TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018 Man charged in Lynn slashing sues city By Gayla Cawley ITEM STAFF LYNN — A Lynn man is suing the city and its police department, claiming he was falsely arrested for a brutal assault at a Lynnway gas station two years ago. Nahant throws cold water Randy Spearing, 50, led a civil com- plaint in U.S. District Court against Lynn Police Of cer Jeffrey Trahant and Lt. Christopher Kelly, along with the city of on science center plan Lynn. Spearing is seeking monetary damages, By Bridget Turcotte harm it,” said Geoff Trussell, director of the A greenhouse along which he claims he suffered “as a direct ITEM STAFF Marine Science Center. “After some discus- with shery research and proximate result of the negligence of sion, we have elected to withdraw our ENF tanks and ecologi- city of Lynn employees,” according to the NAHANT — Scientists on the tip of town (Environmental Noti cation Form) for this cal stations on the complaint led by his attorney, Howard need more seawater for their experiments. project so that we can go back to the drawing grounds of the North- Friedman. But how to draw the water — and then safely board and be in a better position to address eastern University On May 28, 2016, a 34-year-old Lowell return it to the ocean — is the question. any concerns.” Marine Science Cen- man was slashed repeatedly with a box The Northeastern University Marine Sci- The proposed addition would have led to an ter in Nahant. cutter at Spiro’s Energy & Automotive ence Center withdrew its proposal to dramati- almost ve-fold increase in the amount of wa- Services, at the corner of Lynnway and cally increase seawater intake for research on ter collected. The existing system isn’t enough ITEM PHOTO | OWEN O’ROURKE Commercial Street. Monday after it was met with strong opposi- to support the center’s work, Trussell said. Spearing was arrested for the assault, tion from residents and shermen. “In a nutshell, we don’t have enough water which the victim initially told police had “I’ve spent my entire life working on protect- to feed our experiments,” said Trussell. occurred at the Shell gas station across ing the environment, the last thing I want to NAHANT, A7 the street. He was charged with assault do is come across as someone who wants to with intent to commit murder, mayhem, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. But after the arrest was made, the vic- Partners tim told police they had arrested the OH, BROTHER wrong person. Police then called the Es- sex County District Attorney’s of ce, re- wants to Swampscott’s Titus Phelan answers his calling layed the information and Spearing was released, Lynn police said at the time. Nicholas Gobiel, 24 at the time, of Lynn, ID Lynn was arrested on June 3 on the same charges. Gobiel allegedly slashed the vic- tim repeatedly with a box cutter at the health gas station after screaming at him that he parked too close to his vehicle while he was pumping gas, according to court doc- priorities uments. The victim was treated at Brigham & By Gayla Cawley Women’s Hospital for non life-threatening ITEM STAFF injuries, which included a severe lacera- LYNN — Residents tion on his face. The wound went through are invited to learn more his tissue and stretched from his left ear about the $23 million lobe to his bottom lip. His right arm also future medical village had a small laceration and his back had planned for the Union one deep enough to reveal white, fatty tis- Hospital campus at an sue, according to court documents. upcoming North Shore “Mr. Spearing had no involvement in Medical Center communi- the crime,” Friedman wrote in the com- ty forum. plaint. “On that day, however, he went The forum will be Tues- into a Shell gas station across the street day, Feb. 6 from 6-8 p.m. and bought an e-cigarette cartridge. De- at Knights of Columbus fendants Of cer Jeffrey Trahant and Lt. Hall, at 177 Lynn eld St. Christopher Kelly conducted an improper The Department of Pub- investigation with deliberate disregard lic Health approved a for the facts. They ignored evidence that $180 million expansion of LYNN, A7 North Shore Medical Cen- ter (NSMC) in 2016, that will close Union and move ITEM STAFF REPORT conversion.” Former Swamp- Phelan is a 2012 graduate of scott resident the beds to a new Salem A former Swampscott resident St. Anselm College, site of the St. Michael Phelan campus in 2019. The med- heard the calling and has become Anselm Abbey in Manchester. ical facilities in Lynn and the newest monk at St. Anselm will enter a one- He enters a one-year period of Salem are part of Part- Abbey in New Hampshire. year period of INSIDE ners Healthcare. Michael Phelan was inducted intense prayer, study and re ec- intense prayer The 37,000 square-foot, recently in a ceremony where he tion as the new monk gets ac- at St. Anselm In Malden $23 million facility, or received his new name, Brother quainted with his vocation, the Abbey in New Potholes providing a bump medical village, will offer Titus. church said. Hampshire. in the road for DPW. A2 urgent care, basic lab and “I am very excited for this op- Phelan joins 29 monks at the From left, Fr. In Opinion radiology services, outpa- portunity to grow in our faith church. These members of the Bernard Disco, tient psychiatry services and to test this vocation,” said Order of St. Benedict follow the Phelan, Brother A great collaboration. A4 and an expanded home Phelan in a statement. “It will be sixth century rule of the order’s Dunstan Enzor, In Sports for the North Shore Phy- dif cult, of course, but with the founder, St. Benedict of Nursia. and Abbot Mark sicians Group Lynn pri- prayers and support of our new Monks live in the monastery Cooper. Tech celebrates year of mary and specialty care monastic community, along with on the college campus and work records at banquet. B1 God’s grace, I’m sure this novi- in the college in service to the COURTESY PHOTO PARTNERS, A3 tiate year will be a time of real church. An almost-presidential perspective in Medford WHAT ARE YOUR By Steve Freker An Inconvenient Truth, and a new lm is available at now.tufts.edu. FOR THE ITEM which premiered in July 2017, An Incon- Kelly Sims Gallagher, professor of BLIZZARD OF ’78 venient Sequel: Truth to Power. In 2007, energy and environmental policy at MEDFORD — Former Vice Pres- Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel The Fletcher School of Law and Diplo- RECOLLECTIONS? ident Al Gore will be this year’s rst on Climate Change received the Nobel macy and director of the Center for In- guest in the Tisch College Speaker Se- Peace Prize for “informing the world of ternational Environment & Resource Do you have a Blizzard of ’78 story ries hosted by Tufts University. the dangers posed by climate change.” Policy, both at Tufts, will moderate the and photographs you’d like to share? Gore, who was vice president under He will be part of an event on his discussion. The Item will remember the mega President Bill Clinton from 1993-2001, thoughts and philosophy on the topics Gore is the founder and chairman snowstorm in our Feb. 5 edition and has since become an international- of climate change, public service, and of The Climate Reality Project, a non- we invite our readers to submit rec- ly-known expert and speaker on the politics on Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 6:15 pro t dedicated to solving the climate ollections and photographs from topics of climate change and global p.m. in the Cohen Auditorium at Tufts. crisis. He is the author of six best-sell- those storm-tossed and snowbound warming. The event is free of charge and open to ers on the topic of climate change. days to [email protected] He is the star of the 2006 Oscar-win- the public, but tickets are required for ning documentary on global warming, admittance and information on tickets MEDFORD, A7 OBITUARIES ..............................A2 POLICE/FIRE .............................A6 COMICS/DIVERSIONS ........... B4-5 HIGH 32° VOL. 140, ISSUE 44 LYNN .........................................A3 LOOK! .......................................A8 CLASSIFIED ........................... B6-7 LOW 18° OPINION ...................................A4 SPORTS ................................ B1-3 BUSINESS ................................B8 PAGE A8 ONE DOLLAR A2 THE DAILY ITEM TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018 OBITUARIES Laurie A. Rusin Potholes providing a bump 1967-2018 Laurie Ann (Demit) College, Laurie was in the road for Malden DPW Rusin, born in Lynn a trust officer with to her proud par- Northern Trust in Chi- By Steve Freker come early, with dozens ing rainstorms and city cent weather so the crews ents, the late Melvin cago, Ill. Following FOR THE ITEM of these road hazards ap- DPWs are really up could really get to work “Spike” Demit and the completion of pearing on virtually every against it. filling and repairing pot- Patricia (Flynn) Demit her husband, Rich’s MALDEN — Call this street in the city. Malden is ahead of the holes. “A lot of what we are from Nahant. Laurie PhD at Northwestern winter season a healthy Malden Department of curve over some other doing now is a temporary was a devoted wife University in Chica- dose of weather-related Public Works (DPW) Di- communities since it em- solution. We have a month and mother. go, Laurie and Rich “Chutes and Ladders,” with rector Bob Knox calls it ploys the “See-Click-Fix” and a half of winter left on Laurie is survived moved to Woodbury, full weeks of Arctic tem- “freeze-and-thaw.” website where residents the calendar.