Ex-Maynard Student Charged With School Threats Held Without Bail
MAYNARD (CBS) – A Maynard teenager charged with threatening to kill his former classmates was arraigned Thursday and ordered held until his next court appearance in April.
Joseph Brooks, 19, shook his head as prosecutors described him as someone who admires Hitler, skinheads, and the Confederate south – and they showed the judge photos of his tattoos to back that up.
But outside court, a high school football teammate defended him.
"They were making him out to look like a Nazi and that's absurd," complained Daniel Cassidy. "Completely absurd. He's not like that. He's a good kid."
But some students at Maynard High say Brooks was prone to racist rants, and had threatened to "shoot up the place" on either graduation day – or the last day of school this spring.
The threats were both verbal – and in text messages – says prosecutor Nils Lundblad.
"One text said quote 'Wear red on graduation day. Be ready. I'm coming.'"
Prosecutors argue that was the trump card among several threats which prompted police to arrest the 19 year old Wednesday.
Brooks was a senior at Maynard High until he was expelled after an October incident, when he was charged as an accomplice to a friend who was accused of threatening another man with a knife.
After that, the school principal says Brooks seemed "completely crazy" and it was clear to most everyone that his anger had "gone to a new level."
Brooks waved to family in court today – including his grandparents in the back row.
They didn't want to talk much about the case, but echoed a defense theme that his arrest is an overblown response to their grandson's foolish loud mouth – not some sort of Columbine scheme.
His lawyer, David Galvin, says Brooks suffers from mild Aspberger syndrome.
"I could never imagine him doing something like that," says former teammate Cassidy. "People say crazy thing when they're upset but I don't think he'd ever act on it."
But prosecutors point to a pattern of violent talk – and his previous bust – as evidence that his threats can't be dismissed as angry fantasy.
"We believe he's a danger to kids in the school," says prosecutor Lundblad. "This is a guy we believe poses a danger to anyone and everyone."
Indeed, one student emailed us that she's glad brooks "won't be running around Maynard anymore."
His bail was revoked on the October knife incident, so Brooks will be in jail until at least mid-April.
He might well make a $7500 bail then and be confined to house arrest – with a bunch of restrictions.
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