One Charged in Financial District Stabbing

 BOSTON, June 7, 2012—A homeless man stabbed with a Swiss Army knife near Boston’s Financial District yesterday evening is expected to survive his injuries and another man known to him was held on high bail at his arraignment this morning, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

Boston Municipal Court Judge Mark Hart Summerville ordered JOHN BARBOZA (D.O.B. 12/15/56), who has no fixed address, held on $30,000 bail on charges of armed assault with intent to murder and related offenses for the 5:39 p.m. incident that sent the 39-year-old victim to the hospital.

Boston Police responded to the area of 175 Federal St. as yesterday’s rush hour was getting under way for a report of a person stabbed. They soon found the victim, who was transported to Tufts Medical Center with injuries that were not life-threatening.

The man told police that he had just handed Barboza a blanket when Barboza stabbed him in the chest for no apparent reason. The man said a second assailant, Barboza’s 28-year-old female friend, also stabbed him.

Based on the victim’s description of the assailants and the assistance of multiple civilian witnesses, officers soon spotted Barboza and the female in the area of South Station. In a post-Miranda statement, Barboza allegedly made statements that he’d been involved in the altercation with the victim. In a separate statement, his female companion allegedly stated that she had witnessed the altercation. Both were transported to the Area A-1 station to be interviewed.

In the course of those interviews, Barboza allegedly implicated himself in the assault but stated that his companion had no involvement in it. The female allegedly gave a similar statement.

In further conversations with Boston Police investigators, the victim repeated his allegation that Barboza had stabbed him but said that the female may have been trying to break up their altercation and did not stab him. As a result of these statements, the female was released without charges. Barboza was placed under arrest and his clothing was seized as evidence.

Barboza was represented by attorney Michael McLaughlin. He will return to court on July 5.

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