UPDATE: James Winquist and Eric Snow
FOUR YEARS AFTER KILLINGS IN HINGHAM, ALLEGED SKINHEADS WANT MURDER CHARGES DROPPED
by John P. Kelly, Taunton (Massachusetts) Daily Gazette
Four years after two homeless men were bludgeoned to death in their makeshift home in the woods here, two alleged skinheads who were later charged in the killings are fighting to have the case against them dismissed.
There is no indication that murder charges will be dropped against Eric J. Snow, of Bridgewater, and James S. Winquist, of Weymouth, who have been incarcerated since their arrest in September 2007.
But a Superior Court judge has granted the men broader-than-usual leeway in their attempt to establish that prosecutors tainted the grand jury that indicted them by, among other things, not disclosing favors given to witnesses in exchange for their testimony.
Last month, Judge Jeffrey A. Locke ruled that lawyers for Snow and Winquist could put four grand-jury witnesses back on the stand at a hearing to dismiss the case. The state has appealed the decision to the Supreme Judicial Court.
The unresolved legal question prolongs a case that began in May 2005 when the decomposing bodies of David P. Lyons, 46, and William P. Chrapan, 44, were discovered in a former ammunition bunker in Bare Cove Park where they had been living. Chrapan’s right hand had been hacked off, and an autopsy showed both men had been beaten.
Police said the killings were among the most senseless and savage the town had seen. Their investigation lasted for close to 2 1/2 years and, ultimately, led to Snow and Winquist, who are now 27 and 25, respectively.
Each of the men have lengthy criminal histories, and police said they belonged to a white supremacist group called “Brotherhood of Blood.” Snow’s nickname, “Killa,” is tattooed on his neck. Winquist’s nickname, “Twisted,” is tattooed on his back.
In August, Snow’s attorney, Gerald T. FitzGerald, requested a psychological evaluation of his client, according to documents filed in court.
A key part of the case against the men was testimony from witnesses who said Snow and Winquist boasted of the killings at a party and displayed Chrapan’s severed hand after digging it up from where they had initially buried it.
Lawyers for the men argue that prosecutors should have disclosed to the grand jury favors the witnesses received and information on the witnesses’ own histories, including criminal records, mental health issues and biases against the defendants.
“We believe had that been done, the outcome would have been different,” Joseph F. Krowski Jr., an attorney for Winquist, said Tuesday.
Krowski declined to elaborate on their allegations.
Two of the witnesses, David Courage, 19, and Kelly Burgess, 30, have been relocated under witness protection, according to court records.
According to another witness, the defendants pulled out Chrapan’s severed hand at a party and placed it on the shoulder of a 23-year-old named Anthony “T-Bone” Medas. Medas, however, told authorities the incident never occurred, according to court records, a statement defense attorneys say the grand jurors never learned.
Records also show defense attorneys argued that one witness apparently avoided criminal charges for a parole violation after he provided information on the case to investigators.
John E. Bradley, assistant district attorney for Plymouth County, declined to discuss particulars of the ongoing matter, but said Judge Locke took an unusual and “wrong” step in ruling the four witnesses could be called to testify. He said he hoped a trial would be set by late fall or early winter.
A list of 35 potential witnesses has been compiled. Among them is Ryan Bois, the 23-year-old now serving life in prison for raping and murdering his 6-year-old cousin Joanna Mullin in Weymouth in August 2007. Authorities said Bois repeatedly called Winquist the night Mullin was killed but have not elaborated on the two men’s relationship.
I found this to be an amazingly fair and balanced story, giving equal weight to both sides of the issue. It was left to us, the readers, to decide who is in the right. There is one thing that I’d like to point out: The Grand Jury proceedings are NOT a trial. The prosecution only has to show that it has sufficient evidence for an indictment. I don’t believe they had an obligation to present the things the defense has brought up – that’s what the actual trial is for.
I’m very curious to see if the prosecution’s appeal of Judge Jeffrey A. Locke’s decision is successful, and how much weight Judge Locke actually gives those four witnesses if they do end up testifying at Winquist’s and Snow’s dismissal hearing.
33 Comments »
After reading all the comments on the posts about these boys, I am amazed. The people who are defending them are acting like they are ‘angels’…they hate people for the sake of hating. You cannot on one hand be associated with white supremecy and on the other be a ‘loving person who wouldn’t hurt a fly’. Seriously. I don’t know that they are quilty…sure sounds like it…but either way, they don’t sound like NICE people to me!
do you think they will be yelling “WHITE POWER” when they have big black cocks up they’re asses……….
Um Maybe,i know that’s what i’d be screaming if i were taking it up the ass:)
There is a great many thing’s in life you will never know, when you’re locked up doing 5 plus year’s with nobody but yourself to watch you’re back it get’s pretty hard to fight each and every battle on your own and while you’re doing you’re time it can actually better to join a click that will watch you’re back rather than set you up,many people who are in prison join a click just to to stay alive because they fear that if they don’t that a much bigger fish in that tiny little pond will come and slit their throat in the middle of the night. it’s a pretty fucked up situation but it happen’s,they fight to survive,they fight to eat,they fight just to get a shower and yes the fact that people end up in prison is 100% their own fault however once their already doing their time there is nothing they can do to take back their crimes and all they can do from that point on it fight for survival..no more..no less. nobody really want’s to join a clcik but they don’t want to be killed either…what choice would you make?????
Now I can’t argue with you there. See this. You sound like a very reasonable, intelligent guy. You’re defending your family member, which is exactly what I would do if I was in your position. So why did you have to make that comment about Fuller being a sex offender? Sure it’s true, but it had nothing to do with why the the suspects allegedly killed him and Mr. Lyons.
I agree that the state has a pretty thin case against Eric and James, or they would have tried them already. While I feel in my gut that they did it, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were acquitted. Sometime murders just don’t get solved to anyone’s satisfaction. That’s the price we pay for the justice system we have. But Lyons and Fuller will always be dead, and the people who killed them will have to carry that guilt for the rest of their lives. I don’t envy them – I know it would eat me alive.
Call me crazy… but one of those guys isn’t White….
But they’re both skinheads….
Iam related to James and I have known Eric for year’s,i know for a fact that they are both 100% white. Eric is nice and tan because his biological mother is mostly native american however she is also Irish,french and english and Eric’s biological father is 100% italian which is why Eric is so nice and Tan but very much white,and well James is just plain casper the friendly ghost white with some pretty crappy homemade tattoo’s which i would love for him to get covered up.
this is a case where technicalities may get the bastards off, but it’s the price we pay for a justice system that presumes innocence.
hmmm the evidence does lack some, but not enough to convince me of their innocence. I hope they aren’t set free over any technicalities.
Eric is screwed if he goes to jail…Big Bubba’s gonna use those ears to fucking hold on to while he does his thing….
This case and the Ryan Bois case have become entwined together. Both cases are utterly repulsive and shocking. Three innocent people lost their lives at the hands of 3 very fucked-up immature and narrow-minded bastards. I hope that Ryan Bois, James Winquist, and Eric Snow have to spend the rest of their pathetic little lives sleeping with one eye open and the fear that they could become the new block bitch for the cell house.
To the families of David Lyons, William Chrapan, and Joanna Mullins….I am so sorry for the loss each of your families have had to endure as a result of these three beasts. May Mr. Lyons, Mr. Chrapan, and little Joanna rest in peace!
I grew up with James and his family, he’s gotten a lot of people to take his side about being innocent. But myself, knowing things he’s done in the past, I’m surprised anyone believes him. It makes me sick to have my name associated with his, and it makes me even more sick that he could possibly be let out. J, I’m sorry, but you deserve everything you get. It’ll make up for everything you never got caught for.
yes they are both white, James is my brother and Eric is my ex…trust me they are both white..they are German,Irish,Native American…Black foot to be exact.if you have more question’s please just ask!
Native American is white? That’s news to me.
Yup they are.
Um, no they’re not. They are considered Mongoloid, and whites are Caucasian.
Find yourself a mirror, your ignorance is showing.
This is all by rather archaic methods of classifying race. I’m deeply uncomfortable with them, but they are what they are.
But my kids are Native, not white, though they cop to being part white (or part Viking as the youngest proudly tells people). Blackfoot is not white, and it is offensive to pretend otherwise. Blackfoot people are more closely related to Asians than to Northern Europeans. Genetically there’s not tons of difference between any of us, and no one on earth is more distant from you than your 40th degree cousin anyway.
But if you’re going to divide people into arbitrary races (tribal groups being different and more relevant because of culture), then no, Blackfoot people are not “white”.
Hehe. ‘Part Viking’. Very adorable. :) You should get him a Viking helmet. Yes, I mean the awesome kind they DIDN’T wear. With really big horns!
This whole “Race” thing is dumb anyway. We’re all one race. It’s one thing to be proud of your ancestors, and therefore your ancestral heritage – I have many entertainers, scientists and intellectuals in my family history. I’m kinda proud of that. :) It’s quite another to consider yourself superior to others because of where your ancestors came from and what color their skin is. If all you’ve got to be proud of is the color of your skin, that’s really nothing at all. It’s transient – it can change because of illness, disease, or based on how much time you spend in the sun no matter where your ancestors came from. You should curl up and die of shame if that’s all you got. Really. That’s just pitiful.
I’ve said this before, I’m sure I’ll say it again: Racists provide something of their own punishment for their ignorance and stupidity, by denying themselves the basic joy of such amazing cultural diversity. What a boring, one-note world they live for.
Native American is NOT white. If you looked any Native in the eye and said “You’re white”, they’d either laugh at you or hit you in the face. You don’t even know who you hate.
Thank you for the condolences. We are committed to seeing justice done.
James does not have any sisters, only a half brother..So why should we believe you?
don’t she’s a pathological liar and in her world being friends with someone makes them family.
fuck you all you dont no shitt bout james you cock suckers
Someone needs to trade that “PDR” for a dictionary.
I agree with BK. All three of those kids are fucking sick indivduals. It would be the biggest mistake to let them go. They deserve way more than what they are getting. My heart goes out to the family of the victims in both cases and for any other victims out there hurt by any of these perverts.
Ha ha @ mrs celona
Good one vcbeky!! I was thinking the same thing, sitting here reading her response like WTF???
and super ha ha @ celona since BIM says he has no sister. i was like DAYUM!!
God bless the families that are suffering and may God bless the souls of the accused, because if they are truly guilty there is no punishment that man can inflict that will match that of God’s wrath.
God bless little Aryana and give her strength because she will have a lot to deal with when she gets older. Not because of her name but because of the confusion she will experience in the battle of thought between her fathers guilt and innocence. He might be a terrible person but he probably loves her very much and that will confuse her even more.
I knew both Eric and James, they were friend of a friend you could say. and they were fucked up individuals! i was 14 when i met them, and they scared the ever living shit outta me. along with the killings, they also made porno’s with underage girls. i know cuz i was there. they also had a kitten in a jar, that James had killed with the purpose of tattooing it and piercing it, he told me that at 14!!!!! that day will haunt me forever. ill say this now that there threats cant be filled… i hope these two rot in hell for the rest of there miserable lives the f**king scumbags!
fuck those cocksuckers they deserve to rot in jail for all the shit they have done especially for what they did to dave and bill , they were good people and they didnt deserve what happened to them .
he will get what he deserves in jail , i hope bubba is making him feel right at home ( james is a faggot , incase you didnt know)
well here’s a little fun fact that the papers never told you…….those men that were killed were level 3 sex offernders,the papers just left that out so people would feel worse for the victims. the people of hingham had a very big problem with sex offenders living so close to where their children play,if you don’t belive me why don’t you run a criminal background check on those so called victims…they raped children…who the fuck rapes a child and than get’s labled a victim….come on now,i mean really. THEY RAPED CHILDREN AND YOU GUY’S WHAT PEOPLE TO FEEL BAD FOR THEM..OMG YOU MUST BE SICK.
While it’s true that Fuller was a convicted child rapist – he was convicted in 1996 – neither James Winquist and Eric Snow were aware of that when they beat them to death with baseball bats, so don’t try and make it sound like your two degenerate friends were just cleaning up the neighborhood. They chose Lyons and Fuller because they dared to cuss at those 2 neo-nazi dumbasses.
And while we’re at it, why don’t we run a criminal check on James Winquist and Eric Snow? They both have records longer than my arm. Face it pal, you’re stuck defending two retarded delinquents with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
Winquist was my age and I never saw him in the local elementary (and he would have been at my elementary, had he lived in Rhodes Circle as a kid), middle school, or HHS. Yep, I went to all the way thru Hingham public schools (elementary-> HHS) and never saw this fellow. Where was he during these formidable years? Did they always live in Hingham? I did a check with HHS friends and I have yet to find out who this kid was, though my uncle claims he knew his father, in Hingham High (circa late 60’s). I do not know if this is true.
I just bring this up because I was amazed there was someone in my area of Hingham my exact age I did not know. This is a tight town and the public school system is very encompassing.
On another note- I used to do summer camp among those bunkers (Rec Center!), and even then they were considered sketchy pet murder sites.
The two men who were murdered were NOT sex offenders. Obviously you looked up the WRONG names.
Could you provide us with some proof of this statement? Like the dates of birth of the two murder victims compared to the so-called sex offenders. I always suspected the diddler angle was bullshit, I just couldn’t prove it. In Fact, all the evidence I found showed that was an Edward Fuller who was arrested for sexual assault in 1996.
If what you say is true, it would show once and for all just how desperate the Winquist and Snow camps are. Manufacturing evidence in the last resort of the guilty. As Carolyn Wormos, and Vincent Brothers about that. They each resorted to presenting faked evidence at their murder trials, and each times the respective defendant was exposed as a liar.