Dangerousness hearing postponed for Lynn man charged with rape

SALEM – An Essex Superior Court judge on Wednesday postponed the dangerousness hearing of a Lynn man charged with raping a woman outside a church.Justice John Lu postponed the hearing until Jan. 20 after defense attorneys said they needed more time to prepare.Defense attorney Christopher Norris told the judge he needed to listen to a two-hour recording of Jerome Smith?s Lynn District Court hearing that he had received just Tuesday.Smith, 37, allegedly grabbed a 22-year-old woman in front of St. Joseph?s Rectory on 40 Green St. on Sept. 29 and dragged her down a driveway before raping her, according to a police report.Smith, of 75 Broad St., is charged with kidnapping, three counts of rape, two counts of indecent assault and battery, and two counts of assault and battery. He pleaded innocent to all of the charges at a Superior Court hearing in December, when Assistant District Attorney Melissa Woodard asked that Smith be held without bail pending his dangerousness hearing, originally scheduled for Wednesday.Norris said he may call one witness during next Friday?s dangerousness hearing and will submit as evidence a medical record pertaining to the victim.Smith, who wore a jail-issued white jumpsuit, answered Lu?s questions quietly and with a polite tone.He will continue to be held without bail at Middleton Jail until the hearing, Lu said.Taylor Provost can be reached at [email protected].