Assault, battery charges leveled against four Brookline officers
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A Lynn man leveled multiple charges of assault and battery against four Brookline police officers on Friday afternoon, after he said they attacked him on Beacon Street following an argument over a stripper's fee.
Robert Sonia, 40, of Lynn, and his attorney charged Brookline police officers Daniel Avila, David Hill, Yu Kajita and Brendan Kelliher with aggravated assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot), plus assault and battery in an application for a criminal complaint. They filed the complaint in Brookline District Court.
Sonia, who is an employee at the Lynn-based Shamrock Entertainment, said he was working as a bodyguard for a stripper who was hired to dance at a bachelor party attended by the four off-duty cops on Beacon Street early Sunday morning. When the pair got to the party, they were told the bachelor had left and the four men didn't want the dancer's services any longer, he said.
Sonia said the officers refused to pay for the stripper, and refused to give the pair gas money.
Sonia said he and the dancer returned to their vehicle, but the officers followed them outside and one tried photographing his license plate with his cell phone. Sonia got out of the car, and that's when he said he was attacked near the corner of Beacon Street and Corey Road. He suffered a broken eye socket and other injuries during the attack, he said. He was transported to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital for treatment that morning.
Sonia said he has been out of work since Sunday's incident.
"I'm feeling better than I did, I'm still very sore," said Sonia, who had a black right eye on Friday afternoon.
Police put the four officers on paid leave following the incident and launched an investigation, they said. On Wednesday afternoon, the department released the four officers' names to the media, and said none have been the subject of an investigation before. Police have declined to release the police report or 911 calls of the incident to Sonia and the media, including the Brookline TAB.
"We would absolutely like to have the police report. In spite of the fact I have requested the police report over and over again, the police continue to say it's under investigation," said Sonia's attorney, John Saliba. "And I find it unusual that it is still under investigation."
In a written statement from Brookline Police Chief Daniel O'Leary, he wrote that the charges were made against officers who were at the scene of Sunday's incident with Sonia.
"I have promised a thorough and exhaustive investigation into this incident and the filing of these complaints in no way alters the course of this investigation," O'Leary wrote. "As I have previously stated, it is the Police Department's responsibility to ensure the integrity of this investigation. Therefore, we will not be releasing any further details at this time."
Saliba said the complaint was filed after the police department released the names of the four officers to the media, and not to him directly, even though he had requested them.
A Brookline District Court clerk said no date has been set for a hearing to review the application for the complaint.
On Friday morning, Board of Selectmen Chairwoman Nancy Daly said there is a "possibility" of police filing a criminal complaint in the case, but police Sgt. Robert Disario said "that's still being hashed out."
Saliba wouldn't comment when asked if he is concerned that police are looking at whether to file their own criminal complaint in the case.
Meanwhile, Daly told the TAB that the meeting will be a closed-door executive session with the five board members, O'Leary and Town Administrator Richard Kelliher.
Daly said O'Leary might make a public statement following that meeting, but did not expect the board to take any action regarding the case on Tuesday.
The meeting is scheduled for 5 or 5:30 p.m., before the board's regular meeting on Tuesday at Town Hall, she said.
Daly said the Board of Selectmen, who act as Brookline's police commissioners, will review the incident once the police have completed their investigation. Selectmen have disciplinary authority over Brookline officers, including the ability to issue suspensions or dismiss an officer, she said.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/brookline/fea…
April 2, 2010
Robert Sonia, 40, of Lynn, and his attorney charged Brookline police officers Daniel Avila, David Hill, Yu Kajita and Brendan Kelliher with aggravated assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot), plus assault and battery in an application for a criminal complaint. They filed the complaint in Brookline District Court.
Sonia, who is an employee at the Lynn-based Shamrock Entertainment, said he was working as a bodyguard for a stripper who was hired to dance at a bachelor party attended by the four off-duty cops on Beacon Street early Sunday morning. When the pair got to the party, they were told the bachelor had left and the four men didn't want the dancer's services any longer, he said.
Sonia said the officers refused to pay for the stripper, and refused to give the pair gas money.
Sonia said he and the dancer returned to their vehicle, but the officers followed them outside and one tried photographing his license plate with his cell phone. Sonia got out of the car, and that's when he said he was attacked near the corner of Beacon Street and Corey Road. He suffered a broken eye socket and other injuries during the attack, he said. He was transported to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital for treatment that morning.
Sonia said he has been out of work since Sunday's incident.
"I'm feeling better than I did, I'm still very sore," said Sonia, who had a black right eye on Friday afternoon.
Police put the four officers on paid leave following the incident and launched an investigation, they said. On Wednesday afternoon, the department released the four officers' names to the media, and said none have been the subject of an investigation before. Police have declined to release the police report or 911 calls of the incident to Sonia and the media, including the Brookline TAB.
"We would absolutely like to have the police report. In spite of the fact I have requested the police report over and over again, the police continue to say it's under investigation," said Sonia's attorney, John Saliba. "And I find it unusual that it is still under investigation."
In a written statement from Brookline Police Chief Daniel O'Leary, he wrote that the charges were made against officers who were at the scene of Sunday's incident with Sonia.
"I have promised a thorough and exhaustive investigation into this incident and the filing of these complaints in no way alters the course of this investigation," O'Leary wrote. "As I have previously stated, it is the Police Department's responsibility to ensure the integrity of this investigation. Therefore, we will not be releasing any further details at this time."
Saliba said the complaint was filed after the police department released the names of the four officers to the media, and not to him directly, even though he had requested them.
A Brookline District Court clerk said no date has been set for a hearing to review the application for the complaint.
On Friday morning, Board of Selectmen Chairwoman Nancy Daly said there is a "possibility" of police filing a criminal complaint in the case, but police Sgt. Robert Disario said "that's still being hashed out."
Saliba wouldn't comment when asked if he is concerned that police are looking at whether to file their own criminal complaint in the case.
Meanwhile, Daly told the TAB that the meeting will be a closed-door executive session with the five board members, O'Leary and Town Administrator Richard Kelliher.
Daly said O'Leary might make a public statement following that meeting, but did not expect the board to take any action regarding the case on Tuesday.
The meeting is scheduled for 5 or 5:30 p.m., before the board's regular meeting on Tuesday at Town Hall, she said.
Daly said the Board of Selectmen, who act as Brookline's police commissioners, will review the incident once the police have completed their investigation. Selectmen have disciplinary authority over Brookline officers, including the ability to issue suspensions or dismiss an officer, she said.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/brookline/fea…
April 2, 2010
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