FALL RIVER ─ Corree K. Gonzales, the city man who is accused of the brutal and unprovoked stabbing attack on former city mayor Will Flanagan one year ago outside the marijuana dispensary he co-owns on Hartwell Street, is due back in court for a status review hearing on Nov. 2.
The near deadly assault took place on October 20 at 5:00 p.m. while Flanagan was taking a walk in the neighborhood.
Gonzales, who remains in custody without bail, was indicted in March for assault to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery on police officers, which occurred at Fall River police headquarters the following morning after his arrest.
Flanagan suffered life-threatening injuries to both sides of his neck and head and spent six days on life support at St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford.
After the high-profile assault, Gonzales’s defense attorney, Thomas Dougherty, had requested a change of venue from Bristol County to Worcester County Superior Court, citing “extensive pretrial publicity or settled community opinion,” according to court documents, and would likely not get a fair or impartial trial.
“Worcester County would ensure a jury free from taint, bias, potential exposure to facts and persons that may be familiar with the very popular and well-liked victim in this case and would be a protection to a fair trial and thus his constitutional rights,” wrote Dougherty in a motion for change of venue.
The Bristol County District Attorney’s office fought the defense efforts to move the trial to Worcester, and a judge denied the motion in April.
Extensive rap sheet and mental health question
Gonzales has a long history of arrests and mental health issues, including multiple charges of assault and battery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
At the time of his arrest, Gonzales had recently been arrested for assaulting his mother.
After his arrest for stabbing Flanagan, a judge ordered him to undergo a mental health evaluation at Bridgewater State Hospital to determine competency to stand trial.
A trial was set for Sept. 21 but was cancelled at the request of the defense.
The brutal attack on Flanagan was caught on security camera.
And according to court documents, prosecutors intend to present at least 18 videos from security and police cameras if the matter goes to trial.
