Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins issued a statement Friday announcing criminal civil rights charges against two Revere women for an alleged unprovoked violent attack against a Spanish-speaking mother and her 15-year old daughter in East Boston’s Maverick Square.
Rollins said that 25-year old Jenny Leigh Ennamorati and 25-year old Stephanie Armstrong were charged in connection with the February 15th attack that was caught on surveillance video from a nearby business.
“There is no place for hatred and bigotry in Suffolk County,” Rollins said. “Everyone is welcome here. Everyone is worthy of dignity and respect. Everyone deserves to feel safe.”
Attorney Janelle Dempsey of Lawyers for Civil Rights, who is representing the 46- year old mother — identified only as Ms. Vasquez — and her daughter, said the assailants allegedly yelled at the pair during the assault, “this is America, speak English.”
Dempsey said it’s important that the assailants be held accountable.
“We, of course, are very happy with this next step in this case," she said. "However, that doesn't change the slow police response.”
Though Police were called to the scene the day of the attack and did file a report, but felony charges against the alleged assailants were only filed Thursday, nearly two weeks after the attack took place and after a news conference to publicize the incident was held by Lawyer's For Civil Rights and Centro Presente.
Rollins’s office requested that the Boston Police Department Civil Rights Unit investigate the incident.
“I take these allegations very seriously and will personally be watching this case at every step, “Rollins said.
Ennamorati was charged with two misdemeanor counts of Assault and Battery, two felony counts of Violating Constitutional Rights with Bodily Injury and one felony account of Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon.
Armstrong was charged with two misdemeanor counts of Assault and Battery and two felony counts of Violation of Constitutional Rights with Bodily Injury.
Both are scheduled to appear in East Boston District Court on March 9.