Mental Health Eval Ordered for Woman Who Vandalized “Glory” Monument

BOSTON, Aug. 1, 2012—A woman accused of throwing paint at a memorial to the Civil War’s famed “Glory Regiment” of African American soldiers was sent for a mental health evaluation at a secure facility today after her arraignment in Boston Municipal Court, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

ROSEMINE OCCEAN (D.O.B. 11/30/73) of Quincy was formally charged today with vandalizing an historic marker and two counts of malicious destruction of property for her alleged actions yesterday at the memorial to the 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry and its commanding officer, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. The property of several visiting tourists was also damaged during the incident.

Assistant District Attorney Elle Rackman recommended that Occean be held on $5,000 and be ordered to stay away from Boston Common. After hearing from the court clinician, Judge Mark Hart Summerville ordered her to undergo a 20-day evaluation with bail of $3,000 upon her return to court later this month.

Boston Police responded to the area of Beacon and Park streets yesterday, the site of the 1897 bronze relief sculpture, for a report of a person who had thrown paint upon it. On arrival, Park Rangers – who had witnessed the incident – directed them to Occean, who was sitting nearby with yellow paint on her face, clothing, and hands. The paint matched fresh stains on the lower surface of the memorial.

Occean allegedly stated after throwing the paint that the sculpture was an “improper depiction of history.”

Officers recovered a quart of yellow Rustoleum paint, a can of yellow Rustoleum spray-paint, a set of keys with yellow paint on them, and a cell phone with yellow paint on it, all belonging to Occean. Her 2001 Infiniti I30 was towed and seized as evidence.

Park Rangers also notified the officers of a family of five from Little Suamico, Wisconsin, who were present for the incident. Though they fled the scene, Boston Police later made contact with them and learned that two iPads and a Kindle reader they had been carrying were damaged by the wave of paint thrown at the monument. The three children, their mother said, were “devastated” by the incident.

Occean was represented today by attorney Patrick Colvario. She will return to court on Aug. 21.

–30–

All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.