Lynn man charged with rape, attempted murder

LYNN – A city man was held without bail after police said a 911 call recorded the man allegedly raping and threatening to kill a woman.”(The alleged victim) opened the door and immediately hugged me, saying, ?Thank God you’re here,'” Lynn Police Officer Paul Scali wrote in a report.Daem Cardona, 30, of 359 Summer St. #2, was arrested and charged with domestic assault and battery, no abuse-prevention order in effect; rape; attempted murder; indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older; and mayhem; at 4:28 a.m. Sunday.A not guilty plea was entered on the defendant’s behalf at his arraignment Monday in Lynn District Court.Attorneys did not discuss details of the case in open court.But police reported searching Commercial Street then going to the Summer Street address at approximately 3:50 a.m. Sunday after State 911 reported a call with an open line and what sounded like a sexual assault in progress.Officers approaching the address heard a woman hysterically crying and officers noted Cardona had bloodshot eyes and smelled of alcohol when he answered the door, according to court documents.The alleged victim told police Cardona returned home from drinking late that night and went into her bedroom and said he wanted to talk about the two getting back together after a recent separation. When the alleged victim asked him to wait until the morning, Cardona allegedly dragged the woman into the living room and got on top of her.”She said he stated, ?after I rape you I’m going to kill you no matter what. I am going to kill you if you scream,'” Scali reported.The woman told police she tried to fight Cardona off as he strangled her to the point she saw “white flashes” and tried to cover her mouth so she couldn’t scream, according to police.The alleged victim told police she was able to secretly hit the emergency button on the defendant’s phone during the struggle. The State 911 dispatcher described the 8-minute 47-second call as “a violent struggle between a man and a woman who sounded like she was being raped,” according to police. The dispatcher told police she also heard the male voice saying he was going to rape and then kill the woman.Essex Assistant District Attorney Aimee Conway requested Cardona be held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing. Cardona’s court-appointed attorney stipulated to probable cause for a dangerousness hearing and did not challenge the alleged victim’s request for a restraining order. Judge James Wexler granted Conway’s request and the restraining order. He ordered Cardona held without bail and to return to court April 22 for the dangerousness hearing.