MA v. Lucy Medina: Reluctant Victim Assault Trial

Trial Day 2

3/4/2026

SALEM, Mass. (Court TV) — A Massachusetts woman is standing trial on charges she assaulted her husband, but she claims that she was the victim and was only defending herself.

Lucy Medina was indicted on charges of aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery on a family/household member after using a knife to cut the throat of her husband, Luis Medina. He survived the attack, but according to Lucy’s defense, her husband “has never given his account of what occurred” when he was stabbed on July 17, 2020.

Prosecutors have asked the judge to bar the defense from introducing “remote, vague, hearsay statements” about prior domestic incidents, but the defense plans to have an expert testify about PTSD and battered women’s syndrome. A forensic psychologist hired by the defense is expected to testify that the Medinas’ relationship was “parasitic and toxic.”

Luis Medina appears on the Commonwealth’s witness list, but Lucy Medina’s defense attorney, Hank Brennan, said in a motion that he expects Luis Medina to assert both his Fifth Amendment and spousal privilege and refuse to testify. The defense said they plan to focus the case on the issues of who the first aggressor was on July 24, whether the amount of force Lucy Medina used was reasonable and whether Luis Medina was a victim of his wife’s violence or vice versa.

A letter sent to the court, from Luis, that the defense intends to introduce at trial, says, “Mr. Medina firmly believes that if Defendant was the source of his injuries, she acted in self-defense. He is adamant that Defendant committed no crime.”

Lucy Medina has been free on personal recognizance as she awaits trial.

DAILY TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 2 – 3/4/26

• Francis Nova, Fmr. Lawrence Police Dept. patrolman
  • Dispatched to the Medina home after 911 call.
  • Jurors saw photos showing a trail of blood leading from the patio to the basement door; a grill was knocked over and the patio was in disarray.
  • The judge had to call a brief recess after the defendant’s crying caused a disruption.
  • Photos showed Lucy covered in blood.
  • Lucy was taken into custody and brought to the police department. During transport, she was distraught and crying in the backseat.
• Josh Dushame, Det. Sgt. Lawrence Police Dept. (Ret)
  • Responded to the Medina home after the 911 call.
  • Saw Lucy sitting on a small wall in the backyard, covered from head to toe in blood; he described Lucy as upset and crying.
  • Photos show bottles of alcohol on the patio.
  • Photos shown to the jury showed a kitchen knife with a black handle and a long silver blade.
  • On cross, Dushame said insufficient fingerprints were found on the knife for a match to anyone.
• Det. Kevin Nigohosian, Lawrence Police Dept.
  • Responded to the hospital to speak to Luis Medina, but he was unable to speak because of medical equipment in his throat.
  • Spoke to Maria Sanchez, but was unable to find other witnesses to speak to.
• Brian Cunningham, Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab, Supervisor, DNA Unit
  • Responded to the Medina home as a crime scene analyst.
    • Took swabs of red-brown stains
  • Later responded to the police department, where he was asked to examine Lucy. He noted she was covered with red-brown stains on her hands, arms, face and legs and had injuries to her hands, face, and forearms.
• The jury saw the defendant’s police interview.
  • Lucy told officers she had been drinking shots of tequila.
  • Lucy said that she and her husband had planned to cook outside when they got into an argument over their children.
  • Lucy told officers that she stabbed Luis after he hit her multiple times.
  • WATCH: Reluctant Victim Assault Trial: Jury Sees Lucy Medina’s Police Interview
• Jesus Melendez, EMT, Lawrence General Hospital
  • Dispatched to the Medina home after the 911 call.
  • Saw Lucy, screaming, covered in blood.
  • Luis was lying facedown on the ground, with lots of blood around him. He was breathing but his eyes were closed and he wasn’t able to talk.
  • Luis was placed on a stretcher and taken out of the home and placed into the ambulance.
  • In the ambulance, they were able to determine the source of the blood was a cut on the left side of his neck; Melendez described it as a puncture wound.