches that he had on his face and neck from his girlfriend. Unfortunately for KC, his wife was there when the police came and arrested him for assault and battery on his girlfriend. As he was being led off by the police she told him don’t bother coming back home.

KC went to Court the following Monday and was arraigned. He was ordered to have no contact with the girlfriend and to stay away from her. He went to live with a brother.

KC met with and retained Attorney Robert Lewin from North Andover. Attorney Lewin could see right away that she had been the aggressor in this case and that he had acted only in self-defense. Then the phone calls, the texts, and the emails began. The girlfriend was trying to contact KC at least 25 to 30 times each day. As instructed by Attorney Lewin, KC saved every text, email, and voice message that she left. In her texts she threatened him if he did not get back to her. Then the girlfriend contacted KC’s wife (in person, directly) and asked her what was going on with her marriage to KC. KC’s wife told the girlfriend he’s all yours if you want him.

On March 30, 2019 SS, a 30 year old landscaper from Haverhill and his live in girlfriend got into an argument. They had both been drinking and the argument got heated. They live in an apartment building. A neighbor heard the argument and then heard a banging sound and the sound of a body being banged against the wall and then dropping to the floor. The neighbor then heard SS yell “Is this what you f—ing want?”. The neighbor called 911 and the Haverhill Police responded. The girlfriend told the police that SS had slammed her to the ground causing her whole body to hurt. SS told the police that she had attacked him and he simply put his hands up and pushed her away to avoid getting hit by her.

SS had an initial consultation with and hired Attorney Robert Lewin from North Andover. At first SS wanted to work out a plea bargain in the case. Attorney Lewin told SS that his case was a triable case. SS then changed his mind and told Attorney Lewin that he wanted to fight the case. On April 22, 2019 the Haverhill District Court set a trial date of July 9, 2019.

Attorney Lewin met with the girlfriend. Because SS and the girlfriend were not married she did not have a “spousal privilege” which would allow her to refuse to testify. Because there was evidence that the girlfriend had attacked SS the girlfriend did have a Fifth Amendment privilege which would permit her to refuse to testify in the case. The girlfriend told Attorney Lewin that she wished to exercise her Fifth Amendment privilege.

On Saturday, October 6, 2018, ST, a 54 year old father of two children was at his home in Chelmsford. ST and his 17 year old son got into an argument and the son claimed that his father had grabbed the son by the throat. ST’s daughter called 911 and the police came to the house and arrested ST. ST’s wife was present as well. On Sunday, ST contacted Attorney Robert Lewin from North Andover. After speaking with Attorney Lewin ST retained Attorney Lewin. On Tuesday, October 9, 2018 ST and Attorney Lewin appeared in Lowell District Court for ST’s arraignment. Attorney Lewin secured ST’s release on personal recognizance and the case was continued to November 8, 2018 for a pre-trial hearing. Attorney Lewin spoke with ST’s wife and son. Attorney Lewin was able to obtain written statements from ST’s wife that ST’s son had actually struck ST prior to ST’s pushing the son away. In addition ST’s son signed a statement saying that he (the son) had touched the father first.

Attorney Lewin explained to ST that the DA’s Office would not agree to dismiss the case at the pre-trial hearing but that the case would have to be set down for trial. Attorney Lewin provided the written statements by the wife and son to the District Attorney. On November 8, 2018 ST and Attorney Lewin appeared at Lowell District Court for the pre-trial hearing. The DA offered a general continuance of the case coupled with a dismissal. A general continuance is where the case is continued to another date (typically 6 months) and at the end of that period of time the case gets dismissed. A general continuance is typically a good result because there is no admission of guilt and there is no finding of guilt. It is a dismissal that takes a little time to get there. Attorney Lewin (and ST) felt strongly that the case could be outright won if taken to trial. ST turned down the offer of a general continuance and the case was set down for trial on December 3, 2018.

On Monday, December 3, 2018 ST and Attorney Lewin appeared in Lowell District Court in the Trial Session. The case was called and Attorney Lewin answered that the Defense was present and ready for trial. The DA stood up and said that they were not ready. Attorney Lewin moved that the case be dismissed. The Judge presiding in the Courtroom granted Attorney Lewin’s Motion and ordered the case dismissed.

On May 20, 2018 NU, a 31 year old pest control worker, was arrested in Andover for assaulting his sister by alleging throwing her to the ground during an alcohol fueled argument. The was his third arrest for assault and battery in the last two years. Attorney Robert Lewin from North Andover had represented NU in the first two cases. One ended in a finding of not guilty and the second was dismissed. NU again consulted with and retained Attorney Lewin to represent him in this case. It was NU’s claim that his sister in an unprovoked attack had sucker punched NU in the mouth cutting his lip open and that in self-defense he had pushed her away from him. The sister called 911 and NU was arrested and charged.

The sister admitted to the police that she had punched NU in the mouth but she told the police that she had done that to defend herself. It was very apparent to Attorney Lewin that the sister had a valid Fifth Amendment claim not to testify – if she wanted to exercise it. Attorney Lewin advised NU that NU had every right to apply for a criminal complaint against his sister to level the playing field. NU did not want to press a criminal charge against his sister; however, the sister was informed that she herself had exposure to a charge being brought against her and  that she had a right not to testify against her brother.

On June 25, 2018 NU and Attorney Lewin appeared in Lawrence District Court for a pre-trial hearing. Attorney Lewin explained to the DA that the sister had a valid Fifth Amendment claim and would probably exercise the claim. As is their usual custom the DA refused to dismiss the case at the pre-trial hearing. The case was continued for trial to Tuesday, August 21, 2018.

On November 30, 2017, SO, a 32 year old pipe-fitter from Methuen, MA, got into an argument with his live-in girlfriend. She began to break things in their apartment and then she attacked him. HE called 911 and asked that she be removed from the apartment. The Methuen police responded quickly to the apartment. According to the police report she told the police that SO had grabbed her by the throat and dragged her out of one room and into the kitchen where he proceeded to hold her down on the floor. When he finally let her up, the police report continues, he blocked her way in the apartment. SO told the police that she had smashed a picture frame and he denied ever grabbing her or holding her down. The police arrested SO and charged him with one count of Domestic Assault & Battery. On December 1, 2017 SO was arraigned in Lawrence District Court and his case was continued to January 19, 2018 for a pre-trial hearing.

SO met with and retained Attorney Robert Lewin from North Andover. It was obvious to Attorney Lewin that the girlfriend had a Fifth Amendment Privilege not to testify. She had committed at least two crimes: smashing the picture frame (malicious destruction to property) and assault and battery (she had struck him). Attorney Lewin met with the girlfriend and explained the workings of the Fifth Amendment Privilege. She told Attorney Lewin that she did not want to testify and would exercise her privilege. Attorney Lewin then went and met with the Assistant District Attorney. As is their custom, the DA’s Office refused to commit to dismissing the case at the pre-trial hearing on January 19, 2018. The DA always prefers to continue a domestic assault & battery case to the trial date. Their hope is that the complainant (the girlfriend in this case) will have a change of mind and will decide to testify.

On January 19, 2018 SO, Attorney Lewin, and the girl-friend appeared in the pre-trial session at Lawrence District Court. Attorney Lewin told the Judge that the complaining witness was present in the Courtroom and that she had a valid claim of a Fifth Amendment Privilege and that she wished to exercise her Fifth Amendment Privilege. The Judge appointed a lawyer to speak with the complaining witness. The District Attorney objected. The DA pointed out that the case was not on for trial but was scheduled for pre-trial; the DA pointed out that the complaining witness could change her mind between the date of the pre-trial and the trial date. Attorney Lewin argued that the complaining witness had taken the day off from work to come to court, that the complaining witness was resolute that she did not want to testify and that she would exercise her Fifth Amendment privilege. Attorney Lewin argued that it would be a waste or everyone’s time and resources to make everyone come back to court on a later date to do what could be done on January 19. The Judge agreed with Attorney Lewin. The Judge accepted the girlfriend’s exercise of her Fifth Amendment Privilege and the Judge then asked the DA if they could go forward with the case without the testimony of the girlfriend. The DA reported they could not. The Judge then ordered the case dismissed.