Latest news with #Bunny'sConvenience
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Yahoo
Judge denies request to revoke bail for stabbing suspect
Feb. 19—The mother of a man violently stabbed multiple times during a fight outside a Manchester convenience store two weeks ago didn't hold back her thoughts about a judge after he denied a request to have the suspect held on bail. "I wish it was your son," Roxanne Perry yelled at Judge Michael Klass during the proceeding. The release of Kyle Bisson, 25, of Manchester, on personal recognizance bail by Magistrate Stephanie Johnson the day after the Feb. 7 altercation has become a political firestorm. The Manchester Police Department, Mayor Jay Ruais and Gov. Kelly Ayotte have all used Bisson's release to argue the need for bail reform. Bisson faces charges of second-degree assault and two counts of falsifying evidence after the stabbing of Michael Perry, 42, in front of Bunny's Convenience store on Elm Street. The two men did not know each other. A police affidavit indicates Perry punched Bisson and called him a racial slur before the stabbing. The fight was caught on surveillance camera, which prosecutor Patrick Ives showed to Klass during a hearing at Hillsborough County Superior Court Wednesday. Roxanne Perry's anger spilled into the lobby after Klass ordered the courtroom cleared with her saying, "They let that animal walk!" It was revealed in court documents that a police prosecutor didn't argue for Bisson to be held during his arraignment in Manchester District Court last week. In a unique move, the Hillsborough County Attorney's Office filed an appeal on a judge's order that the police prosecutor agreed to without objection. Klass said the state did not meet its burden to prove Bisson would be a danger to the public. "While again this involves a troubling and violent episode, the facts before the court do not justify defendant detention going forward," Klass ruled. Klass called a recess to personally review surveillance footage of the confrontation. "The video reflects that M.P. and the defendant both played a role in this incident," the judge said. "They both appeared to be aggressors at times. The video appears consistent with the defendant's affidavit." The alleged victim, Michael Perry, sat in the front of the court with his mother and displayed a scar on his hand from the stabbing. According to the complaint, Bisson stabbed Perry nine times with a pocket knife during a fight with most of the wounds coming as Perry tried to flee. Bisson told police that Perry had called him a derogatory name for Black people and that Perry punched him in the face and jumped on top of him, according to the affidavit. Bisson thought he was going "to get beaten to a pulp" and said he acted in self-defense, according to court documents. Prosecutor Patrick Ives showed Klass surveillance video from Bunny's on the night of the violent exchange and highlighted the timeline. "The defendant is at no physical risk," Ives said. "He is on the other side of Amherst Street five times; each time choosing to reengage in this increasingly heated altercation." He noted Bisson discarded the knife down a drain and the jacket he was wearing. Public defender Tom Stonitsch argued Bisson had the right to defend himself and urged Klass to watch the entire video without an "editorialized" version by Ives. "What you'll see is every single time that my client comes back, he stops several feet away from M.P.," Stonitsch said. "He stops, and M.P. approaches." During the confrontation, Perry told Bisson that he had a knife, which prompted fear for Bisson, and the punch was aimed at "knocking my client out," Stonitsch said. Klass noted Bisson, even though he tossed the knife and jacket, called police, reported for his arraignment and came to the police station. In an unrelated case, Bisson was convicted of criminal threatening (domestic violence) in October and was given a 60-day sentence suspended for two years. Klass said the misdemeanor offenses don't show random acts of violence. In a statement Wednesday, Mayor Ruais said he was disappointed the defendant's personal recognizance bail was not revoked. "This incident brought real violence to our downtown, threatening citizens and business owners, which is unacceptable," he said. "Despite today's decision, I remain confident that legislators in Concord are listening and will get behind the necessary changes to our bail laws. Violent and repeat offenders need to stay behind bars."
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Yahoo
Prosecutor seeks to revoke bail for stabbing suspect after it became political lightning rod
Feb. 14—The Hillsborough County Attorney's Office is seeking to revoke the bail of a man connected to a stabbing outside a Manchester convenience store last week, which prompted outcry after a magistrate released the 25-year-old man without bail. Kyle Bisson of Manchester was arrested on Bridge Street on charges of second-degree assault and two counts of falsifying evidence after the stabbing of a 42-year-old man in front of the Bunny's Convenience store on Elm Street. The two men reportedly did not know each other. Bisson was released on personal recognizance bail by Magistrate Stephanie Johnson after Manchester police argued for preventive detention during a magistrate hearing held Saturday. Bisson was convicted of criminal threatening (domestic violence) in October and was given a 60-day sentence suspended for two years. While police lambasted Johnson's decision, a police prosecutor during the Monday hearing did not seek a modification of the bail, according to court documents. The prosecutor asked for Bisson to arrive at the police station to be formally booked. Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais and Gov. Kelly Ayotte, both Republicans, have criticized Johnson's decision. The Hillsborough County Attorney is John Coughlin, who is also a Republican. Prosecutor Patrick Ives is asking the Superior Court to revoke the prior order of bail and hold Bisson on preventive detention. A hearing is set to be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Bisson stabbed the victim nine times with a pocket knife during a fight, and the majority of the wounds came as the man tried to flee, according to the complaint. Bisson later threw the knife in a storm drain and a red winter jacket into a dumpster, according to court documents. Police were called to the scene around 7 p.m., according to a police prosecutor. The alleged victim was brought to Elliot Hospital. Bisson had been stabbed once in the chest during the altercation and called 911. Police say security footage showed the two having "some sort of verbal argument" when the other man, whom documents refer to as "M.P.," punched Bisson in the face. "Then, Bisson makes a whipping downward motion with his right hand, which appeared consistent with someone whipping a folding pocket knife blade out. However, when he does this, he turns around and looks on the ground, as if he had dropped something," the affidavit reads. "He then bends down as if to pick something up and M.P. rushes him. At this point, the two of them are on the ground in a fight, however, they are partially out of view of the camera." Bisson told police that M.P. had called him a derogatory name for Black people, according to the affidavit, and after exchanging words with the man, was punched in the face. Bisson thought he was going "to get beaten to a pulp" and said he acted in self-defense, according to court documents. The alleged victim explained that Bisson "purposely bumped into him." He said after a verbal exchange Bisson came after him in "combat mode." Ruais blasted the bail ruling in a news release and again during his State of the City address Wednesday morning. He urged lawmakers to get a bail reform bill to Ayotte's desk as quickly as possible "and get these people off our streets." "On what planet is it considered acceptable to stab another human being at least nine times, then be released back out onto our streets? This is unconscionable. Our police, our residents and our visitors are put at risk when criminals like this continue to be released, and it has to stop," he said. In a separate release, he also later thanked Ayotte for making bail reform a priority. "Keeping violent and repeat offenders behind bars is the foundation of public safety of our citizens is non-negotiable," he wrote. "We cannot wait for another tragedy like the recent stabbing in Manchester to demonstrate why Bail Reform is needed." Bisson's public defender Ali Rosenblatt did not return and email Friday evening.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Yahoo
Manchester police, mayor blast magistrate after stabbing suspect released
Feb. 10—Manchester Police and Mayor Jay Ruais are taking aim at one of the state's new magistrates who released a man connected to a stabbing outside a city convenience store Friday night. Kyle Bisson, 25, was arrested on Bridge Street on charges of second-degree assault and two counts of falsifying evidence. A magistrate hearing was held Saturday at which police argued Bisson be held on preventative detention, according to a Manchester Police news release. Magistrate Stephanie Johnson released Bisson "despite the extreme violence and randomness of the crime," the release reads. Ruais, who recently testified on behalf of HB 592 to reform the state's bail laws, blasted Bisson's release. "On what planet is it considered acceptable to stab another human being at least nine times, then be released back out onto our streets? This is unconscionable. Our police, our residents and our visitors are put at risk when criminals like this continue to be released, and it has to stop," he said. He urged lawmakers to get the bill to Gov. Kelly Ayotte's desk as quickly as possible "and get these people off our streets." Police received a report around 7 p.m. Friday of a 42-year-old man near Bunny's Convenience store on Elm Street bleeding heavily from multiple stab wounds to his upper body. Officers treated him and took him to the hospital. Bisson was found to also be suffering from a stab wound when he was located on Bridge Street. He was also taken to a hospital. The 42-year-old told police that at one point during the fight he tried to run, but Bisson followed him and continued to stab him. The two did not appear to know one another, according to the release. At a hearing Saturday, the police prosecutor "argued that the violence showed clear and convincing evidence that Bisson was a danger to others," the release said. Bisson had a conviction for criminal threatening (domestic violence) in October and was given a 60-day sentence suspended for two years. At the hearing, Magistrate Johnson ordered Bisson released on personal recognizance with standard conditions and ordered him to have no contact with the victim. jphelps@
