Trial set to begin for suspect in 2010 Lynn beating murder

LYNN – The murder trial for a former Chelsea man accused of killing a Lynn native in October 2010 is set to begin today in Salem Superior Court, after several delays caused by the deportation of a key witness and the defense attorney?s own legal problems have been settled.Fernando Aristy, 25, is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the killing of Chad R. McDonald Sr., 34. Police say Aristy repeatedly struck him several times in the head with a wooden board on Oct. 9, 2010, outside a 37 Bennett St., Lynn warehouse, after the two fought over a parking space.?He was my pride and joy, my only child, my only baby,” said Janet McDonald, McDonald?s mother, during a phone interview Monday. “It?s been devastating and I shudder to think this man is gonna get away with it.”Janet McDonald, who lives in Yulee, Fla., just outside of Jacksonville, said she was in town at the time of the incident and spent her son?s final days with him at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he lay in a coma from which he would never emerge. He died on Oct. 20, 2010, 11 days after the fight.Chad McDonald had attempted to contact his wife, from whom he was separated at the time, following the beating, according to police reports.But he lay on a mattress in the office he was staying for 13 hours before a co-worker found him. By then, skull fractures he had received when Aristy allegedly hit him with the board had taken their toll.Janet McDonald said her son was not a violent person, and that she believes Aristy intentionally and repeatedly blocked the driveway with his car simply to aggravate her son.?It?s not like this is a one-time thing,” she said. ” ? He took my son?s life over a parking spot.”Aristy pleaded innocent to murder, assault to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and aggravated assault and battery charges last year. The trial had been delayed several months while his attorney Raymond Buso of Salem faced larceny charges for allegedly stealing advertising signs from a Salem business.?I would love to know why (Buso)?s been so intent on getting back on this case,” Janet McDonald said. “If it?s notoriety he?s after, he?s got notoriety from when he was arrested. I have a lot of questions.”Buso said Tuesday that he will be ready for the start of today?s trial, despite being re-assigned to the trial just last Wednesday.?It was reassigned because I got jammed up taking signs that I wasn?t supposed to,” Buso said.The trial had been delayed once before when the Department of Homeland Security deported a key prosecution witness due to numerous criminal charges committed under six different aliases, according to Buso.The District Attorney?s Office worked with the DHS to have the witness, Wilfredo Mordan, brought back into the country until the trial concluded, but Buso said he wasn?t sure Mordan would still be participating in the trial.?(Mordan) is significant because he?s the only guy who said (Aristy) hit McDonald with a board. Everyone else says they didn?t see it,” Buso said.Buso said he asked a judge to let him back on the case after Aristy?s family hired him to be their lawyer.?Every attorney does stuff differently,” Buso said. “They were comfortable with me and knew I had a lot more experience than the other lawyer.”While the case has been delayed for months, Aristy has been in Middleton County Jail and Buso said he partly blames himself, but the delays should have no effect on how the case is tried.?It?s certainly tough because he?s been in jail and I should have not been doing stupid stuff, but it was my bad that led to it getting continued,” he said. “But part of the delay is the government?s fault.”Buso said Aristy admitted he was involved in the fight, but alleged it was McDonald who “elevated the fight to the use of deadly force.”?It?s pretty much uncontested at this point that McDonald had a screwdriver that was much like an ice pick and that he used it on (Aristy),” he said. “(Aristy) has the marks from being st