During a break in the arraignment proceedings for his brother’s killer, Rigoberto Ramirez entered the restroom at Chelsea District Court on November 29 and assaulted two men. After asking the pair whether they were associates of Dennis Bowen, the man accused of stabbing his brother to death over Thanksgiving weekend, Ramirez attacked them when they confirmed they were. The beating left both men bloodied. Ramirez subsequently left the courthouse and was apprehended at a nearby Dunkin Donuts by Chelsea Police, who charged him with two counts of assault and battery and intimidation of a witness.
The Probation Department urged the court to detain Ramirez, noting that he had been released from prison the Friday after Thanksgiving and remained on parole. The District Attorney’s office requested a $5,000 bail and presented Judge Benjamin Barnes with details of Ramirez’s extensive criminal history, which spanned ten pages and included multiple convictions for violent offenses. Court officials noted that Ramirez was also in violation of his probation due to two additional serious felony convictions. Despite these arguments and concerns raised about courthouse safety, Judge Barnes set bail at $100. Within hours, Ramirez was released back into the community.