A man accused of using a hatchet and wasp spray to attack his wife's divorce lawyer in a Massachusetts parking garage pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and assault and battery charges.
Sixty-one-year-old Michael Kelly of Quincy pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, attempted murder of a person over the age of 60 and assault and battery charges.
Authorities say Kelly planned out Tuesday's attack after buying the hatchet more than a week ago from a local Lowes and was waiting for the lawyer, 63-year-old Robert Johnson, in a parking garage near his office.
According to prosecutors, Kelly has been going through a rough divorce with his wife had a contentious relationship with her lawyer, Johnson. Prosecutors say Kelly was supposed to be in court Tuesday for a matter tied to the divorce, where a $30,000 judgement was at stake, but he didn't show. Instead, prosecutors say Kelly was waiting for Johnson at the garage near his office and attacked him from behind with wasp spray and a hatchet.
As Johnson tried to get into his car, according to court documents, Johnson was pleading with Kelly, whom he thought was going to kill him, saying, "What do you want? I have children."
"The victim in this case was hospitalized for a couple of days, received numerous staples to the head and obviously, this was quite a traumatic for this particular victim," the prosecutor said.
Kelly's lawyer described in court how there were numerous conflicting witness statements, including from the victim himself.
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Kelly has pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder and assault and battery charges. He's due back in court on March 4 for a dangerousness hearing. He's being held without bail. He was arrested on Thursday by Quincy police at his Quincy apartment.
