Latest news with #HampdenDistrictAttorney'sOffice
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
State AG's office revives probe into voter fraud allegations involving 2023 Springfield election
SPRINGFIELD — The state Attorney General's office has reportedly revived an investigation into whether the mayoral candidate of Justin Hurst paid for votes in 2023. City officials confirmed that a prosecutor and a Massachusetts state trooper visited City Hall May 28 and quizzed Elections Office staff and requested voter records related to the mayoral race that pitted Hurst against longtime incumbent Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. State investigators showed up at City Hall two days before Hurst pulled papers to run for City Council once again. Hurst said he believes his work in city government is not done. 'The issues that I campaigned on when I ran for mayor are more present now than ever before. Time and time again, we are failing to meet the moment. And we, the people, feel the pain,' Hurst said. Days before the November election in 2023, campaign workers for Hurst were captured on building video outside City Hall carting local voters back and forth to the polls. While Hurst was in the convoy of cars, the footage did not show him providing $10 bills for votes, unlike some of his workers. The voters also were promised a fish dinner once they presented their 'I voted early' stickers to Hurst people standing outside City Hall. About a half dozen city officials, as well as a police officer, said in sworn affidavits at the time that they witnessed the distribution of $10 bills. When the video footage emerged, Hurst claimed it was a last-minute 'smear campaign' from Sarno's camp and denied paying for votes. Around 130 voters registered to vote and cast their ballots early on the same day, according to City Solicitor Stephen J. Buoniconti. Many of those voters logged their addresses as the Worthington Street homeless shelter. The Republican at the time interviewed a man who confirmed he was paid $10 to vote for Hurst. The city solicitor at the time, retired judge John Payne, called for the Hampden District Attorney's Office to launch a criminal investigation. 'It is extremely troubling. This is a fraud upon the elections process,' Payne said in 2023. 'Before I became a judge, I was active in elections for 30 years, and I've never heard of anyone being paid for a vote. It is very serious,' he said at the time. A state law concerning 'voter bribery' provides penalties of up to a year in jail. A state elections official told The Republican in 2023 that there is no scenario under which it would be permissible to pay a voter to cast a ballot. Buoniconti on Tuesday confirmed that investigators came May 28 with specific questions regarding 'alleged improprieties' by Hurst's camp during that mayoral race. 'They're doing a deeper dive in the investigation but it appears to us there's been a staff change in the AG's office and they're going back to start the investigation all over,' he said, identifying the lead prosecutor in the case as Karen Bell. Bell was an assistant district attorney in Hampden County before leaving for the same role in Berkshire County in 2018, and then moving on to the statewide office. The Republican has for months been asking Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell's office about the status of the voting probe. The agency has resisted releasing records, citing the ongoing investigation exemption under state law. 'We have determined that because the exempt information is so interwoven within the text of these records, proper redaction would render them meaningless and therefore, withholding them in their entirety is appropriate in this instance,' reads a response from the office in November. In response to a request for comment on overcoming questions about voting impropriety, Hurst said he intends to devote his attention to what he sees as the issues of the day. 'I'll stay focused on what I can control, which is ensuring that our message for a better Springfield gets out to as many voters as possible,' Hurst said. Buoniconti, the city solicitor, said he is hopeful the matter can be resolved one way or another before the next election cycle in the fall. He also expressed frustration over the length of time it has taken Campbell's office to address the situation, despite the fact that the city turned over all records that were requested and made its staff available for interviews. He said the attorney general's office has obtained records on which voters registered and cast their ballots the same day. 'There's a cloud that is hanging over the electoral process in the city and we need to resolve that so people have confidence in the integrity of the electoral process,' Buoniconti said. He noted a climate of 'political violence' across the nation and recalled that Sarno's tires were slashed outside City Hall last year, and the suspect was a man identified as one of the people on the same-day voting list. Court records show the alleged tire slasher, Steven Kostorizos, was charged with the crime. The case is stayed because he was deemed by a judge as not competent to stand trial. Hurst said he is running for the council again after pleas from supporters 'that I would not stop fighting for them, for their children and families, and for a better Springfield.' Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Springfield man accused of shooting ex-girlfriend being held on over a dozen charges
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A Springfield man is being held on more than a dozen charges, including assault with the intent to murder. In a news release from the Hampden District Attorney's Office Assistant Communications Director Elijah Ayers, Springfield police were called to Mercy Medical Center for a report of an assault on December 14, 2024. A report was filed for a woman who had a cut on her forehead and was allegedly assaulted by her ex-boyfriend. On December 17th, officers were called to a shooting on Stafford Street. The same victim was found suffering from gunshot wounds. She was taken to the hospital and is expected to recover. Springfield police seize gun and drugs from suspect found in Hennessy Park The suspect was identified as 38-year-old Luis Kidanny-Colon and a warrant was issued for his arrest. The following day, detectives arrested Colon as he exited the bus at Union Station in Springfield. They seized a loaded 40mm Smith and Wesson handgun with one live round in the chamber and approximately six rounds in the magazine, 33 bags of heroin stamped 'Chanel' inside a sandwich bag, and three grey medium-sized caps containing cocaine inside a sandwich bag. Luis Kidanny-Colon is charged with the following: Assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (2 counts) Armed burglary Larceny under $1,200 Malicious injury to property Assault and battery by discharge of a firearm Assault with the intent to murder Assault and battery with serious bodily injury Mayhem Armed with a firearm Unlawful possession of a firearm Carrying a large-capacity rifle or shotgun on a public way Unlawful possession of a controlled substance Stalking On Thursday, the DA's Office said that a judge found Colon dangerous after a hearing in Hampden Superior Court and will be held under pre-trial detention for 180 days. He is scheduled in Hampden Superior Court for June 18th. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Springfield man held as danger after beating, shooting of city woman
SPRINGFIELD — A Springfield man who first beat and then days later shot a city woman multiple times last year is being held as a danger to the public, the Hampden District Attorney's Office said Thursday. Luis Kidanny Colon, 38, was held after a dangerousness hearing in Hampden Superior Court earlier this month. He'll be detained for 180 days. On Dec. 14 at about 9:40 p.m., Springfield police responded to Mercy Medical Center for a report of a woman whose forehead had been cut, allegedly by Colon. Just three days later, at about 4:20 p.m., there was a report of a shooting near 100 Stafford St. There, responding police officers found the same victim, who had been shot multiple times. She was taken to Baystate Medical Center and underwent emergency surgery. Colon again was identified as the suspect, and police obtained a warrant for his arrest. The next day at about 12:05 p.m., members of local, county, state and federal law enforcement were briefed on the warrant for Colon. He was spotted by detectives on the 200 block of Bay Street, where police continued surveillance while Colon boarded a Pioneer Valley Transit Authority bus bound for Union Station in Springfield. When Colon got off the bus, he was immediately arrested. During the arrest, police found he possessed an unlicensed, loaded 40 mm Smith and Wesson handgun with one live round in the chamber, a magazine with six rounds in it, 33 bags of heroin stamped 'Chanel' and three containers with cocaine in them. Colon was charged with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon; armed burglary; larceny under $1,200; malicious injury to property; assault and battery by discharge of a firearm; assault with the intent to murder; assault and battery with serious bodily injury; mayhem; being armed with a firearm; unlawful possession of a firearm; carrying a large-capacity rifle or shotgun on a public way; two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance; and stalking. Colon will next appear in Hampden Superior Court on June 18. Shots-fired call leads to 2 arrests in Holyoke Life with shot at parole for Springfield man who gunned down mother of his children in 2019 West Springfield gun buyback nets 34 guns Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
34 firearms collected during Hampden County gun buyback event
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Thirty-four firearms and a substantial amount of ammunition were turned in on Saturday during Hampden County's annual gun buyback event. The event is a community safety initiative coordinated by the Hampden District Attorney's Office, Baystate Health, and the West Springfield Police Department. Commission votes to decertify Springfield officer who used stun gun on pregnant woman Held at West Springfield Town Hall, the event provided residents with a safe and anonymous way to dispose of unwanted guns and ammunition. All items collected will be securely destroyed to reduce the potential for gun-related accidents, theft, or misuse. 'Each gun turned in represents a potentially life-saving decision,' said Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni. 'Whether it's a firearm that a family no longer feels safe keeping, or one that's simply no longer wanted, removing these weapons from homes and our streets helps prevent tragedies before they happen.' The initiative is a key part of the Hampden District Attorney's Office's broader violence prevention strategy. Public health data consistently show that access to firearms significantly increases the risk of suicide and accidental injury. By offering a judgment-free, community-centered opportunity to surrender guns, organizers aim to promote safer homes and neighborhoods. In exchange for firearms and ammunition, participants received gift cards to Big Y Supermarkets, with $50 for a handgun, rifle, or shotgun, and $100 for an assault weapon. The gun buyback program is one element of a multifaceted public safety plan that includes youth outreach, school partnerships, and collaborations with health care providers and local law enforcement agencies. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Investigation into an officer-involved shooting of Devin Lewis in Springfield concludes
Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers and Mayor Domenic Sarno provided an update to the media following the incident in the video player above. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – An investigation conducted by the Hampden District Attorney's Office into an officer-involved shooting involving the death of Devin Lewis has concluded. In November 2024, Springfield officers were called to Lyman Street for a report of an armed, intoxicated, and suicidal man. Officers encountered the suspect, Devin Lewis, exiting a building holding a rifle and a handgun. During a short interaction, Lewis raised a firearm in the direction of the officers and one toward the area of his head. Police investigating possible armed home invasion in Greenfield, suspect in custody Two officers fired their service pistols, striking Lewis in the right hand and upper right shoulder area. Lewis fired his own gun under his chin. The officers rendered medical aid and Lewis was taken to Baystate Medical Center, where he died from his injuries. 'This was an unfortunate and tragic situation,' said Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni. 'However, the facts clearly show that the officers involved responded to an immediate and lethal threat with necessary and proportionate force. Their actions were consistent with their training, department policy, and the law.' Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni reviewed the officers' body-worn cameras, evidence, witness statements, 911 recordings, and autopsy results, and stated that the actions taken by the two Springfield Police Officers involved were reasonable, justified, and lawful. Springfield man identified after officer-involved shooting The full investigative report, which includes detailed legal analysis and findings of fact, can be viewed in its entirety below or at Officer involved shooting Devin Lewis DA reportDownload WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
