W. Michael Ryan Arrest Northampton MA 10152010

On Nov. 14, 2010, Northampton Media obtained a copy of a cruiser video documenting the Oct. 15 arrest of former Northampton District Court Judge W. Michael Ryan, 64, on charges of assault and battery on a police officer and disorderly conduct. Ryan released the video so that "the public can have an impartial view of what transpired and determine for themselves the accuracy of the written police reports and the credibility of the charges pending against me."

Ryan had been helping his law partner, Barbara Jean "B.J." Plante, change a flat tire in the parking lot behind the Hampshire County Hall of Records in downtown Northampton, MA at around 8:30 p.m. when first approached by Patrol Officer Andrew Kohl, who claims in his police report that he was assaulted by Ryan.



Kohl, in his police report, said that Ryan refused to answer questions about if the two had been "consuming alcohol," and about how the car had gotten to that spot.

Officer Kohl wrote "I located his wallet in the left front pocket of his pants. I then removed the wallet from the pocket in an attempt to locate some form of identification for the male." As he did so, Kohl wrote, "the male party quickly turned around and exclaimed, 'What are you doing?' As he yelled, the male party quickly turned around, jabbed at my right hand with his left hand, striking me in the wrist with his left hand. As this occurred, I stepped back from the male party in order to create space. As I did so, the male party stepped towards me and raised his right hand into the air towards my face and began pointing at me and advancing towards me as if to strike me."

Ryan spent the night in the Hampshire County Jail and was released the next morning. He is being defended by Holyoke attorney Aaron Wilson, and will be prosecuted by the Berkshire County DA's office. Ryan is a former DA in the Northwestern Massachusetts district.

Lawyer Wilson, interviewed Sunday, told Northampton Media that the police reports describing Ryan raising his hand to Kohl in a threatening manner do not jibe with a viewing of the video.

Ryan does not drive because of a sleep disorder and was not operating the vehicle.

The police report and other documents can be accessed at www.northamptonmedia.com, a local news site run by reporters David Reid and Mary Serreze.

Ryan submitted this written statement to Northampton Media on November 14:

"The release of police reports relating to my arrest on October 15, 2010 has caused considerable, one-sided, public discussion of my case. Having spent my adult life in the Courts of Massachusetts, I am confident that the ultimate resolution of the charges will be just and I will be vindicated. I do not have the same confidence in the Court of Public Opinion, particularly when only one version of the incident is being presented.

I have lived a very public life in Northampton and cherish my record of community service and my reputation for civic and charitable contributions. It grieves me deeply to be criticized and censured by my neighbors and fellow citizens but it would be unwise for me to publicly discuss the facts of the case.

While I must wait for another day to defend myself, I am today releasing a video of my arrest recorded by the Northampton Police so the public can have an impartial view of what transpired and determine for themselves the accuracy of the written police reports and the credibility of the charges pending against me."

Signed, W. Michael Ryan

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• police
• cops
• Northampton MA
• Mike Ryan
• W. Michael Ryan
• arrest

[brooklyniteful]

I'am always amazed at how police can assualt individuals and then claim that the person was resisting. It is obvious to the observer of this video that the officer was the aggessor.

[cherlovestrong]

"...raised his right hand into the air towards my face and began pointing at me and advancing towards me as if to strike me."

He did not do this, according to this video.

[jebsr926]

@jwcfrarvc1 Yes, he did it just because he was told to do it and now that person is tainted for the rest of their lives. I have seen the D.A tell him that we have video evidence and when asked to get it for review the DA came back with Oh, we lost it. and the smart ass remark that was giving was I don't care we don't need it.

[jebsr926]

@jwcfrarvc1 Or the judge is just plain corrupt! And that is why he would suppress evidence. I can not tell you all about it so it won't make much sense to you but when a judge knows a person is innocent and he will just not allow witness in the court room because they are going to side with the accused person and not the court that is wrong! I have seen him destroy the lives of completely innocent people (Just because a certain persuasion told him to!)

[jwcfrarvc1]

@jebsr926 Now you're making me laugh. I think we're done here.



[jwcfrarvc1]

@jebsr926 Yes, there is something called a Motion to Suppress. You need to brush up on the law, I think. He, or any judge, would only grant a motion to suppress if an attorney made such a motion to suppress evidence. The reason evidence might be suppressed would usually be because it was not obtained legally. There are reasons for laws like this. Evidence is powerful and juriors often credit evidence from the police more highly. It has to be reasonably obtained. Or suppressed. Thems the rules.

[jebsr926]

@jwcfrarvc1 You have got to be kidding! He would suppress evidence NOT listen to it. Get your facts straight! 

[jebsr926]

@jwcfrarvc1 Stop talking in circles what dose the US financial trouble have to do with anything why would I care if your in Europe. And him fixing a flat tire is irrelevant to what was happening that night He was drunk he intended to drive drunk and he assaulted the police It took FOUR police to subdue him probably because they felt he was a threat to them. Police did an AWESOME job keeping a drunk off the road and possibly saving the life of someone just driving home from work

[jwcfrarvc1]

@jebsr926 Perhaps I missed something: Was he arrested for public intoxication? Please try to stick with the facts here. The fact is, there was no need for FOUR police to show up like this was an armed robbery in process. I thought the U.S. had financial troubles? My Danish husband's response was - Can they afford to have 4 cops stopping to help someone change a tire?? I don't want anyone driving drunk. I barely have half a beer every month. Police duty is to "protect and serve" - they failed.

[jwcfrarvc1]

@jebsr926 Second, I can see you are aggressive. Perhaps you are with the police? How else could you even presume to know what his intention was? He was fixing a tire! You had probable cause to believe he would complete that process. But besides that, you cannot be arrested for intention to do something unless there is a crime called "intending to drive while under the influence"? The point is - timing and details matter here. Police can NOT act on hunches. Judge Ryan knew/believes this. I agree.

[jwcfrarvc1]

@jebsr926 - The first thing I notice is that you are attacking me: calling me "corrupt" how bizarre! I am in Europe where I've lived for more than 6 years, hardly in a position to be "corrupt" - and what do you mean by that?