Pair held without bail in Methuen stabbing case

By Jim Patten
jpatten@eagletribune.com

September 09, 2008 09:15 am

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LAWRENCE — As a Methuen stabbing victim fights for his life at Massachusetts General Hospital, two men accused of attacking him outside a house party early Sunday were ordered held without bail yesterday.

Luis Miranda, 20, of 143 Bailey St., and Jose Velez, 26, of 17 Tyler St., both of Lawrence, were ordered held pending a hearing in Lawrence District Court to determine if they pose a danger to the community and should remain in jail pending their trials.

A third unidentified man involved in the attack remains at large, police said.

The victim, Jose DeFrancesco, 34, of Lawrence was rushed to Lawrence General Hospital and was later airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he remained in critical condition yesterday.

Methuen Detective Sgt. Tod Himmer said yesterday afternoon that investigators were working to establish a motive in the case.

"We have not been able to speak to the victim yet," Himmer said.

The two men are charged with assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and attempted murder in the 4 a.m. attack.

The incident occurred when the victim stepped outside 4 Cypress Ave., off Lowell Street near the Lawrence line, to have a cigarette.

Partygoers told police that when they looked out the window, they saw the victim being attacked. He was beaten with a stick and stabbed with a broken beer bottle, they said.

The men drove off in a red Pontiac Firebird that Lawrence police found a short time later with Miranda and Velez inside.

Prosecutor Jennifer Kunsch told the court that two of the victim's friends told police officers they could find no pulse.

The officers rolled the victim onto his back, took off his shirt, and prepared to use a defibrillator, but then noticed he was taking shallow breaths, Kunsch said.

Kunsch told the court that the victim had a severed artery requiring surgery.

She said it was questionable whether the victim would live.

Lawyers for Velez and Miranda said witness statements to police did not link their clients to the attack and asked for nominal bail.

Judge Mark Sullivan granted the commonwealth's request for the dangerousness hearing.

Miranda and Velez were ordered to return to court tomorrow for a status hearing.