Tech coach charged in stabbing

LYNN – A judge ordered $2,500 cash bail for an assistant football coach at Lynn Tech charged with assault to murder in connection with the stabbing of two of the defendant’s players during a fight over a girl.But a judge said the Commonwealth did not have a strong case that the coach intended to murder the alleged victims; and the coach did not stab either victim.Joel Devaney, 20, of 69 Robinson St., was arrested on a warrant for assault to murder, joint venture, two counts; and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, a shod foot.Devaney is the second person charged in connection with the Feb. 25 fight near the school in which a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old student were stabbed.Azariah Ball, 21, of 3 River Street Place, was arrested and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, two counts; at 5:13 p.m. on the day of the incident.Ball is alleged to have stabbed the two teens and he was held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing at his arraignment the day after the incident. He was additionally charged with assault to murder, two counts, this Wednesday when Lynn District Court Judge James LaMothe ordered Ball held on a total of $11,000 cash bail.But Devaney is alleged to have known Ball had a knife and to have made a threat referring to the knife.Devaney was arrested on a warrant Thursday afternoon and arraigned Friday in Lynn District Court where he pleaded not guilty to the charges.Police responded to Western Avenue and Franklin Street at approximately 4 p.m. Feb. 25 and found the girl in dispute inside a car and the two alleged victims in an ambulance, according to a report by Lynn Police Officer Michael Economou.Witnesses told police the fight started after a chance encounter between the two men, according to police reports.Devaney and Ball said they were leaving the weight room at the school where Devaney worked. The victims and several other friends were leaving school after waiting for a friend to finish detention.The groups met in the parking lot outside the annex building where the 16-year-old alleged victim (the current boyfriend) confronted his assistant coach.”(The boyfriend) stated Devaney has been calling him a ?(expletive)’ and a ?bum’ to (the girlfriend),” Lynn Police Officer Stephen Withrow wrote in a report of his conversation with the alleged victim. “As he approached Devaney, they started arguing and Ball pulled out a dark-colored knife and was holding it in his hand. (The boyfriend) turned to Ball and stated ?you’re gonna pull a knife on a 16-year-old?'”A teacher approached telling the groups to leave school grounds and the parties separated, according to police.But the girl – who told police a friend called and warned her about a possible fight – arrived and stopped her car on Vine Street where Devaney and Ball were walking.The girl, Devaney and Ball allegedly began arguing and Devaney allegedly grabbed his ex-girlfriend after she allegedly pushed him.The new boyfriend then allegedly came over and punched Devaney in the face, starting the fight. The alleged victims and the girlfriend said Ball stabbed the victims and Devaney kicked the boyfriend after he had fallen to the ground. The alleged victims both got into the girl’s car and she drove them towards Union Hospital, but she flagged down a passing ambulance at Franklin Street and Western Avenue.None of the witnesses dispute that Ball stabbed the victims.But Essex Assistant District Attorney Andrew Boyd stressed during Devaney’s arraignment that the girlfriend told police Devaney threatened to pull a knife on her new boyfriend while they were arguing just before the fight.”(Devaney) then said …that she better go get them, referring to (the victim) and the group with him, before I pull a knife on them,” Withrow reported, documenting an interview with the girlfriend.Devaney and Ball also allegedly walked away from the incident laughing, and Devaney told the girl that “(he) got your boys,” according to police.Devaney was at Bal