A 67-year-old Florence man was convicted Friday of armed assault with intent to murder after a judge found he shot his separated wife in the upper abdomen in their Northampton home two years ago, then barricaded himself inside as she escaped and called for help. Michael Janik now faces up to 20 years in prison on the most serious charge when he returns to court later this month.
Janik was found guilty following a three-day bench trial in Hampshire Superior Court, according to the Daily Hampshire Gazette, with Judge Tracy Duncan presiding over the jury-waived proceeding and ultimately delivering the guilty verdict. The case centered on an attack at Janik's home on Pencasal Drive, where the separated couple shared a home before the shooting.
A Shooting, a Barricade, and a 911 Call
On Nov. 10, 2024, Janik's wife was attempting to retrieve her belongings from the house when he shot her in the upper abdomen, causing what the Gazette described as a life-threatening injury. She managed to get out of the house and call 911, telling police that the man who shot her was still inside, according to the MassLive report, which cited a spokesperson for the Northwestern District Attorney's office.
After the shooting, Janik barricaded himself inside the home. Northampton Police Sgt. Joseph Golec negotiated his surrender, per WWLP. The standoff ended without further violence, and Janik was taken into custody.
Multiple Charges Tied to a Pattern of Abuse
Beyond the shooting itself, Janik was convicted on charges including assault and battery by discharging a firearm, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, improper storage of a firearm, and malicious destruction of property, the station's report notes. He was also convicted of breaking his wife's cellphone and, according to the Northwestern District Attorney's office, of putting his hands around her neck in the days leading up to the shooting.
MassLive reported that Janik was convicted of six criminal charges in total, while WWLP's list of conviction categories, which includes two separate counts of assault and battery on a family or household member, appears to total seven when those two counts are counted individually. The discrepancy between the two accounts was not otherwise resolved in available reporting.
Sentencing Set for Later This Month
Duncan scheduled sentencing for Nov. 23, the Gazette reported. The statute underlying the most serious conviction, Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 265, Section 18, provides that a person armed with a listed weapon who assaults another with intent to rob or murder shall be imprisoned in state prison for not less than five years and not more than 20 years, according to the Massachusetts General Laws.
Jennifer Suhl commended the victim's strength and bravery in the immediate aftermath of the shooting and throughout what became a lengthy court process, according to the seed reporting. The case was covered locally by Stephanie Barry for MassLive.
