Patrick Mendoza, restaurant owner accused in North End shooting, to remain held without bail
BOSTON – Patrick Mendoza, the North End restaurant owner accused in a brazen shooting that was caught on camera, will remain held without bail for 120 days, a judge ruled on Wednesday.
Mendoza appeared in court for a dangerousness hearing Wednesday wearing a suit and ankle restraints. He was already being held without bail after he was arrested Friday.
Mendoza, 54, had evaded Boston Police for nine days after they say he shot at someone outside of Modern Pastry on Hanover Street in the North End July 12. No one was hurt, but a bullet hit a window in the bakery.
Mendoza was arrested July 21 at Gosnold Treatment Center in Falmouth, a substance abuse treatment center.
Prosecutors argued Wednesday that there would be nothing to prevent Mendoza from going after the alleged victim in the case again if he is released. Defense attorney Rosemary Scapicchio asked the judge to release Mendoza with a GPS monitoring bracelet, saying he is not a threat and needs to run his restaurant, Monica's Trattoria, so his 25 employees do not lose their jobs.
"So to have him not available to do that is going to have a financial impact on the restaurant that's going to affect 25 people that are now employed by that restaurant. And for them to survive Covid and all the stuff that restaurants and restaurant workers had to go through in Covid, and now in the biggest season of the year lose their jobs, it's going to have a financial impact well beyond Mr. Mendoza and his family," said Scapicchio.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge took arguments under advisement and later deemed Mendoza dangerous and ordered him to continue being held without bail.
Mendoza is charged with assault to murder, assault with a dangerous weapon and witness intimidation.
During the latest hearing, prosecutors played surveillance video of the shooting and audio of an interview police conducted with the alleged victim.
According to court documents, the man who was shot at said he was waiting outside the shop for his daughter to finish work when Mendoza rode up on a bicycle and started swearing and yelling at him. The incident was captured on a nearby business' security camera.
The man said he's known Mendoza for about 20 years and there's an ongoing feud between them.
Prosecutors also previously said Mendoza was on probation, which was set to expire July 12, the day of the shooting. He was on probation after being convicted of attacking the same person from outside Modern Pastry and had been told to stay away from him.
Scapicchio argued Wednesday that the alleged victim in the case has a past criminal record.
Mendoza is scheduled to return to court on August 4 for a probable cause hearing.
Monica's Trattoria, has been essentially been shut down until the city approves a new manager for it.