Articles Posted in Assault & Battery

On December 21, 2019 two men (JG and JM) who shared an apartment in Newburyport went out for a few drinks. They returned back to the apartment. It is at this point that the two versions of what happened differ wildly. The police reports contain the following: According to JG, who owned the lease on the apartment, JG asked the roommate JM to leave the apartment. When JM refused to leave an argument broke out and JM punched JG and pushed him to the floor knocking over a Christmas tree. According to JM, when they returned from the bar JM tried to go to sleep but JG began arguing with JM and JG pushed and scratched JM at which point JM pushed JG away.  Both men told the police that the other man was the aggressor. Both men told the police that the other man hit first. And both men told the police they acted in self-defense. JG had visible injuries and he had been the one that called the police. JG requested medical attention and was brought to the hospital. The police arrested JM at the scene and the police told JG that he would receive a notice to go to court.

On December 23, 2020 JM was arraigned in Newburyport District Court and his case was continued for a pre-trial hearing to January 27, 2020. JM was appointed a lawyer. JG received a Notice of a Criminal Complaint Application that had been filed by the police. The Notice informed JG that the police had filed an application against JG at the Court wherein the police were asking the Clerk-Magistrate of the Court to issue a criminal complaint against JG for Assault & Battery. The Notice further informed JG that a hearing would be held at the Court by a Clerk-Magistrate on January 31, 2020. JG met with and retained Attorney Robert Lewin of Andover. Attorney Lewin explained to JG that you never want to be in criminal court – especially in Newburyport District Court, the toughest District Court in Essex County. Attorney Lewin explained to JG that the only people who “win” in Criminal Court are the lawyers because the lawyers get paid to be there. Attorney Lewin explained to JG that if JM refused to testify against JG then it was very likely the case against JG would go away and JG would not be charged. Likewise, Attorney Lewin explained that if JG refused to testify against JM the case against JM would likely go away. JG told Attorney Lewin that he did not want to be charged and he had no problem with the case against JM being dismissed.

Attorney Lewin called the lawyer that had been appointed to represent JM and proposed that both men refuse to testify against the other in their respective cases. The public defender agreed with Attorney Lewin’s suggestion. Attorney Lewin called the police prosecutor. The police prosecutor represents the police department at the Clerk-Magistrate Hearing. The prosecutor said that if JM had no interest in going forward with the case against JG then the police would not press the matter forward at the Clerk-Magistrate Hearing. Attorney Lewin told the public defender for JM to speak with the Assistant DA and to tell the DA that Attorney Lewin represented JG and that JG was not going to testify against JM.

KP, a 65 year old man from California, was on a work assignment in Andover, MA. He got into a dispute with a fellow employee. According to KP the fellow employee attacked KP and the fellow employee ended up getting charged by the Andover police with Assault & Battery on a Person Over 60. The fellow employee turned around and filed an application for a criminal complaint against KP at Lawrence District Court alleging that KP had punched and strangled him and had hurled racial insults against the fellow employee. The Clerk-Magistrate’s Office at Lawrence District Court scheduled the application for a criminal complaint against KP for a hearing on January 9, 2020. KP was referred to Attorney Robert Lewin from North Andover. KP and Attorney Lewin had an initial conference over the phone that lasted about 1 1/2 hours. KP then retained Attorney Lewin. Attorney Lewin explained to KP that it would be prudent for Attorney Lewin to find out who was representing the fellow employee in the fellow employee’s criminal case. Attorney Lewin explained that both KP and the fellow employee have a Fifth Amendment right not to testify against one another and that if they both exercised their Fifth Amendment right it was very likely the Commonwealth could not proceed against of the the two men. KP had no interest in pursuing the criminal charge that the police had filed against the fellow employee and KP certainly did not want to have to defend against a charge of Assault & Battery himself. Attorney Lewin explained to KP that the only people who win when a case goes to court are the lawyers because the lawyers get paid.

Attorney Lewin reached out to the lawyer for the fellow employee and explained that KP would not come out from California to Massachusetts to testify against the fellow employee if the fellow employee agreed not to testify against KP at the Clerk-Magistrate hearing. The attorney for the fellow employee agreed.

On January 9, 2020 Attorney Lewin appeared at the office of the Clerk-Magistrate for the hearing on the application for the criminal complaint for Assault & Battery against KP. KP remained in California. No one else showed up. The fellow employee and his Attorney had agreed with Attorney Lewin that they would not appear. The Clerk-Magistrate called the case and when no one other than Attorney Lewin responded the Clerk-Magistrate denied the Application for a Criminal Complaint against KP. As a result KP was not charged with any criminal offense; KP did not have to come to Massachusetts; and NO criminal record was created against KP. Attorney Lewin left the hearing room at Lawrence District Court and called KP in California and told him that he had just won his case! KP was thrilled and gave Attorney Lewin a big “thank you” from California.

NT, a 28 year old woman with anger issues, got into an argument with her next door neighbor – a retired cop. The argument arose when the neighbor’s dogs came onto NT’s property. The neighbor came over to get the dogs and NT got in his face and began to yell at him. As the neighbor turned to leave NT yelled at him “You come back here”. According to the police report the neighbor stated “he turned back around and that was when NT spit up a loogie and spit it at the neighbor striking his chest”. (You can’t make this stuff up!)

The neighbor called the police and the  police responded. The police talked to the neighbor and to NT’s father. The father told the police that NT had anger issues. The police then applied for a  criminal complaint against NT for Assault and Battery on a Person Over 60 – a felony. NT has a good job and having a record for a felony charge could have very serious consequences for her employment. NT received a notice from Woburn District Court informing her that a Hearing before a Clerk-Magistrate had been set for November 6, 2019.

NT met with and retained Attorney Robert Lewin from North Andover. Attorney Lewin immediately obtained copies of the police reports. Attorney Lewin then called the Police Prosecutor and sent an email to the police prosecutor detailing how detrimental it would be for NT to be charged with a felony. Attorney Lewin suggested to the Police Prosecutor that this would be a good case to resolve at the Clerk-Magistrate Hearing without a complaint being issued against NT. The prosecutor agreed with Attorney Lewin.

ED, age 17 from a bedroom community north of Boston, graduated with honors from High School in May 2019 and was due to go off to college in August. On Monday, May 27, 2019, he was with some friends. They all decided to get some weed and get high. One of the boys got weed and they all proceeded to smoke. ED’s last good memory was smoking the weed. His next good memory was waking up in an ambulance being brought to the hospital.

According to a police report the police responded to an accident scene as the result of several 911 calls. Upon arrival at the scene and speaking with witnesses it was determined that ED had run out into the street directly in the path of an oncoming car and was struck by the car. The driver of the car – herself in shock at what had happened – remained at the scene. According to police reports ED, after the collision, entered a motor vehicle and barricaded himself in the vehicle. The police ordered ED out of the car but he refused. After some tugging and pulling ED was removed from the car and forced to the ground. He resisted the police and scratched at the police and actually bit one of the police. Back up offices arrived at the scene and ED was subsequently cuffed and placed into an ambulance. According to one police officer’s report ED was in an “excited delirium state”; his heart was racing, he was sweating profusely, and when he spoke he made no sense.

The police charged ED with two counts of assault and battery on a police officer, one count of malicious destruction to property, disorderly conduct, and interfering with a police officer.

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.

For many years a feud had simmered between two brothers. The older brother is age 60 and the younger brother is age 38. On Saturday, January 26, 2019 the younger brother was helping another brother (this is a very large family) move out of a three family house owned by the older brother in Haverhill. The older brother had ordered the younger brother not to come onto the property. The younger brother ignored the order and was in the house helping the other brother move. During the moving process the hardwood floors got scratched, a wall got dented, and an exterior door frame got damaged. The older brother confronted the younger brother and the two brothers got face to face in the presence of about 4 witnesses. The younger brother reported to the Haverhill Police that the older brother then punched the younger brother in the face twice before the two men were separated by the witnesses who were present. According to the police reports the younger brother had visible cuts on his face from the punches.

The Haverhill Police filed an application for a criminal complaint for Assault & Battery against EJ, the older brother. EJ has a job working in a public school system and an assault & battery charge could have drastic consequences for his continued employment and his pension. EJ sought out an attorney. EJ contacted and met with Attorney Robert Lewin from North Andover. Attorney Lewin also met with EJ’s wife; she was present when this happened. Attorney Lewin fully prepared EJ and his wife for the Clerk-Magistrate Hearing.

On February 13, 2019 EJ and his wife and Attorney Lewin appeared in Haverhill District Court for the Clerk-Magistrate Hearing. The police prosecutor read the police report to the Clerk-Magistrate. The report clearly stated that EJ punched his brother twice in the face in the presence of four witnesses causing cuts to the face. The legal test for a Clerk-Magistrate is probable cause; if the Clerk-Magistrate determines that there is some credible evidence that the crime occurred then the Clerk-Magistrate may issue the criminal complaint. The Clerk-Magistrate does not determine if the accused is guilty or not guilty, but merely is there some credible evidence that the crime occurred. It is a very low threshold. EJ and his wife testified that EJ had not punched his brother. In addition Attorney Lewin presented photos at the hearing of the damage that the younger brother had caused to the property. Attorney Lewin also presented photos of EJ; the photos showed bruises on EJ where he had been grabbed by his younger brother.

On February 15, 2018, LT, a 55 year old woman from North Andover went to her daughter’s home (also in North Andover) and got into an argument with her 22 year old daughter. The daughter was holding her 1 year old baby and, according to the North Andover Police report, LT “punched [the daughter] on the right side of her face with a closed fist while she was still holding the baby”. The police left the daughter’s home and went to LT’s home and then spoke with LT. LT denied punching her daughter but did admit to pushing her daughter. LT claimed that her daughter had pushed her and had caused a bruise on LT’s face. The police arrested LT.

The next day, February 16, 2018 LT was arraigned in Lawrence District Court. She was ordered released on personal recognizance and her case was continued to April 26, 2018 for a pre-trial hearing. LT met with and retained Attorney Robert Lewin from North Andover. Attorney Lewin explained to LT that the District Attorney’s Office would not simply dismiss the case because LT was a nice lady with no record. Attorney Lewin met with the Assistant District Attorney and explored the possibility of a general continuance of the case. A general continuance is where the parties agree to simply continue the case for a period of time and at the end of the period of time if there have been no further problems the case gets dismissed. With a general continuance there is no admission of guilt or wrongdoing; it is NOT a plea bargain as there is no guilty plea.

On April 26, 2o18 the case was called in Court for a pre-trial hearing. The DA’s Office was unwilling to commit to a general continuance. The case was then continued for a trial by jury to May 30, 2018.




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.

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