Dorchester man pleads not guilty to assaulting Rivers
A 40-year-old Dorchester man, once lauded by officials of the Ella J. Baker House as an example of how an ex-convict could turn his life around, was arraigned yesterday on charges of assaulting the center's founder, the Rev. Eugene F. Rivers III.
Andre Norman, who had been convicted of armed robbery and attempted murder as a teenager and spent 14 years in state and federal prisons, pleaded not guilty yesterday in Dorchester District Court to charges of assault and battery and threatening to kill Rivers.
Rivers, who did not return calls yesterday and whose lawyer declined to comment, told police that Norman assaulted him as he walked down Washington Street after 3 p.m. Sunday near Lyndhurst Street in Dorchester.
"The suspect suddenly approached and forcibly pushed Rev. Rivers against a wall and began making threats to 'beat your [expletive] right now,' " according to a police report.
"The suspect also repeatedly assaulted Rev. Rivers by blocking his right of way and pushing Rev. Rivers in the chest area as Rev. Rivers attempted to get away from the suspect.
Rivers stated that the suspect made threats to 'smoke' the Reverend, which is slang for shooting someone with the intent to kill," the report said.
Rivers escaped into a nearby home, and Norman fled, the report indicated. It was not clear what the motive was for the alleged assault.
The incident occurred four days after someone set fire to the Baker House, the community center in Dorchester founded by Rivers. It was not known yesterday if the incidents were connected. Investigators believe that someone ignited the back porch of the Baker House, causing $125,000 in damage. Rivers estimated the damage was as much as four times that amount. Authorities have made no arrest in the fire.
Kevin Peterson, executive director of the Baker House, said the alleged assault was not connected to the Baker House.
"It's something between Andre Norman and Rev. Rivers," Peterson said. "The two are separate."
Asked whether Norman is a suspect in the fire, Peterson said: "I have no idea who set the fire. The authorities will determine who is responsible."
Thomas Blessington, a lawyer representing Norman, did not return calls.
Norman, who was held on $500 bail, declined to comment.
After being released from prison in 1999, Norman, known as Dre on the streets, sought help at the Baker House and eventually began to reach out to other ex-convicts and anyone else who seemed on the path to a life in crime.
Over the years, Norman worked as a field organizer for the Baker House and with officials in the mayor's office, the State House, and the White House on ways to fight crime.
He helped draft anticrime policies for the city and sat on strategy panels at local universities with police officers. Norman stopped working for the Baker House in 2004. He is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial hearing July 24. 