Former Boston University hockey player John Sabo was acquitted Wednesday of assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery and threats against fellow former BU student Christopher Boccuzzi. The two fought in front of The Avenue bar last fall.
Although Boccuzzi’s family had previously indicated they would file a civil suit against the former assistant hockey captain regardless of the verdict, they were unavailable for comment Thursday.
David Procopio, a spokesman for the Suffolk County district attorney’s office, said he disagreed with the verdict.
‘We believed that there existed solid evidence that clearly supported the charges filed against Mr. Sabo, and we believed the facts of this case supported a different verdict,’ he said. ‘However, we respect the jury’s decision.’
The charges stemmed from a brawl outside the bar, a Brighton bar, on Sept. 22, 2002. Boccuzzi, a 2003 graduate of the School of Management, claimed that Sabo, a 2003 graduate of Metropolitan College, threatened him in the bar after Boccuzzi involved himself in an argument between Sabo and a woman, The Daily Free Press reported on Feb. 12.
Boccuzzi, Sabo and their respective groups of friends left the bar to fight in the street. Sabo’s group reportedly numbered about 15 people while Boccuzzi’s group reportedly comprised about six people. Several witnesses reported Sabo and others kicking Boccuzzi while he was on the ground, Brighton Police Detective Arthur O’Connell said in the article.
‘We contended the complainant and the witnesses were lying [Boccuzzi] was never kicked,’ said Richard Egbert, Sabo’s lawyer. ‘John testified he defended himself with his fists.’ The charge of assault with a dangerous weapon related to Sabo’s shod foot.
Boccuzzi required major surgery and ‘plates in his face,’ O’Connell stated in an April 9 Free Press article.
At Sabo’s delayed arraignment on Feb. 24, his counter-charge of assault and battery against Boccuzzi was rejected due to lack of probable cause. The trial was further delayed from the original pre-trial motion date of April 23 when Sabo’s original lawyer, David Eisenstadt, withdrew from the case.
Both Procopio and Egbert said such delays were not uncommon in court proceedings.
The trial, which was held in West Roxbury instead of Brighton, did not begin until Nov. 12. Most of the trial was devoted to the prosecution’s presentation of evidence, according to Procopio.
Egbert said the defense countered that Sabo acted in self-defense. The jury heard closing arguments late Tuesday night and reached their verdict Wednesday, according to Procopio.
To attend the trial, Sabo has been on the seven-day injured reserve list for Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Bullies, the East Coast Hockey League team he joined after leaving BU, according to Dan Weiss, the team’s public relations manager. Sabo rejoined the team Thursday and resumed practicing Friday, Weiss said.
‘Not many people were following it down here,’ Weiss said. ‘I did because I’m a Northeastern [University] grad. I kind of got a kick out of it.’
‘It’s good to settle legal matters,’ Weiss said. ‘We hope he learns from it.’
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