A 25-year-old woman was arrested and charged this week in connection with the ongoing investigation into a man's shooting death in Somerville, Massachusetts, in July.
The Middlesex County District Attorney's Office says Jalissa Harding, of Burlington, was taken into custody Thursday night on charges of accessory after murder and withholding evidence in a criminal proceeding, almost two months after 49-year-old Paul Nolan was shot to death.
On July 22, Somerville police responded around 10:30 p.m. to reports of a shooting on Dartmouth Street and found Nolan suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The 49-year-old Somerville resident was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Friends told NBC10 Boston at the time that Nolan was a good guy who was trying to turn his life around.
Harding was arraigned Friday in Somerville District Court, where prosecutors revealed more about what they believed happened on that day and why she is being charged.
According to prosecutors, a rental BMW was used by the shooter to commit Nolan's murder, which occurred after Nolan and his girlfriend had ordered narcotics from an individual later identified as Harding's boyfriend.
The day after the murder, prosecutors allege that Harding washed the exterior and interior of the rental vehicle, which was not rented to her, and then she returned it herself to the rental company five days prior to its due date.
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The prosecution was asking the court to set bail at $25,000, arguing that evidence shows Harding knew about what her boyfriend had done, knew the BMW was used in the commission of that crime, and then assisted him in destroying evidence that might be in that vehicle. The prosecutor also said Harding's boyfriend was located on his way back from the airport where he picked up Harding after she returned the vehicle allegedly used in the shooting.
Harding's attorney argued that $25,000 bail was too high, saying the Everett High School graduate has worked recently doing nails and at the Encore Casino, and that amount of bail is more than half of her annual salary.
The prosecutor disagreed that she couldn't make a higher bail, saying that police searching Harding's apartment during the investigation had found $23,000 in cash, meaning she has access to significantly more money than her tax returns would suggest.
Ultimately the judge agreed with the defense and set bail at $5,000 cash with the condition that Harding not have any communication with her boyfriend, who has not yet been charged with murder in this case. He is however being held with no bail on two weapons charges after guns were found in Harding's apartment.
Harding is due back in court on Oct. 30 for a probable cause hearing.
