BOSTON (WHDH) - A husband and wife from East Boston are facing several civil rights violations and assault charges after they threatened to kill, hurled racial slurs, and sprayed water at a group dining at a restaurant next to the couple’s home, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
Arielle Raso, 37, is charged with seven counts of assault and battery, seven counts of civil rights violation, seven counts of threatening to commit a crime, and one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a child under 14.
Gregory Raso, 39, is charged with seven counts of assault and battery, seven counts of civil rights violation, and one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
Police said they responded to Tertulia’s Cafe on Porter Street in East Boston at approximately 6:45 p.m. Monday for a noise complaint issued by Arielle and Gregory Raso, who live next door. Officers told the couple to contact them again if the noise continued past 11 p.m.
Officers returned to the restaurant at approximately 8:30 p.m. for a report of an assault in progress. They said they spoke with a victim, who told them that she and several others were at the restaurant when a verbal altercation began between the Raso’s and the party. The victim told police that the couple complained about the noise and told the victims, who are Hispanic, to “get out of this country.” The victim reported the Raso’s also used racial slurs and threatened to kill the victims.
Hayden said the Raso’s then broke off a piece of the fence between the property and threw it at the group, hitting a child. The couple is also accused of spraying the victims with a hose; all of the victims reported being hit by water.
While interviewing victims, police said they heard Arielle Raso admit she sprayed the group with a hose and heard her say, “I will kill you, I don’t give a [expletive],” followed by, “I’m [expletive] done with all those [multiple racial expletives].”
Both Arielle and Gregory were ordered to stay away from Tertulia’s Cafe and have no contact with the victims or any restaurant patrons. They are due back in court on July 28 for a pretrial hearing.
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