LYNN – The Commonwealth dropped a murder charge against a city man arrested following a fatal stabbing at an abandoned home on Fayette Court in March. But details of the incident remain under wraps, as the court files remain sealed.Shane L. Dennis, 39, of 41 Cowdrey Ave., pleaded not guilty to murder on March 5. He was arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of Jose Jaime-Mina, 46, of Lynn, at 10 Fayette Court. Neighbors described the address as an abandoned home frequently visited by drug users and squatters.But neither defense attorneys nor prosecutors have discussed details of the case in open court, and the court files have been sealed.An Essex District Attorney spokesperson said March 10 that the files were impounded pending the identification of the deceased and notification of his next of kin.But the victim’s name was released March 12, and attorneys have not subsequently asked a judge to unseal the files.Meanwhile, the defendant posted $25,000 cash bail on March 14 and was released on GPS monitoring, according to court records.Essex Assistant District Attorney Doug Sheehan said in a hearing in Lynn District Court Friday that the Commonwealth was dropping the charge after a grand jury did not indict Dennis.Dennis and his family declined to comment, and Dennis’ attorney could not be reached for comment Monday evening.Police and emergency medical personnel responded to 10 Fayette Court at 8:46 p.m. March 4 on the report of an assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.Essex District Attorney Spokesperson Carrie Kimball-Monahan said the following day that a 46-year-old man believed to be from Lynn, later identified as Jaime-Mina, was stabbed at that time. The man was taken to Salem Hospital where he died of his injuries, Kimball-Monahan said.Neighbors and relatives of neighbors described 10 Fayette as a crack house: 10 to 20 residents regularly “squat” at the home, there are frequent late-night fights at the property, taxis come and go at all hours, police have responded to the home for overdoses and trash is strewn about the home and yard.Police have told residents they are trying to get the owner – who is believed to live in Florida – to better control the property and its tenants.
