East Boston man says he has good alibi for Dorchester gun charges: He's blind

An East Boston man had bail set at $2,500 today on charges related to the loaded gun and "high-capacity feeding device" police say they found in the trunk of his car after a traffic stop early Saturday in Dorchester.

At his arraignment today, Anthony Bailey's attorney, however, said the gun wasn't Bailey's - and couldn't be, because he can't see. "This man couldn't possibly use it," attorney Marcy Levington said, as her client, wearing dark sunglasses and holding a cane, stood in the prisoner's dock.

Boston Police report they found the gun after stopping the car - driven by Gregory Thureson, 35, of East Boston, but registered to Bailey - at Columbia Road and Washington Street around 1:10 a.m. on Saturday after Thureson allegedly made a right turn on red even though the intersection had a "No turn on red" sign.

Officers cited Thureson for the offense, then ordered him out of the car after learning his license was suspended. Since Bailey, 29, and also an East Boston resident, obviously couldn't drive the car, they decided to impound it:

Prior to towing the vehicle, officers conducted an inventory search of the vehicle for valuables/weapons. In the trunk, officers discovered a Michael Kors bag containing a loaded Glock 19 9mm firearm and a box of additional ammunition. Officers were informed by the registered owner of the motor vehicle that it was his wife’s bag. None of the vehicle’s occupants could produce a License to Carry.

Assistant District Attorney Marc Tohme had asked for bail of $25,000 for Bailey, noting the seriousness of the charge and a 2006 conviction for possession of a class A drug with intent to distribute.

The judge, however, agreed with Levington's request to set bail at no more than the $2,500 she said Bailey's family could raise.

Levington noted the gun was not found on Bailey, said Bailey denied telling the police the bag in the back was his wife's and said he had no idea how the gun got there. She added that numerous members of Bailey's family were in attendance at the arraignment - including his parents, his wife and his daughter.

She pleaded with the judge to set a bail amount the family could raise by asking her to consider just how long a blind man might last at the Nashua Street jail.

As the arraignment ended, one member of his family yelled "Love you!" His daughter yelled "Daddy!".

Innocent, etc.