Man convicted of violent attack on a woman for not saying good morning

BOSTON, November 25, 2024 – A judge today found IAN ATKINSON, 34, of Dorchester guilty of assaulting and attempting to hit a 59-year-old woman with his car last year because she did not say good morning to him, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.

Atkinson, who waived his right to a jury trial, was convicted of assault and battery and assault with a dangerous weapon. Testimony began Thursday in Suffolk Superior Court before Judge Michael Doolin.

Today, Doolin found Atkinson guilty and sentenced him to two years in state prison followed by two years of probation.

At about 9 a.m. on July 13, 2023, Boston police responded to Balsam Street in Dorchester, where the victim told them she was watering her plants when Atkinson walked by and said, “when people say good morning to you, you should say hi you crazy (expletive).” The victim took out her cellphone and started videotaping Atkinson.  Atkinson, who had entered a nearby black Mercedes, left the car and repeatedly punched the victim in the face before throwing her against a fence. Atkinson stopped attacking once the victim bit him.

After the attack Atkinson drove the Mercedes toward the victim, almost striking her.

The victim was bleeding profusely from her nose when police arrived and was transported to a local hospital. She suffered a broken nose, contusions to her head and face, and a subconjunctival hemorrhage of her left eye.

The attack was captured on the victim’s cellphone and surveillance video.  Atkinson, who was wearing a GPS monitoring device at the time of the attack, was arrested several days later.

“For this victim, a pleasant summer morning descended into a violent and cruel ordeal for the most inexplicable of reasons.  But, even as she was being attacked, she had the presence of mind to record video, and that decision, along with her brave testimony, provided enough evidence for the judge to make his decision. I join all the members of the community in thanking this survivor for her courage,” Hayden said.

All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.

James Borghesani, Chief of Communications