A Massachusetts man has been found guilty of murder in a deadly Quincy bar brawl, according to prosecutors.
The Norfolk County District Attorney's Office confirmed Tuesday that 44-year-old Paul Fahey has been convicted of murder in the second degree, a crime with a mandatory sentence of life in prison with eligibility for parole after 15 years.
Fahey is accused of punching and stomping on 42-year-old Keith Boudreau's head inside the Home Ice Sports Bar in 2015. Boudreau died from his injuries.
"The witnesses in the bar that day made it very clear that this attack was entirely unprovoked," DA Michael Morrissey said in a statement. "The witnesses saw as he struck Boudreau, sending him to the ground, and then stomped on him while he was on the ground."
"He stomped," bartender Kerri Berry testified Thursday, slamming her hand on the witness stand to demonstrated the sound.
Berry said Fahey and his girlfriend were seated at the bar when Boudreau and his girlfriend came in, had a beer, got into an argument and left – with Boudreau returning a short time later looking for his girlfriend. According to Berry, Fahey got up and punched Boudreau in the head, unprovoked.
"Paul said something about Keith staring at him and that he was sick of the junkies in Quincy," she recalled.
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"He landed right behind my bar stool. His head hit the ground," testified bar patron Keith Anderson.
Outside court, the suspect's nephew defended him, saying, "My uncle's a great guy."
When asked, "Did he do this?" Fahey's nephew replied, "No."
Witnesses testified that the suspect and the bar's owner dragged Boudreau outside and told first responders he was intoxicated – leaving out the assault.
Fahey is scheduled to be formally sentenced at 9 a.m. on Thursday.
