Prosecutors push homicide investigation into the death of Matthew Nagle
Nicholas Cirignano was convicted in February 2005 of armed assault with intent to kill and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. (File photo)
By JOHN P. KELLY The Patriot Ledger
QUINCY - Norfolk County District Attorney William Keating’s office announced this afternoon it had opened a homicide investigation into the death of Matthew Nagle, who died this week, six years after being stabbed.
The investigation raises the possibility that Nicholas Cirignano, who was convicted and imprisoned for the attack that paralyzed Nagle, could be charged with murder.
‘‘The death of Matthew Nagle is being treated as a homicide investigation,’’ said Keating’s spokesman, David Traub.
Traub declined to discuss findings from an autopsy conducted by the state medical examiner’s office.
Nagle, 27, died Monday after a weeklong coma which the family said was brought on by complications from sepsis, a blood infection.
The stabbing July 3, 2001 left Nagle paralyzed below the neck and initially unable to breath without a ventilator.
Cirignano, 26, is serving a sentence of nine to 10 years at the state prison in Norfolk. He was convicted in February 2005 of armed assault with intent to kill and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Jurors dismissed charges he had stabbed four of Nagle’s friends, who were unable to identify their attacker. Their injuries were less severe.
The stabbing occurred as several fights broke out on Wessagussett Beach at the end of Weymouth’s fireworks display. Cirignano severed Nagle’s spinal cord when he plunged a hunting knife into his neck.
Nagle, a Weymouth High School graduate and standout football player, awoke eight days later at Boston Medical Center, paralyzed and with no memory of the stabbing.
His father, Patrick Nagle, said Wednesday the route prosecutors take is of little concern to his family now.
‘‘If the proper thing to do is indict him for murder, that’s fine,’’ he said.
Traub said Wednesday that prosecutors could bring homicide charges against Cirignano if medical or other evidence showed Nagle’s death resulted from the stabbing.
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