A second Haverhill man arrested for the April 5 Richdale fight lost his temper with a Haverhill District Court judge and assistant district attorney during arraignment last week over what the man said were false claims that made him “look bad” in the wake of a bloody convenience store brawl.
WHAV was the only news outlet in the courtroom April 18 when Stephen Hines lost his temper and mouthed off to Haverhill District Court First Justice Stephen Abany and Assistant District Attorney John DePaulo so much so that Abany threatened to remove him from the courtroom.
A defiant Hines, brought into the courtroom in cuffs with four court officers surrounding him, faced a judge after being arrested on a fugitive from justice charge Wednesday. At arraignment, he faced one count of unarmed robbery—allegedly stealing $2.00 during the Richdale melee—and assault and battery, police said. As DePaulo recounted the facts of the case, Hines couldn’t hold his tongue, causing Abany to take action.
“You’re lying! I’m tired of this guy! He always makes me look bad every time I come up here…I’m sick of it. Don’t let him sit there and say what he wants—most of it’s bull.”
As WHAV exclusively reported last week, Haverhill Police were called to 73 White St., for a report of a disturbance. Five-foot-4 Jeremy Coito, also of Haverhill, was said to be sticking up for a friend bullied by the panhandling Hines when he allegedly struck Hines with a closed fist seven times and kicked him four times.
In court, Hines said he required several staples in his head as a result of the 23-minute confrontation captured on surveillance video.
According to DePaulo, Hines often uses his 5’11, 240 lb. frame to intimidate others, including downtown business owners and patrons.
“It’s more manhandling in this case, than panhandling,” the district attorney said. “He’s been arrested 17 times!”
Coito faces a bench trial—with the outcome decided by a judge and not a jury—next month. Hines, despite court-appointed attorney Andrew Benson’s objections, was held on $1,000 cash bail until his next court appearance May 13.