An offer he could refuse: Man to take his chances at trial

Local News

Discussion

The Salem News has a real-name policy for commenting. Users may sign in using the Facebook Connect tool above the comments field. Once your first comment is posted by a moderator, all future comments will post automatically. If you prefer not to use Facebook, send an e-mail with your comments user name (which must be the same as your real name), city or town, street address and daytime phone number to comments@salemnews.com. A staff member will contact you directly to confirm your identity. It may take a day or two before you can post comments. Only your user name will be public. All users are required to follow our rules for commenting, which can be found here.

comments powered by Disqus

March 3, 2012

An offer he could refuse: Man to take his chances at trial

By Julie Manganis Staff writer The Salem News Sat Mar 03, 2012, 04:46 AM EST

PEABODY — A Peabody man facing up to 10 years behind bars was given an offer: admit to charges that he drove drunk for the fifth time, resisted arrest and drove on a suspended license, as well as to violating his probation, and he would spend just three to four years in prison.

But Peter Hurley, 51, couldn't even get through a routine hearing before a judge who wanted to make sure he understood his rights, first insisting that because he was in jail when the Registry sent a license suspension letter, he could still drive, and then quibbling over the meaning of a trial by a jury of his peers.

So now the deal's off the table.

Yesterday, Hurley began serving an 18-month sentence that had originally been suspended last August, when he pleaded guilty to beating up a former girlfriend.

Salem Superior Court Judge John Lu found that there was probable cause to believe that Hurley was drunk, in and of itself a violation of his probation, and that he had committed new crimes.

And when he goes to trial, likely later this year, on the drunken driving and other charges stemming from his arrest in November, none of that time will count — and he could spend up to another 81/2 years in custody if found guilty on all counts, and at least two.

Hurley has a lengthy record that includes numerous domestic abuse charges, including at least one incident involving his elderly parents, as well as four prior drunken driving convictions.

During yesterday's hearing, a woman who was there in support of Hurley suddenly stood up and announced: "He's lying," as a police officer testified about Hurley's arrest.

The woman had accompanied Hurley's mother to court.

Courts reporter Julie Manganis may be reached at 978-338-2521 or at jmanganis@salemnews.com.