By Laurel J. Sweet
Boston Herald
BOSTON — Boston police gang unit Officer Patrick Curtin had no idea he was being shot until the leg he wedged into the front door of Requon Remy Martin’s South End apartment building began to burn, according to a police report.
Boston Municipal Court Judge James M. Stanton yesterday ordered Martin, 21, and his co-defendant Antoine Mack, 35, of Pawtucket, R.I., held without bail at the request of assistant Suffolk District Attorney Montez Haywood after they pleaded not guilty to armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and multiple firearm charges.
The suspects face a dangerousness hearing tomorrow and Martin indicated he may call witnesses and testify in his own defense.
Curtin and two other officers followed the duo inside the West Springfield Street building, suspecting Martin and Mack were concealing handguns by the way they allegedly grabbed at their waists when they hurried away from members of the Youth Violence Strike Force.
The incident began with the unit checking out a Mercedes-Benz coupe double parked on the street with its radio blaring during a routine patrol Saturday. “The officers reached the door of the apartment and the males attempted to shut the door. Officer Curtin was able to put his left foot between the door and the door jamb and was able to prevent the door from shutting all the way,” according to court documents. “The officers were yelling ‘police’ and to open the door. It was readily apparent to the officers that there was someone on the other side of the door attempting to close it and was struggling against the officers trying to open the door.”
“At one point, the door opened enough for the officers to see inside the apartment, which was extremely dark, having no lights on,” the documents continue. “At that point, the officers observed a muzzle flash from an interior staircase and also heard the shot as it happened. Officer Curtin felt a stinging sensation to his left leg.”
Police said Curtin’s injury was not life-threatening. He has been released from the hospital and is resting at home, police Commissioner William G. Gross said.
A police report does not indicate which defendant is believed to have fired the shot. It does state Martin, who engaged in a brief standoff with responding officers until surrendering to a SWAT team, “made numerous incriminating statements to detectives upon being interviewed.”
No gang affiliations were noted for either suspect. Police said no residents of the building are licensed to possess firearms or ammunition.
Mack’s attorney, William Keefe, said they will not call witnesses tomorrow. Mack, an unemployed native of Leominster, quickly exited the building after the shooting and was taken into custody, police said.
“My client maintains he’s innocent of this and we’ll be back on Wednesday and hopefully the judge will release him,” Keefe said.
Stanton did not force Martin or Mack to show their faces yesterday; however, both strained to peer out from a lockup doorway at more than a dozen uniformed and plainclothes officers who came to see them arraigned.
Martin, who claims to be a fashion designer, wore a white hooded hazardous materials suit. Mack rolled his head back and forth. His family later ran from the courtroom in tears.
If convicted, the pair could face up to 10 years in state prison.