GREENFIELD – Four of six North Quabbin residents facing charges of kidnapping and other crimes stemming from an alleged Feb. 1 incident were arraigned Monday afternoon in Franklin County Superior Court, where their cases have been transferred from Orange District Court due to their severity.

Athol residents April A. McCassie, 41, James Murphy, 30, and Ronald P. Mitchell III, 33, as well as Marlene M. Hill, 45, of Orange, individually pleaded not guilty in front of Judge David Hodge with their defense attorneys by their side. Brian A. Chamberland, 38, of Athol, had been released on $1,000 bail after being arraigned in Orange District Court but he failed to appear in Superior Court on Monday. He is represented by defense attorney David Simanski.

Franklin L. Payne, also of Athol, faces charges in connection with this case but was not scheduled to appear on Monday. The four defendants who appeared in court have been charged with four counts of assault and battery, three counts of conspiracy, two counts of armed robbery and kidnapping, and single counts of assault and battery by means of dangerous weapon, assault by means of dangerous weapon, and stealing by confining or putting in fear. They are set for pre-trial conferences on Sept. 20.

McCassie, represented by attorney Nora Leovich, was ordered held on $10,000 bail, set without prejudice, meaning the amount can be adjusted later. Assistant District Attorney is prosecuting all six cases for the commonwealth.

Murphy, represented by attorney Dan Solomon, was ordered held on $2,000 bail, also set without prejudice. Solomon said his client was “very much a minor actor in the sequence of events.”

Mitchell, represented by John Godleski, was released on personal recognizance. Hill, represented by Stephen Shea, was ordered held on $10,000 bail. Webber said Hill’s case is “a bit of a different circumstance,” as her Orange District Court bail was revoked due to a violation.

According to police reports, a man visited the Athol Police Department at roughly 5:10 p.m. on Feb. 2 to report being assaulted the previous night and having several items stolen. The man had injuries to his hand, head, face and back, and was directed to Athol Hospital for medical evaluation.

The man told police over the course of three interviews that he and a friend visited 32 Laurel St. at about 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 1 to try to buy drugs. According to police reports, McCassie accused the two men of being at 5 Sanders St. when items were stolen the previous night. The reporting victim later told police he and the other man had stolen clothes belonging to Payne’s brother.

The victim said McCassie called Payne to inform him the other man was at the house. Two men — later identified as Chamberland and Murphy — then allegedly grabbed his friend and held him until Payne arrived.

The reporting victim said Payne arrived and began hitting the other man before questioning the victim, who admitted to stealing the clothing. He said Payne started hitting him in the face and dragged him into the back bedroom. According to police reports, Payne at some point grabbed a pocket knife that fell out of the victim’s backpack, opened it, held the blade to the victim’s face, saying he was going to cut him. The reporting complaintant said Payne forced the two victims had to fight each other or he would knock the other man unconscious. The victim said his friend placed him in a chokehold until Payne split them up.

The reporting victim told police that Payne removed his own belt and began whipping his back, demanding the personal identification number to the victim’s debit card and cellphone. According to police reports, it was later determined that someone involved with the incident used the debit card to deplete the victim’s bank account.

The victim told police the assault lasted about an hour and a half before a man and woman — later identified as Hill and Mitchell — removed him from the residence and placed him in Hill’s vehicle. The victim said they drove to his grandparents’ house to retrieve some of the stolen items before driving back to 32 Laurel St., and Hill and Mitchell did the same with the other man. According to police reports, the two victims were allowed to leave the residence after roughly four hours.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.

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