Parking lot beating suspect eyes release on GPS today
Harrison Thorp 6:54 a.m.
DOVER - The suspect in last month's Planet Fitness parking lot beating believed the victim's boyfriend had stolen $30,000 from him, according to a police affidavit filed in the case. The startling revelation came to light on a day that saw accused beater Jordan Lamonde, 22, of Portsmouth, waive his Tuesday arraignment and later a gaggle of TV and print reporters chase the beating victim across the courthouse parking lot after she got testy when reporters peppered her with questions as she headed to her car. It was only the latest bizarre twist in a case that has riveted the city of Rochester since a partial video of the beating was released by police about 10 days after the June 12 attack. Lamonde, who was initially held on $150,000 cash bail, was to be freed this morning after the court agreed to have his bail converted to personal recognizance. Lamonde was arrested on Monday at Portsmouth Regional Hospital, but officials continued to decline why he was there citing privacy concerns. Meanwhile, the affidavit details a dogged investigation by Rochester Police, who first responded to the beating scene after learning of an assault in the parking lot outside the North Main Street gym around 10 p.m. Erin McCarthy, who has identified herself as the victim on social media and with the press, told police that night she did not know her assailant and that he had punched her numerous times in the head, thrown her to the ground and kneed her in the head, the affidavit states. Police received their first credible tip June 21 when a woman told detectives she used to be friends with the suspect and was positive he was the man in the video that police released the day before. Several cameramen chased her halfway across the parking lot before stopping. She complained on Facebook earlier this week that reporters were harassing her at her house.
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