LYNN – An emotionless Walter Clare, 18, stood before Lynn District Court Judge James Lamothe as he was arraigned for the murder of Jonathan Harris, 24, after a drug deal went bad early Wednesday night on Quincy Terrace.
According to court documents Harris, his girlfriend, another friend and two black males went to Quincy Terrace. Harris’ girlfriend, who is seven months pregnant, said she was ripped off during a marijuana deal. She told police she had an argument with a white male, later identified as Clare, and said during the argument Clare lifted up his shirt and exposed the handle of a gun. She said at that point the group left Quincy Terrace.
Court documents say the group returned to Quincy Terrace after Harris got a gun out of the trunk of a car. The documents say Harris began to shoot and shots were fired back at them.
Assistant District Attorney Christina Ronan said police found Clare, who is homeless, at 8 Quincy Terrace and he was holding a black shirt and white shorts in his hands, which witnesses told police Clare was wearing at the time of the shooting. She requested he be held without bail and that bail be revoked for a disorderly conduct charge from earlier this month.
Clare was ordered held without bail Thursday afternoon and friends and relatives of Harris shouted at Clare’s mother as she sat in the courtroom.
A witness told police that Harris fired two shots. The witness said he then heard three more shots.
When police responded to the scene they found Harris lying on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound to his forehead. They also found a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun. Lynn Police, working from information received from Boston Police, also found a .38 caliber handgun in a barrel in the rear of 10-12 and 14-16 Quincy terrace.
Court documents say Boston Police received an anonymous call that a gun was placed in a trash barrel in the rear of 8 Quincy Terrace.
?Defense attorney Edward Hayden said he did not know that much about the case at this point but said, “What I do know is that there is a defense to this case. As was said in court (Thursday, Harris) fired the first shot. From what I understand at this point the victim was not part of the original drug deal but came back looking for (Clare) after (Clare) took the marijuana and ran off.”
In addition to facing murder charges, Clare was charged with firing a weapon within 500 feet of a building, carrying a firearm without a license and unlawful possession of ammunition without an FID card.
?He (Harris) was a good kid. He was a respectful kid. Just a nice kid,” Joyce Johnson, a family friend said after the arraignment. “He was a nice kid and did not deserve to die like that.”
Harris’ friend, Matthew McCulal said after the arraignment, “He was an all-around good kid. He was a loyal kid he was a good kid a good friend.”
See www.itemlive.com Friday morning for complete coverage as well as video from Clare’s arraignment.
