Lying charges in bar shooting
Former manager faces 20 years
By David Abel, Globe Staff | August 15, 2009
The former manager of a downtown nightclub was arraigned yesterday in Suffolk Superior Court on charges he urged witnesses to a shooting outside the club to destroy evidence of the crime and that he lied repeatedly to police officers, prosecutors said.
Shawn Donovan, 29, of Billerica pleaded not guilty to the charges stemming from a nonfatal shooting on Jan. 1 at the Revolution Rock Bar. Prosecutors said Donovan told police officers he didn’t know the shooter and ordered a photographer who was at the club that night to destroy photographs that showed the gunman with Donovan inside the club.
Donovan, who declined to comment, was charged under the state’s witness intimidation statute, which protects witnesses to violent crimes and punishes those who try to impede an investigation. If convicted, Donovan faces up to 20 years in state prison.
Prosecutors said Donovan lied to detectives when he told them he didn’t know Mario Mendez, 33, of Chelsea, a regular at the club who was later identified as the shooter.
Prosecutors said Mendez fired as many as five shots at Jared Yagjian, the 29-year-old victim, with whom he had argued inside the club shortly before the shooting.
Yagjian was hit in the left leg. Mendez has been charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and multiple drug offenses.
Investigators said Donovan and Mendez were well acquainted with one another.
Donovan’s case will go to trial in February.
© Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company
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