Local News
Authorities said the decision to charge comes after an “extensive, months-long investigation.”
The Gloucester Police Department is seeking assault and battery charges against three young men involved in an alleged attack on a transgender teenager, officials announced Friday.
Police announced the conclusion of the investigation into the assault that occurred in late August and filed criminal complaints with Gloucester Juvenile Court.
The juveniles, two of whom are 17 and one of whom is 16, will attend a hearing where a magistrate clerk will determine whether there is probable cause for charges to proceed, according to police.
Authorities said the decision to charge comes after an “extensive, months-long investigation” by Gloucester police detectives, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Massachusetts State Police.
On August 30, police were called to the area of Dogtown Road and began an investigation into an assault at a party in the woods during which a young man was taken to a local hospital to be treated for his injuries. injuries, according to the release.
Police said they determined that everyone involved in the incident knew each other.
According to the victim, the defendants were shouting insults while attacking him because he was transgender, NBC 10 Boston reported.
However, defense attorney Mark Randazza claims the juveniles were defending themselves after the alleged victim threatened them with a knife, according to the news station.
Due to the hate crime allegations, Gloucester police assigned a specially trained hate crime investigator to the case, the police department said.
However, police said the evidence “ultimately did not support the hate crime charges.”
“Our department conducted a meticulous, thorough and compassionate investigation, and the resulting charges are consistent with the evidence,” Police Chief Edward Conley said in the release. “Our thoughts are with the victim, who suffered serious injuries during this attack.”
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