Judge upholds evidence in Kamara case after error; defendant charged in fire that killed Worcester firefighter
A brief pretrial proceeding took place in Worcester Superior Court Monday morning.
Kamara’s lawyer, Blake J. Rubin, had asked last month that a judge throw out evidence obtained in a search of Kamara’s West Boylston home following an error in a legal finding.
In an initial ruling upholding the search, Judge Daniel M. Wrenn had errantly considered a fact that was not contained in the search warrant affidavit at issue in the motion.
In a follow-up ruling Dec. 22, Wrenn ruled there was still enough other evidence in the affidavit to justify the search of Kamara’s home.
WORCESTER - The lawyer for a West Boylston man who allegedly set fire to an apartment building in which Firefighter Christopher Roy died two years ago appeared in Superior Court Wednesday to discuss unfinished business as the case continues toward trial.
Momoh Kamara is accused of starting the fire on Dec. 9, 2018, at 5-7 Lowell St. in which 36-year-old Roy perished.
Kamara, who allegedly started the fire to avenge grievances he had with former roommates in the three-decker, has been charged with murder.
On Wednesday during a zoom meeting, defense lawyer Blake Rubin and prosecutors agreed to continue the case to Jan. 25 for a status conference.
Brad Petrishen
Telegram & Gazette
WORCESTER A Bellingham man was sentenced to 6 to 9 years in prison Tuesday after pleading guilty in Worcester Superior Court to committing manslaughter while drunk in a 2018 crash that killed a popular motorcyclist from Blackstone.
Lucas C. Cook, of 35 Yvonne Road, Bellingham, received the sentence after family members of the man who died in the crash, Casey W. Calkins, read emotional victim impact statements.
“While all lives have value, Casey’s life, by all accounts, had more than most,” the assistant district attorney prosecuting the case, Anthony H. Melia, said after the statements had been read.
Calkins, a lifelong Blackstone resident, died 17 days after Cook struck his motorcycle with his Saturn Vue at around 6:30 p.m. Oct. 20, 2018, near 172 Providence St. in Mendon.
WORCESTER - With COVID-19 leading to a backlog in court cases across the state, local judges and lawyers are grappling with a variety of issues as they consider whether they can try and conduct murder trials this spring.
Concerns about safety, jurors skipping service and the possibility of participants having to wear masks were among potential pitfalls raised Monday as one local judge probed the topic.
Worcester Superior Court Judge Daniel M. Wrenn is calling dozens of pending murder cases in for status hearings this week, telling lawyers he’s working on identifying which cases should be prioritized for possible trials this spring.