Nahant neighbor battle lands attorney in court

NAHANT – Neighborhood fisticuffs landed a local attorney in District Court where Judge Joseph Jennings ordered attorney Hugh Samson to avoid contact with Eugene Canty and return to court on Sept. 24.According to police Sgt. Stephen Schultz’ report, Samson, 59, and Canty, 64, squared off in front of their homes over “a long standing neighbor dispute” Wednesday shortly after 6 p.m. at Lafayette Terrace and Greystone Road.Canty told police Sampson pushed him and they fought briefly. Canty’s wife, Karen, told police she saw “Samson trying to gouge her husband’s eyes out with his fingers.” Samson told police Canty struck first, “sucker punching” him in the face.Both men initially refused hospitalization. Canty subsequently sought treatment at Beverly Hospital, according to Schultz, who quoted Canty’s daughter in his report, for “several fractured ribs as well as a collapsed lung.”Samson pleaded innocent in court to aggravated assault and battery and simple assault and battery. The simple assault charge emerged from the relatively minor injuries resulting from the fight. Simple assault is classified as a misdemeanor but the aggravated assault is a more serious felony. That charge, according to Schultz’ report, was filed because Canty is more than 60 years old and suffers from leukemia.