BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

ADD 1 JAN 17 p.m. — THE PLANET received this from the office of D.A. Tim Shugrue. It illustrates the state of the state in Pittsfield. The action took place on King Street, behind Robbins and Dewey avenues, and John Street.

Password is: Laquan.

Good work by the PPD and the D.A. One wonders, however, how many “Laquan’s” there are operating with immunity in our fair burg? Fair question, wouldn’t you say. Perhaps the mayor will choose to address this at some point in his State of the City address? What say, Pete?

On Friday, January 17^th, Laquan M. Johnson (1003 North Street, Pittsfield MA: 3/8/1995) pleaded guilty to Manslaughter and seven charges connected the April 4^th killing of Stephan Curley. The Commonwealth requested a state prison sentence of 15 to 20-years. The Defense requested a state prison sentence of 10-years to 10-years and 1-day.  Honorable Judge Agostini of Berkshire Superior Court sentenced the Defendant to 12 to 15-years in State Prison. The sentence is above sentencing guidelines that recommends 9 to 13.5-years.  The plea took place prior to result of a jury verdict from a trial that began on January 8^th. 

District Attorney Timothy J. Shugrue stated, “My thoughts are with Mr. Curley’s family during this difficult time. While Laquan Johnson’s lengthy sentence will never bring Mr. Curley back, I hope it offers some measure of comfort to his loved ones. Gun violence affects not only the perpetrators and victims but the entire community. Today’s plea represents a step toward healing, offering Ms. Satrape, Mr. Curley’s family, and the community an opportunity to look forward toward a new day.”

Both law enforcement and Mr. Curley’s family were satisfied with the case’s disposition.

On April 4^th, 2022 Laquan M. Johnson (Laquan Johnson) shot and killed Stephan Curley (22 Westminster Street, Springfield MA: 1/20/1996) and shot and injured Dominique Satrape (362 Columbus Avenue, Pittsfield: 6/30/1996).

At approximately 4:22pm on April 4, 2022, Pittsfield Police were dispatched after ShotSpotter activation detected five gunshot rounds in the area of 71 King Street. Concurrently, at approximately 4:27pm, Pittsfield Police were dispatched to Berkshire Medical Center after a report of an individual with a gunshot wound was dropped off at the emergency room. The individual was later identified as Stephan Curley.

The police investigators who were dispatched to 71 King Street searched the area surrounding the ShotSpotter activation. At 17 Von Nida Avenue officers observed an individual, later identified as Meilani Eurquhart, Laquan Johnson’s sister,  outside leaning over a garbage can. They questioned an Ms. Eurquhart about hearing gunshots, and she said she did hear shots. When Ms. Eurquhart was asked to raise her hands into view, she dropped several spent shell casings. At this point, officers approached the front porch of the residence and observed at least one additional spent shell casing on the porch. Based on the evidence outside the residence, officers determined the house should be secured pending the application of a search warrant. When Officers cleared the residence, they observed Laquan Johnson inside. He appeared to have just exited the shower. Officers observed another spent shell casing in the hall.

Prosecutors stated the Defendant showered immediately following the shooting to wash off gun residue after shooting Mr. Curley and Ms. Satrape. A gun, matching the one used to shoot Mr. Curley and Ms. Satrape, was found inside the residence in a safe belonging to Mr. Johnson.  

During a trial, prior to the Defendant pleading guilty, Laquan admitted to shooting Mr. Curley, claiming it was in self-defense. Prosecutors stated the shooting was not in self-defense and that there was no evidence that Mr. Curley had a gun during the incident. Witness testimony from the event state that the Defendant was outside his apartment with a gun and immediately began shooting when Mr. Curley and Ms. Satrape arrived. Prosecutors explained that the timeline of events, just 16 seconds between video evidence shows Mr. Curley driving up to the residence and shots ringing out, demonstrate that the Defendant fired shots towards both Mr. Curley and Ms. Satrape.

Assistant District Attorney Joseph Yorlano and Assistant District Attorney Heather Valentine represented the Commonwealth. Assistant District Attorney Jocelyn McGrath represented the Berkshire District Attorney’s Apelet Unit throughout the trial. Kristen Rapkowicz served as the Victim Witness Advocate on behalf of the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office. The Pittsfield Police Department served as the leading law enforcement agency on the case.

*Johnson faced two outstanding drug charges that stemmed from drugs recovered from the Defendant’s safe when it was searched. At Defenses request, the two drug related charges were severed from the trial. The two charges were incorporated into today’s plea.

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(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JAN. 17-9, 2025) — Parking and garbage, two eternal problems that have remained beyond Bitchfield’s ability to solve.

At Tuesday’s city council meeting, if you listened to the mayor and the DPW head, the new toter system is working great.

Peter Marchetti told a whopper: “When we first implemented this program, I couldn’t go anyplace, without someone saying ‘This program is a terrible idea.” As we are getting further and further into the system, I am being approached by people to say ‘Mr. Mayor, it was a bumpy ride but we’re getting there.

Right, and the only reason Marchetti’s nose didn’t reach Pinnochioean length is that the “people” who “approached” him are Ricardo Morales, his two secretaries, and anyone who for whatever reason feels they have to brown-nose the mayor, a disgusting thought if ever THE PLANET knew one. Otherwise, the mayor “can’t go anyplace without someone saying, ‘This program is a terrible idea.'”

chopThe city’s new toter system is going great, city officials tells us. As you can see, it is so.It’s funny that on THE PLANET and throughout the city, people are saying the system stinks.

• The toters are too small
• It’s difficult to keep the lids closed
• Many of the tours have been defective
• Toter stability and placement have been problematic.
• Anecdotal reports also suggest that since the toter system was implemented, the city’s rat population has increased, numbers that, to be clear, do not include the Pittsfield Shoclo Department, the Socohl Committee, or the administration at Pittsfield High Slohoc. Then again, THE PLANET talks to Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski, honest citizens who again are getting screwed. We tend not to hear from those who play kiss up to “Official” power.

Ricky Rumpus spoke in confusions that would tongue-tie a babbler. He mumbled about “something not adding up.” At last, truth in advertising! Something’s not adding up, alright. Rumpus says trash decreased, but he was hard pressed to say why. The answer is blowing in the wind. One reason why garbage is down is that people are dumping illegally. We have heard multiple reports of trash caches. Couple this with residents opting out of trash pickup, which Ricky admitted, and there you have it.

The city’s new toter system has been an immense success, city officials tell us. As you can see, it is so.

“I wish we had a way to quantify all of this, but it’s very difficult to quantify these things,” Ricky lamented. And anything that “Official” Bitchfield finds “difficult” has no chance of being responsibly addressed. Let’s just say that “Officials” do not see heavy lifting as part of their public service.

Rumpus told the council  the city has flagged 730 violations with respect to trash day. Citizens in violation have been absconded from their homes and sent to dungeons located deep beneath 70 Allen St. There, THE PLANET discovered an Iron Maiden, two racks, two whipping posts, and a Solitary Room. In that dreaded room, poor victims are tortured by having to watch broadcasts of Sara Hathaway. It is rare for a person undergoing such treatment to emerge with sanity intact.

Marchetti was asked if there is anywhere a confused citizen can go for help with garbage problems. His answer: “No.” He did say the Administration has had “conversations” about this.  In other words, the mayor admitted his true attitude toward the problems of ordinary citizens: They can go perform an anatomical impossibility on themselves.

“I think there are conversation we can have internally,” Pete said. In other words, more navel gazing and no real action to help needy citizens. The gangs, illegals, pedophiles, pregnant welfare chicks, drug dealers, and others of that freeloading ilk have no such worries.

Pursuant to all this, the other Pete, White Wash, shuffled through his Voltron trading cards. Gigantic super robots apparently represent the top level of Pork Chops intellectual capabilities. Apparently, five robot lions combined to form Voltron and go Number 2 in Pete 2’s medulla oblongata, It’s how councilors come together on every other Tuesday to form the Drool Threat, a Panel of Idiots divided into two teams of six and five.

Rumpus put his benediction on the meeting: “It’s synergetic. We all work in this together.”

Good heavens. Is this the kind of leadership $215 million buys?

Have a great weekend, everybody!

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“Bitchfield politics is expert on trashing. That much is certain” — Sir Donald Turpentine, Knight of the Bath.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

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