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Man charged with trying to lift wife out of wheelchair and toss her into Fort Point Channel

A judge yesterday ordered 20 days of evaluation for a Boston man arrested after, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office charges, he tried to throw his wife into Fort Point Channel from the South Boston side of the Summer Street Bridge Wednesday.

Jonathan Pinney, 38, told arresting officers - who found him across the bridge at Summer and High streets downtown - that he tried to dump his wife into the frigid water because she was "an imposter," the DA's office reports.

According to the DA's office, BPD officers responded to Summer and Melcher streets shortly before 3 p.m. on a 911 call about an assault in progress:

Officers spoke with a witness who said he saw Pinney lift the victim from her wheelchair and attempt to throw her over the railing and into the Fort Point Channel below. The victim, who officers noted was shaking and attempting to catch her breath, confirmed the witness’s account.

Pinney was arraigned Thursday in South Boston Municipal Court on charges of assault and battery on a family member and assault and battery on a disabled person the DA's office reports. He is due back in court on April 4, following his state at Bridgewater.

In a statement, DA Kevin Hayden said:

Considering the air and water temperatures Wednesday, along with the victim’s disability, we would likely be looking at a far more tragic scenario had this man been successful in his stated intent.

Innocent, etc.


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Comments

Wikipedia has this to say:

Capgras delusion or Capgras syndrome is a psychiatric disorder in which a person holds a delusion that a friend, spouse, parent, or another close family member (or pet) has been replaced by an identical impostor.

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The delusion that one's loved ones have been replaced by imposters is called Capgras syndrome -- multiple things can cause it: https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/impostor-syndrome-capgras

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I'm not a lawyer, but if that man was successful, his wife would surely have drowned. Most able-bodied people with the ability to swim would likely succumb to hypothermia. The woman is in a wheelchair!

I've been making my own notes on the handling of crimes against women by this District Attorney. So far, I'm not impressed.

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There's an ongoing, lively debate among experts about our justice system and how we can or should incorporate evolving knowledge about psychology/neuroscience/etc. Unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. In any case U-hub isn't the place to be having it.

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So he doesn’t overcharge this obviously mentally infirm guy on first glance,and that’s evidence he’s soft on crimes against women? You should log in under your real name, Carlos.

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DA's quite often start with a lesser charge and upgrade as more info becomes available. BUT haters gotta hate I guess.

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My sympathies are with the physically challenged victim. I can’t imagine the sense of betrayl and pain she is suffering. Shame on those who rationalize violence against those
who are most vulnerable.

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