SALEM — Witnesses testified that a Methuen man repeatedly tried to contact his ex-girlfriend by phone and in person after assaulting her in the Salem police parking lot.
A bench trial for Matthew Miranda, 21, began in Salem District Court yesterday. He faces six charges related to disputes with his ex-girlfriend, Jennifer Needham, 19, of Salem.
The case stems from a Sept. 19 incident in the parking lot, where Sgt. Robert Morin said he broke up a domestic dispute between Miranda and Needham.
Miranda was charged with simple assault and resisting arrest.
Needham, dressed in a pink suit, testified yesterday that her friend Laura Bosvert drove her to the police station.
Needham said she was sick and going to a doctor, but Miranda did not believe her.
He followed Bosvert's car through Salem, stopping to knock on her window at a red light and calling her cell phone to demand she get out.
At the police station, Bosvert got out of the car and told Needham to keep the doors locked. But Needham said she got out of the car. Miranda stood inches from her, grabbed her upper body and pushed her, she said.
"I felt violated, confused," she said.
Morin ran over and pulled Miranda off her before arresting him, she said.
Needham said she asked officers why they arrested Miranda, and told them to "go easy on him."
Prosecutor Jason Grosky asked her why she said that.
"Because I didn't know better," she said.
Later that day, Needham said, she received voice mail and text messages from Miranda, who had been released on bail. He left her a voice mail saying "that he was going to wrap his hands around both my and Laura's throats," Needham said.
Miranda is charged with stalking and criminal threatening in that incident.
Then, on Oct. 29, Miranda showed up at Needham's home, police said.
Needham, who was not home, said she told an angry Miranda over the phone that she would meet him there. Instead, she alerted police.
"He was threatening my life if I called the police on him," she said.
Police arrested Miranda that morning. They said Needham's phone showed Miranda had called her 18 times in less than an hour. Miranda was charged with stalking and violating a protective order.
"I'm just glad that everything's over," Needham said after her testimony yesterday. "It's the only thing to restrain him. There was no other ending. There was no happy ending, besides this. And this is probably the most peaceful ending."
Miranda is expected to testify in his own defense today.
