A Medford man and his Winthrop girlfriend were arraigned in Chelsea District Court yesterday for a vicious beating on board an MBTA train last month, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

PAUL MUCCI (D.O.B. 11/3/63) is charged with mayhem and armed assault with intent to murder for inflicting serious injuries during the March 24 incident on board a Blue Line train, while his associate, PAULA HOWARD (D.O.B. 11/8/61), is charged with armed assault with intent to murder for allegedly sharing the intent and attempting to help Mucci assault the victim.

Citing a 10-page record with convictions for assault and battery, breaking and entering, and other offenses, prosecutors recommended $25,000 cash bail for Mucci, as well as $5,000 cash bail for Howard. Judge Benjamin Barnes set bail at $3,000 and $150 respectively. At prosecutors’ request, both defendants were ordered to stay away from the victim and witnesses in the case. 

When a man and woman told Mucci to extinguish the cigarette he’d lit on a northbound train that morning, Mucci allegedly head-butted the man, then kicked and punched him repeatedly while reaching behind him toward a knife clipped to the back of his belt.

 “I’m going to kill you,” Mucci allegedly shouted.

 Howard allegedly yelled to Mucci, “Undo the buckle” in an effort to assist him in retrieving the weapon. Witnesses said she was “coaching” Mucci to stab the victim.

A female passenger saw the knife, jumped on Mucci’s back, and disarmed him. That woman later gave the knife to an MBTA inspector after the duo fled the train at Wonderland Station.

The victim of the assault lost consciousness and suffered serious injuries to his face and left hand. He was transported by ambulance to Massachusetts General Hospital. 

In addition to interviewing the victim and witnesses, MBTA Transit Police created a Wanted poster and distributed it to area police departments. On Tuesday, Winthrop Police provided them with Mucci’s and Howard’s names, having recognized them from previous incidents.

Transit Police compared their photos to the images in surveillance imagery and found them to be similar. Witnesses further identified both of them through photo arrays, and Transit Police soon located and arrested them.

The defendants were represented for bail purposes by attorney Jose Vicenty. They will return to court on May 7.