Dad pleads innocent in beating of 10-week-old son (Salem, Massachusetts)

Dad JAMES S. FRARY has pleaded innocent to assault and battery charges in the beating of his 10-week-old son. Seems the baby was crying and in Daddy's care when he developed rib fractures and bruises on his body. Hmm. I suppose that not only are all moms liars now, but even witnesses on the street. Um, yea.

http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/articles/2010/10/01/news/news20.txt

Father accused of beating infant son pleads innocent

By Karen A. Kapsourakis / For the Item

SALEM - A Superior Court judge continued the bail for a Lynn father investigators claim beat his 10-week-old infant son, causing fractures to his ribs and bruises on his body.

James S. Frary, 41, of 100 Willow St., Lynn, appeared Thursday, entering a plea of innocent to a charge of assault and battery on a child causing injury before Judge John T. Lu.

As jointly recommended by the prosecutor and defense, Lu agreed to set the same bail amount as previously set in Lynn District Court and continued the case to Nov. 17 for a pretrial conference.

The defense may petition for a bail review at that time.

In the meantime, Frary remains held in lieu of bail at the Middleton Jail.

It was about 8 p.m. on June 15 when police responded to St. Stephen's Church at 71 South Common St. on a report of a man beating a child in a car and that the man struck the child three times with his hand. When police arrived, they spoke to the man, identified as Frary, who was now holding his son inside a silver Honda Odyssey.

When police questioned him concerning the allegation, Frary, who is disabled and unemployed, insisted that he would "not hit" his son.

He reportedly told them the baby was crying and he was comforting him.

At the time of the incident, the infant's mother had been inside the church attending a meeting, came outside and took the baby from Frary.

Police said at the time the infant did not have any signs of bruises on his small body.

The Department of Children and Family investigators became involved and observed marks on the infant's upper right arm, so they took custody of the child and had the boy examined at North Shore Children's Hospital, where tests revealed the boy had fractured ribs.

On the night of the incident, she said the baby had been fussy inside the church meeting, so Frary took the baby outside.

Frary was arrested the following day at the Lynn Shelter at 100 Willow St., where he had been apparently staying occasionally.

Assistant District Attorney Jessica P. Strasnick is prosecuting the case.