Two Men Facing Serious Charges in Massachusetts Following Separate Allegations of Violence

The Boston Globe today reported on allegations being leveled against two men for their alleged violent conduct in separate incidents.

A former student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has been indicted by a Suffolk County grand jury, charged with raping a Boston University student in her dorm room in October.  He is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow in Suffolk Superior Court, where a not guilty plea will be entered on his behalf.  The 20-year-old defendant, who now lives in California, is presumed to be innocent.  The Globe reported that the defendant, Samson Donick, and three other males were spending time in a BU dorm suite at around 2:00 a.m. on October 18th.  At some point, according to the District Attorney’s Office, the defendant left the women with whom he was visiting and began to search for another female student.  The Commonwealth alleges the defendant went into approximately 10 different dorm rooms on four different floors looking for the woman.  A number of students later reported that two men had entered their rooms that evening without permission.  During the search, according to the Commonwealth, the defendant ultimately entered the victim’s room.  The defendant and the victim did not know one another.  The victim told the police she awoke to the defendant sexually assaulting her.  The woman said she confronted the defendant and screamed, causing him to flee her room.  The police conducted an investigation and were able to identify the defendant on the dorm’s surveillance video.  Officers also were able to determine the defendant signed in at the front desk when he entered the dorm.  In addition to aggravated rape, the defendant is charged with indecent assault and battery, burglary, and breaking and entering during the nighttime with intent to commit a felony.  A conviction for aggravated rape carries a possible life prison sentence, in addition to collateral consequences such as a requirement that the defendant register as a sex offender.

Meanwhile, a 28-year-old Weymouth man has been charged with stabbing his friend’s boyfriend after accusing the friend of posting a video featuring a misbehaving goat on Facebook in an effort to disrespect him (the defendant).  The video features a goat named Kevin who is being disciplined by his owner.  The defendant, named Kevin Sullivan, allegedly believed the posting of the video was intended as an insult toward him.  According to the Globe’s story, the defendant called his friend and said he wanted to meet her (in order to fight her).  The friend and her boyfriend went to the defendant’s home, where the defendant stabbed the boyfriend (who was also apparently armed with a wrench).  The defendant was arrested and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.  He entered a plea of not guilty and was ordered held on $2,500 bail.  He is presumed to be innocent.  He told the police he was defending himself, as his friend’s boyfriend was attacking him with the wrench.  Assault and battery with a dangerous weapon is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in state prison.