Retrial of man accused of killing Weymouth police officer Michael Chesna and 77-year-old woman to begin
The retrial of Emanuel A. Lopes, the man accused of killing Weymouth Police Sergeant Michael Chesna and 77-year-old Vera Adams in 2018 is set to begin Monday with jury selection.
Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly A. Cannone, citing widespread publicity surrounding the killings, has ordered jurors to be selected from Bristol County.
In the first trial, Cannone declared a mistrial in July after jurors[1] — selected from Worcester County — deliberated for two weeks but could not reach an unanimous verdict on two counts of first-degree murder.
At trial, defense attorney Larry Tipton told jurors that Lopes suffered from schizoaffective disorder, a condition similar to schizophrenia, at the time of the shootings and should be found not guilty by reason of insanity.
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However, Norfolk Assistant District Attorney Gregory P.
Connor cited a prosecution expert who determined Lopes was instead suffering from borderline personality disorder and antisocial disorder. Connor told jurors in his closing argument that Lopes should be held criminally responsible for his actions.
Prosecutors said[2] that on July 15, 2018, Lopes stole his girlfriend’s car, crashed into a vehicle, and ran away into a nearby neighborhood.
After throwing a rock through the window of a home, Lopes encountered Chesna, who tried to apprehend him. But Lopes hurled another rock at Chesna’s head, knocking him unconscious, prosecutors said.
He then shot Chesna multiple times with the officer’s gun before shooting at other officers and running away toward a neighbor’s home, prosecutors said.
There, he shot Adams while she sat on her porch, prosecutors said.
Information from prior Globe reporting was used in this story.
John R.
Ellement can be reached at [email protected][3].
Follow him @JREbosglobe[4].
References
- ^ Cannone declared a mistrial in July after jurors (www.bostonglobe.com)
- ^ Prosecutors said (www.bostonglobe.com)
- ^ [email protected] (www.bostonglobe.com)
- ^ @JREbosglobe (www.twitter.com)