Statie likely to face trial in NH
The Massachusetts State Police sergeant accused of assaulting his girlfriend in New Hampshire will likely get a trial date as negotiations have stalled between state prosecutors and his defense attorneys.
“Yes, I assume that’s probably where we’re going. … I think we are probably looking to schedule this for a trial,” Judge Martin Honigberg said in a hearing Thursday morning.
Sgt. Bryan Erickson, 38, has been locked up in New Hampshire’s Rockingham County Jail for nearly two months.
The sergeant is facing seven charges, including second-degree assault for allegedly strangling his girlfriend and simple assault for head-butting her. The alleged assault happened in late January at his girlfriend’s home in Exeter.
Honigberg asked about the negotiations between the state prosecutors and defense attorneys.
“The state did make an offer. At this time, we have not received a counter,” N.H. prosecutor John Mara said. “I guess based on the initial bail hearing, I would say we’ll probably be setting this for trial unless the defense has anything else.”
The judge has ruled multiple times that Erickson should remain behind bars, saying there’s “clear and convincing evidence of the defendant’s dangerousness.”
Erickson’s lawyer during Thursday’s court appearance said he recently sent an email to a state prosecutor about a discovery request.
“Also, I informed him we’ll be electing a jury trial,” defense attorney Hank Brennan added.
He went on to say he plans on filing a motion seeking to dismiss some of the charges, and to ask for another hearing to reconsider bail.
“I expect there will be some litigation regarding a motion to suppress,” Brennan said, noting he received new information earlier this week. “It does raise different issues of discovery I haven’t received, and I need to look at that discovery before filing subsequent motions.”
“So I think I’ll need to have a conversation with the prosecution to discuss the discovery issues,” he said.
The judge set a scheduling conference in the case for April 15.
The Massachusetts State Police has suspended Erickson without pay. He earned $186,000 last year. The sergeant had been assigned to Troop A Northeast, which covers from Andover to Revere.