Lawyer for man charged in deadly crime spree wants separate trials

Julie Manganis, Gloucester Daily Times, Mass.
·2 min read

Aug. 10—SALEM — The lawyer for a New Hampshire man charged in a deadly crime spree back in 2017 — that included the shooting death of a young Salem man delivering food — told a judge Monday he wants separate trials for each of Brian Brito's alleged crimes.

During a hearing Monday in Salem Superior Court, defense lawyer John Cunha said he is planning to file what is known as a motion to sever by next month. Judge Salim Tabit scheduled a hearing on Oct. 6.

Brito, 26, who was living in Manchester, New Hampshire, at the time of the crimes in March 2017, is facing charges that include first-degree murder in the death of Mohammedreza "Sina" Zangiband, 24, of Salem, who was delivering food in Lynn to earn money while working to become a pilot. Zangiband and his family had immigrated to the United States from Iran when he was a child.

Police believe that the March 27 shooting was unprovoked and the result of a "road rage" incident.

After that shooting, prosecutors allege that Brito eventually made his way to Chickering Road in North Andover, where he laid in wait outside a Richdale store, as a clerk was closing for the night. He allegedly went into the store and forced the woman working there into a back room, where he raped her, then robbed the register.

He was spotted driving on Route 1 in Peabody later that night and arrested; police found a gun that was subsequently linked to a March 25 shooting in Lawrence that injured two women, one from Haverhill and the other from Sandown, New Hampshire.

Brito is charged in one indictment with the murder, the rape and robbery, and with firearms charges. A second indictment was handed up after evidence linked the gun to the earlier Lawrence shootings.

Cunha has not yet filed the motion stating the basis for his request.

Prosecutors can try separate charges together if they show the alleged acts are part of a course of conduct or single event.

Typically, defense lawyers file motions to sever cases into separate trials out of concerns that juries could be prejudiced by hearing evidence of multiple crimes at the same time, or sometimes when they plan different defense strategies on the various charges.

Brito's current and former attorneys have told the court he will rely on what is colloquially known as an insanity defense in his case. A prosecutor on Monday told the court she's provided Cunha with the results of an evaluation by an expert hired by the prosecution. That evaluation and testing was the subject of a series of hearings earlier this year where Cunha sought access to information about the specific psychological tests the prosecution experts planned to administer.

Courts reporter Julie Manganis can be reached at 978-338-2521, jmanganis@gloucestertimes.com or on Twitter at @SNJulieManganis.

Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions. In order to improve our community experience, we are temporarily suspending article commenting

Recommended Stories

  • Canadian minister talks border with US counterpart in DC

    Canadian Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino met with the U.S. Homeland Secretary in Washington on Tuesday a day after Canada opened its border to fully vaccinated Americans. Canada lifted its prohibition on Americans crossing the border to shop, vacation or visit this week while the U.S. is maintaining similar restrictions for Canadians.

  • GOP's DeVos says she will not seek Michigan governorship

    Former U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said Tuesday she will not run for Michigan governor in 2022, putting an end to speculation about the onetime Trump administration Cabinet member and partner in one of the state's most influential Republican couples. “I am not running for governor,” DeVos told The Detroit News, which reported the announcement first. Advisers to DeVos, 63, said she never weighed a campaign to challenge Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, despite weeks of chatter in Michigan’s political class.

  • Wisconsin governor vetoes GOP bills to restrict absentees

    Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers vetoed a series of bills Tuesday passed by the state's Republican-controlled Legislature that would have imposed new restrictions on absentee ballots in the key battleground state. The Democrat also said two Wisconsin counties should not comply with subpoenas to turn over ballots and voting equipment as part of an investigation being led by the Republican head of the Assembly elections committee. “Hell no,” Evers said when asked if the local election clerks should comply.

  • Police say man in yellow vest, others are breaking into homes in Orange, Durham counties

    The latest in a string of break-ins was reported just days after a Carrboro resident came home to find people in his apartment.

  • Student loans: Biden administration rolls back Trump-era guidance in win for borrowers

    The U.S. Department of Education (ED) reverses course on student loan oversight, once again allowing state governments to resume accountability checks on behalf of borrowers within their borders.

  • Maskless California man bullies the wrong 'Korean Uncle' as H Mart Ahjummas come to his defense

    A man who caused a ruckus after refusing to wear a mask at an H Mart in California was forced to leave the store as its manager and customers stood together to kick him out. Emilie Tan (@emilieeetan), who was shopping with her boyfriend, managed to film parts of the chaos. Tan told NextShark that they first found the man arguing with the manager at the back of the store.

  • Ohio Court Sentences Black Woman to 18 Months in Prison the Day After Giving White Woman Probation for Same Crime

    While the above headline may seem incendiary, it is important not to draw false equivalencies because all criminal cases are not equal. For example, in this specific story, two women—one Black, one white—were convicted of the exact same crime. However, the two cases are not the same. One is worse than the other.

  • Colorado Woman Allegedly Killed by Trump-Loving Hubby Had an Affair, Cops Testify

    Courtesy Chaffee County Sheriff’s OfficeSuzanne Morphew, a Colorado mother-of-two who vanished without a trace while out on a bike ride on Mother’s Day last year, had a prolonged affair before her disappearance, investigators revealed in court on Monday.The shocking revelation came during the start of a two-day preliminary hearing for the trial of her husband, Barry, who is accused of killing the 49-year-old on May 10, 2020. Morphew, 53, is facing several charges, including first-degree murder a

  • A Teacher Died By Suicide After Being Arrested for Soliciting a Minor. His Family Says the Cops Went Rogue.

    Douglas PetersenOn July 31, 2019, Brian Petersen, a 39-year-old school teacher in Texas, went on the gay dating app Grindr and struck up a conversation with a man whose profile name was “Fresh Meat.”He asked how the man’s week was going and if he was “looking for something tonight,” according to a transcript of the chat obtained by The Daily Beast. “You into younger boys,” the man replied, apparently posing the question.When Petersen asked for the man’s age, he said “under 18.” Petersen suggeste

  • Chicago police turn backs on an approaching Mayor Lightfoot after cop shootings

    Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was given the cold shoulder as officers turned their back on her as she arrived at […] The post Chicago police turn backs on an approaching Mayor Lightfoot after cop shootings appeared first on TheGrio.

  • Former Houston pastor accused of molesting teen for 5 years

    The 46-year-old admitted and pleaded guilty to the molestation while as a pastor in Cypress Station. The victim was 13 when it started, prosecutors said.

  • Pastor accused of sex assault talks of 2nd victim in jail call with wife, Texas cops say

    “I’m a dead man,” the pastor told his wife in a phone call from jail, police say.

  • Inmate murders sister’s rapist in prison, gets 25 years added to sentence

    A man who was already serving time in jail found himself in an unbelievable predicament when he discovered his cellmate […] The post Inmate murders sister’s rapist in prison, gets 25 years added to sentence appeared first on TheGrio.

  • A Look at Andrew Cuomo’s Net Worth as He Resigns from Role as New York’s Governor

    Andrew Cuomo was sworn in as governor of New York in 2011 and announced August 10, 2021 that he would resign from office in 14 days following multiple allegations of sexual harassment, according to...

  • Nicole Brown’s sister on O.J. Simpson’s latest comments: DNA doesn’t lie

    Double murderer (per final judgment issued in a civil lawsuit) O.J. Simpson recently said he doesn’t go to Los Angeles because he doesn’t want to accidentally end up sitting next to the real killer of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman. Nicole Brown’s sister predictably found remarks objectionable. Via TMZ.com, Tanya Brown said Simpson need not [more]

  • Suspect arrested in connection with murder of Bank of America exec

    A suspect has been arrested in connection with the murder of a prominent Bank of America executive who was found […] The post Suspect arrested in connection with murder of Bank of America exec appeared first on TheGrio.

  • A cult following for Cameron Herrin has grown on TikTok since he was sentenced to 24 years in prison for the deaths of a mother and daughter

    Cameron Herrin, 21, was recently sentenced to 24 years in prison for hitting a mother and her daughter with his car.

  • Ex-LAPD cop charged with manslaughter in deadly Costco shooting

    On the night of June 14, 2019, Kenneth French and his parents, Russell and Paola, were shot by off-duty LAPD Officer Salvador Sanchez while in line at a sample station at the store.

  • 2 brothers charged in fatal shooting of Chicago officer

    Two Chicago brothers have been charged in a weekend shooting during a traffic stop that left one police officer dead and another seriously wounded, the Chicago Police Department announced in a Monday press release. Emonte Morgan, 21, is charged with first-degree murder in Saturday’s fatal shooting of 29-year-old officer Ella French, as well as attempted murder and other charges. Officers had stopped a vehicle Saturday with two men and a woman inside just after 9 p.m., when a male passenger opened fire, Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said Sunday.

  • Chicago Cops Turn Backs on Mayor after Police Shooting

    A group of Chicago police officers turned their backs on Lori Lightfoot during her visit to University of Chicago Medical Center, where two officers were hospitalized.