By Gintautas Dumcius
Reporter Correspondent

Following a Friday indictment handed down by a Suffolk grand jury, a Dorchester 20-year-old was arraigned this week in Dorchester District Court on murder and assault and battery charges.

Evan Velez was picked up on a warrant that was issued in August. The warrant stemmed from an Aug. 19 incident where a man was shot in the chest after attending a late night partyon Johnson Terrace.

Paul Clancy, Velez's attorney, said nothing in the police report gives a description of the suspect in the case, and after police obtained a search warrant, found only a "reddish brown stain" on the living room couch.

"None of the witnesses give a description of the defendant," he told the court. Clancy said Velez has no violent items on his record, and noted that the victim is allegedly wanted on murder charges.

Judge James Coffey ordered that Velez be held on $200,000 bail. His next court date is Dec. 13 at Boston Municipal Court's Central Division.

The incident occurred at around 3 a.m. on Aug. 19, when someone flagged down Boston Police officers at Talbot Avenue and Wales Street to report a shooting, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's office. The gun shot wound victim was transported to Boston Medical Center and listed in critical condition.

According to the DA's office, the victim had been in a fight with Velez. The grand jury charged him with assault with intent to murder, assault and batter with a dangerous weapon, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Dorchester man indicted in July 4 murder

A Dorchester man was indicted last week in the July 4 shooting of a Roxbury Community College student, according to Suffolk County prosecutors. Cornelius Brown, 33, was indicted on first-degree murder of 22-year-old Michael Wiggins, a Mattapan resident, who died on July 10 after getting shot at Arbuton and Ashton Streets.

Brown was arraigned in Dorchester District Court on August 20, where he was held without bail.

The Suffolk County grand jury also indicted him Friday for unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's office. An arraignment date for the indictment has not been yet set.

Man acquitted in Hamilton St. murder, guilty

on gun charges

A Suffolk Superior Court judge last week sentenced a Dorchester man to 18 months in a correctional facility, after jurors acquitted the man of murder charges, but convicted him of bringing a loaded firearm to a party on Hamilton Street in 2006.

Suffolk prosecutors had charged William Badgett, 20, with second-degree murder in connection with Louis DoSouto's death, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's office. Badgett was arrested on May 6, 2006.

Suffolk Superior Court Judge Frank Gaziano set the time at 18 months, since Badgett had already served time while waiting for the trial, which got underway on Oct. 24.

Darnell Ricks, Jr. 20, had been charged as an accessory, since prosecutors alleged that he urged Badgett to toss the gun as Boston police officers were coming for them. But prosecutors dropped the case against Ricks, who had spent 7 months in custody before posting bail, earlier this month after Ricks and his mother were shot at in their car and sustained injuries in an incident on Freeport Street. They both survived.

Sister alleges brother pointed gun at her

A 22-year-old Dorchester man is accused of pointing a gun at his sister after fighting with her over $60.

James Ellison was arraigned Monday at Dorchester District Court on two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon. A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf.

Ellison's attorney, John Flanagan, noted that when police searched the home, no gun was found.

Judge James Coffey set bail at $1,500. Ellison's next court date is Dec. 11 in Boston Municipal Court.

Ellison was arrested Sunday morning after his sister told Boston police officers that he had pointed a gun at her, causing their mother to say, "Get that gun out of my house," according to Suffolk County prosecutors.

A police search of Ellison's basement bedroom found a small bag of marijuana, a BB rifle, and over 100 rounds of ammunition for various types of guns, prosecutors said.

Gintautas Dumcius covers court proceedings and law enforcement for the Reporter. He can be reached at gin.dumcius@gmail.com.

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