Lynn man allegedly assaults father after jail release

LYNN – Less than a week after worrying that a city man’s hostile living environment and mental-health issues were “critically explosive,” a judge ordered the man held without bail Monday after the defendant allegedly returned from jail and attacked his father.After bailing him, (the alleged victim) brought his son to Eliot Community for mental-health treatment which (the alleged victim) believes (his son) needs,” Lynn Police Officer Michael Crosby wrote in a report. “According to (the alleged victim), Eliot turned him away because there has not been any violence in the home. (The alleged victim) continued on to say as soon as they returned home, (his son) snapped and attacked him.”Richard Cushman, 33, of 38 Hanover St. #6, was arrested and charged with assault and battery; at 3:35 p.m. Friday. He was arraigned on the charge Monday in Lynn District Court where a plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf.Police reported “a very frightened, sweaty and injured” man lying in the hallway when they responded to the Hanover Street apartment building at approximately 3:30 p.m. Friday.The alleged victim told officers he had earlier bailed his son from Middleton Jail, where the latter had been held on a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon, police reported. The alleged victim told officers he then took Cushman to Eliot, but they were turned away.When the two returned home, Cushman allegedly attacked his father.Police said Cushman rarely made eye contact and was incoherent when asked why he attacked his father. Cushman also had “a repugnant odor that emanated from his person and may add to his current state of mind or lack thereof,” police reported. Cushman was taken to the hospital for a mental-health evaluation.Essex Assistant District Attorney Katelyn Giliberti Monday requested $2,500 cash bail for the alleged assault. She also requested that Cushman’s bail on an April 2013 case be revoked.Giliberti noted the judge himself had warned Cushman Wednesday that his bail could be revoked if he committed a new offense. On that day, Cushman was held on $500 cash bail after a woman told police she answered loud knocking at her door to find Cushman standing with a knife and moving towards her threateningly.A prosecutor requested $1,000 cash bail for the incident, saying the defendant had a history of violent offenses.But a probation officer and defense attorney last week asked that Cushman not be sent to jail. Saying neighbors constantly harassed Cushman and that he lived in unsanitary and unsafe housing, the court officials asked that Cushman remain free so they could help the defendant move and get mental-health treatment.Judge James Wexler ordered Cushman held on $500 cash bail, as the Item previously reported. But Wexler also expressed concern about the defendant’s situation.”I’m not sure what causes it, but it sounds to me like something is going to be bad here, sooner rather than later,” Wexler said at that arraignment last Wednesday.Wexler was on the bench again Monday. Also on Monday, court-appointed defense attorney Alicia Andrews echoed her colleague’s earlier request that Cushman be released for mental-health treatment.Andrews told the court that Cushman had mental-health issues but had been prescribed medication and had arranged services with a worker at Eliot. (An Eliot representative could not be reached Monday to confirm if Cushman was turned away as the alleged victim said. But police reported Eliot was present at the hospital after Cushman was arrested Friday.)Wexler ordered $500 cash bail, as he had the week before. But Wexler also revoked Cushman’s bail on a 2013 case where the defendant is alleged to have assaulted a police officer while being committed to a hospital.Cushman is scheduled to return to court June 6.