Brookline, Mass. — 23-year-old Dion Millsap of Dorchester was trying to enforce Brookline’s mask mandate when prosecutors say he took it too far.
According to court documents, he hit the back of the lower legs of a 56-year-old man from Brockton who turned around and realized Millsap had just thrown one of his hot coffee cups at him.
It happened at this Dunkin donuts on Harvard street around 8:30 Thursday morning after police say he noticed the 56-year-old man next to him in line was not wearing a mask.
Prosecutors say the victim put a shirt over his face to try and de-escalate the situation but it didn’t work as the two started going back-and-forth.
“To me, it seems like this is a disorderly conduct case that has been blown way out of proportion,” said defense attorney Ian Henchy. “Disorderly conduct at best. The assault with a dangerous weapon charge, that was sort of out of control.”
Millsap’s defense attorney says he’s unemployed and homeless and was just getting back on his feet
“He was planning on starting a new job today,” said Henchy. “This is not what he was planning on doing. Being brought to lock up and being arraigned in front of the media was not how he planned for this day to go. He does have a five-year-old son and that was his main concern when I was talking to him saying he had to get out of here and go pick up his kid.”
However, the charges continued after employees called 911. Police found Millsap a couple of blocks away where the prosecution says he ran and even after getting caught continued resisting arrest, even injuring an officer while kicking. That officer is doing okay.
The victim said he is okay and declined medical treatment. Prosecutors say he asked if he could come in the store without a mask and was allowed to do so.
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