Man who barricaded himself in Port apartment found dangerous by judge
Mar. 1—NEWBURYPORT — A Newburyport District Court judge Monday morning ordered a local man accused of barricading himself inside his Atkinson Street apartment on New Year's Day held without bail pending trial.
Henry Taft, 57, was charged with misdemeanor breaking and entering, larceny from a building, vandalism, three counts of resisting arrest, assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault and battery following his arrest after a roughly two-hour standoff with police.
At Taft's arraignment two days later, Judge Jean Curran ordered him committed to Bridgewater State Hospital for a mental health evaluation.
Since then, a clinician there concluded Taft was competent to stand trial.
However, according to Taft's attorney, Anthony Papoulias, he was found criminally responsible for only some of the criminal charges. Papoulias did not specify which charges.
On Monday, Judge Peter Doyle found Taft too dangerous to society and police officers to be afforded bail while awaiting trial after a roughly 10-minute dangerousness hearing.
During the hearing, Essex County prosecutor Erin McAndrews went over the alleged events on New Year's Day that began when Taft was seen by witnesses running from Newburyport One Stop gas station after stealing cigarettes. He then ran to his Atkinson Street apartment and began a 90-minute standoff with police.
After SWAT members converged on the home, a negotiator was able to persuade Taft to come out without harm. Police had closed nearby streets and sent an automated phone call asking residents near Atkinson Street to shelter in place.
McAndrews then said Taft "often threatens officers that they're going to have to shoot him," and referred to an 2011 incident in which Taft holed himself inside his Ashland Place home in Gloucester, drawing police and regional SWAT police into a three-hour standoff. Upon Taft's arrest, police found guns, ammunition, a machete and pills, according to a Gloucester Daily Times story.
McAndrews also said that because Taft was no longer allowed at the Atkinson Street apartment, he was essentially homeless meaning it would be harder to keep track of him while awaiting trial.
Papoulias said Taft's friends were prepared to place him in a Gloucester or Newburyport motel until his legal fate was decided. He also said that while Taft was found competent to stand trial, "competency is fluid."
Staff writer Dave Rogers can be reached at drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.
