Hampden News

By BUFFY SPENCER bspencer@repub.com SPRINGFIELD - Two men who were among 14 people charged in Hampden Superior Court in a large marijuana trafficking case have pleaded guilty.

Daniel G. Williams III, appears in Springfield District Court in June 2008, where he pleaded innocent in the shooting death of Mario L. Hornsby Jr.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno has warned area communities that unless they contribute more to the cost of the regional animal control center, Springfield will exercise its right to terminate the regional contract in one year.

A 69-year-old Longmeadow man has been found innocent of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon by a Hampden Superior Court jury.

A former Holyoke elementary school teacher who ran off with one of her students has pleaded not guilty to three counts of aggravated rape and abuse and three counts of statutory rape.

Former Holyoke teacher Lisa Lavoie, accused of seducing a 15-year-old student, was arraigned in Hampden Superior Court on Tuesday, charged with three counts of aggravated rape and abuse and three counts of statutory rape.

Somers Mr. Hutchings operated a chicken farm across from Herb Wells' home on Main Street in Somers, and thousands of chickens were drowning in the flood.

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Nicholas Battista, 19, left, and Francesco "Frankie" Rovelli, 17, are arraigned in Springfield District Court in March 2008 on arson charges.

By JACK FLYNN jflynn@repub.com SPRINGFIELD - Hampden Superior Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder is considering a request to grant separate trials for three defendants charged in an arson-for-retribution case that produced two related firearms convictions last week.

By JACK FLYNN jflynn@repub.com SPRINGFIELD - A Holyoke man accused of downloading pornographic images on a Holyoke public library computer pleaded innocent to nine counts of possessing child pornography yesterday.

By BUFFY SPENCER bspencer@repub.com SPRINGFIELD - The parents of murdered pizza delivery man Corey M. Lind have filed a $15 million wrongful death suit against Domino's Pizza in what their lawyer said is an effort to change the policies of companies that send delivery workers into dangerous situations.

Louis Saccamando, left, and Frank N. D'Agostino appear in Hampden Superior Court Monday where they were found guilty of shooting at off duty Springfield police officer Alex Lalos last year.

The past 25 years have seen Elizabeth G. Dineen prosecute some of the most serious cases of child sexual assault and domestic abuse in Hampden County.

By LORI STABILE lstabile@repub.com PALMER - Charges of larceny and credit card fraud were dropped against a Monson woman in Palmer District Court who had been accused by her former employer of bilking the company to buy items for her home and wedding.

A city police officer told a prosecutor he was in shock when he realized he and two family members were under gunfire on a nearly deserted city street last year.

Lawyers for two men accused of shooting at an off-duty city police officer during a wild car chase portrayed the patrolman as the aggressor, while a prosecutor said the defendants were bent on murder.

Photo by Neil Hawley - 5-3-09, Hampden, Attending the Wilbraham & Monson Academy Junior and Senior Prom are from left, Kodi L. Robitaille of Springfield, Christine M. Anderson of Sprinfield, Jessica L. Wyszynski of Wilbraham, Edmund J. Bertheaud of Hampden, Caitlin C. Charette of Chicopee and Colin J. Roy of Somers.

By ANGELA CARBONE acarbone@repub.com SPRINGFIELD - West Springfield police used DNA which they collected at a scene of a 2007 sexual assault to arrest a suspect in a case that the district attorney says illustrates the value of genetic material in solving crimes.