Three charged in wake of courtroom scuffle
Malificynt
Three charged in wake of courtroom scuffle
Associated Press, 05/01/98
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) - A murder victim's son and two others were charged
today with taking part in a courtroom scuffle during a hearing for a man
accused of two murders.
Thursday's courtroom disturbance came as the latest twist in a multiple murder
investigation that has stirred frustration, fear and anger through much of the
community.
As some onlookers gasped or screamed, the attacker burst out of the gallery and
rushed toward the front of the Springfield District Court, where he repeatedly
punched defendant Alfred Gaynor.
The attacker climbed on his back and knocked him to the floor as startled court
officers tried to pull him away. The man then picked up a chair and smashed it
on top of Gaynor.
Authorities later identified the attacker as Eric Downs, the son of one of the
two murder victims.
During the outburst, a woman from the gallery grabbed the attacker, apparently
defending Gaynor. She was later identified as his sister, Kathy.
Within a minute or so, court officers were able to restore order and clear the
room. They detained Downs, the defendant's sister, and Robert Hill, who was
identified as a relative of Downs. His role in the melee wasn't clear.
The victim's son pleaded innocent today in Springfield District Court to
charges of assault and disturbing Thursday's court proceeding. He was released
on $1,000 bail.
Gaynor's sister pleaded innocent to assault and was released on her own
recognizance. Hill was released on $1,000 bail after his innocent plea to
charges including disorderly conduct.
All three quickly left the courtroom without comment to reporters.
They will be allowed back for Gaynor's hearings in the future, but they must
now identify themselves to court officers beforehand. ``We do have some
concerns about their behavior when they do return to the courtroom,'' said
Howard Safford, an assistant district attorney.
During the scuffle, Gaynor was bloodied in the face and suffered pinching from
the shackles on his hands and feet, according to his lawyer, Linda Thompson.
District Attorney William Bennett said he was given medical treatment
afterward. His pretrial hearing was delayed to May 7.
Authorities said no one else was injured.
Gaynor's lawyer partly blamed court security officers for the violence. ``I
think people get sort of lulled into a sense that nothing is really going on,
and it's hard to be alert in those circumstances. But when you have a case
that's been carried daily in the press, as this case has, you have to be
alert,'' she said.
She said she suspected that the attacker had planned his assault, because she
was told he had moved to a closer seat when her client entered the courtroom.
She said Gaynor should now be allowed in court without shackles.
Judge Robert Kumor, the administrator of District Court, said he was reviewing
if enough security officers were on hand. But he said that those on duty
appeared to act quickly.
``The court officers were very, very close to the situation. This was a very
volatile situation. Regrettably, that's what happens sometimes in courtrooms
across the country,'' he said.
The district attorney added, ``Given the tensions that often occur in the
courtroom, it's good for everyone to step back and take a look ... and make
sure we have adequate security.''
Gaynor, 31, of Springfield, was accused April 9 of killing Joyce Dickerson and
Rosemary Downs. Thursday's hearing was set to handle scheduling and other
routine pretrial matters in the case.
Dickerson's frozen body was found March 11 near a vacant restaurant in downtown
Springfield, three weeks after the 37-year-old mother of two disappeared from
her home. Downs, 43, was found naked and dead in the bedroom of her downtown
Springfield apartment Feb. 11.
Authorities say they are investigating if Gaynor had anyconnection to three
similar Springfield murders in recent months.
They had said before his arrest that all five murders could be the work of one
killer.