Two brothers employed by Holbrook’s Department of Public Works were arraigned this week on felony charges tied to a June 13 attack that left an unhoused man with a concussion and multiple broken bones. Police say the man had been sleeping in a tent near Brookville Field when he was awakened, assaulted and chased into a nearby parking lot, where he was punched and stomped. Town officials have put both workers on paid administrative leave while separate criminal and personnel investigations move ahead.
According to Boston.com, the suspects are Jesse Thomas Baxter, 32, and Jake Robert Baxter, 28. They face felony counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (identified in court papers as a shod foot), assault and battery on a person with a disability, and witness intimidation, and they faced arraignment in Quincy District Court. Court records and the police report supplied the names of the brothers and the criminal counts that formed the basis for the complaints.
How police say the attack unfolded
Officers were called shortly before 12:30 a.m. to reports of a shirtless man screaming and banging on front doors on Linwood Street, where they found the victim bloodied and scratched, according to The Boston Globe. The man told investigators he had been attacked while inside his tent near Brookville Field, then chased into a nearby parking lot, where he was kicked and stomped as he tried to get away. Detectives say the assailants ran off on foot and appeared confused about who the victim was once they saw his face.
Town response
Town Administrator Anne Mahoney confirmed that both Baxters work for the Department of Public Works and said they have been placed on paid administrative leave while the town conducts its own internal review, according to NBC Boston. Holbrook Police Chief David Del Papa called the case “of great concern,” noting that the victim was especially vulnerable because of his mental health challenges, and referred further questions to the Norfolk County District Attorney’s office. The select board is expected to receive a closed-door briefing on the status of the town’s personnel inquiry.
Why charges were filed now
Investigators say they relied on surveillance footage and Flock Safety camera data to link a vehicle registered to Jesse Baxter to the area before and after the assault, which helped them seek felony complaints, according to Boston.com. Both brothers reportedly told officers they had been out for a run when an unknown man chased them while holding rocks, an account police say conflicts with the victim’s story. Detectives elevated the matter from an initial response call to a full criminal prosecution after reviewing the video and other evidence.
Charges and next steps
Jesse and Jake Baxter now face counts that include assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault on a person with a disability, and court records show they were arraigned in Quincy District Court, according to Boston 25. A spokesperson for Norfolk County District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey declined to comment when contacted, and town officials have reiterated that the employees are entitled to due process. If convicted, the brothers could face felony sentences in addition to any discipline that results from the town’s separate personnel process.
Community concerns
Advocates and neighbors frequently note that violence against people living outdoors is underreported and often raises broader questions about public safety responses and mental health resources, tensions that emerged again in Holbrook’s handling of this case. Police say the victim has a history of significant mental health challenges and remains under medical care, according to The Boston Globe. The outcome of the town’s personnel review and the district attorney’s criminal investigation will determine how far the prosecution goes and what ultimately happens to the brothers’ jobs.
