Boston, MA

Man accused of abusing dog in Boston has history of mental health issues, defense attorney says

Published

3 weeks ago

October 23, 2025

Man accused of abusing dog in Boston has history of mental health issues, defense attorney says

A man accused of abusing a dog in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood over the summer has a history of mental health and other health issues, his attorney said.

Akeem Pierre was arraigned Thursday in Dorchester District Court on animal cruelty charges, where he pleaded not guilty.

Video allegedly shows dog being abused

Back in June, Assistant District Attorney Nadia Eldemery said Pierre was seen walking a dog named Pluto in Dorchester. A witness told police they saw Pierre whip Pluto with the leash several times on the face and body, along with yelling at the dog and threatening him. The witness, who filmed the incident, also said Pierre lifted Pluto up off the ground by the leash and tugged him down the street. The dog allegedly seemed hesitant to walk with Pierre and appeared anxious.

A man is seen allegedly abusing a dog in Dorchester in June 2025.

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Eldemery said the witness filmed the incident and sent the video to the MSPCA and police. The video was also posted on social media.

When police spoke with Pierre, he told them he was pet-sitting Pluto and “training” him by tapping him on the nose whenever he did something deemed inappropriate. Police said Pierre did not dispute or deny what he did in the video and did not show any remorse.

Suspect has mental health issues, attorney says

Pierre’s defense, attorney Elizabeth Pardy, said he has a long history of medical and mental health issues, which is why he was also in default on an OUI case from 2021. She said he’s bipolar, schizophrenic and has sickle cell anemia, along with other issues. She said he underwent a competency evaluation and the doctor determined that he’s not competent to stand trial.

Judge Thomas Kaplanes released Pierre on his own recognizance, despite the prosecution requesting $2,000 bail. He was ordered to have no interaction with Pluto, surrender any animals in his custody, report to probation weekly and remain drug and alcohol free. The judge also ordered him to undergo a mental health evaluation.

Pluto was taken to a veterinarian and was found to have no injuries. He was then brought to the MSPCA, who confirmed that he’s been adopted and is doing well.

“We’re grateful to the public for bringing this to our attention, which allowed our officers to quickly start a swift investigation that brought Pluto safely into our care and also secured charges, which are now pending before the courts,” said the MSPCA in a statement.

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Boston, MA

AJ Dybantsa shines, but future NBA star’s Boston homecoming spoiled by UConn

Published

7 hours ago

November 16, 2025

Press Room

AJ Dybantsa shines, but future NBA star’s Boston homecoming spoiled by UConn

Boston Celtics

“That’s as high a level of shot-making as you’re going to see in college basketball.”

AJ Dybantsa scored 25 points in his first college game in Boston. Barry Chin/Globe Staff

By Conor Ryan

November 16, 2025 | 12:24 AM

4 minutes to read

Saturday might have been an anticipated return to the Commonwealth for Brockton native AJ Dybantsa.

But the BYU star and projected top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft didn’t exactly receive the warmest welcome on the parquet floor at TD Garden.

The Massachusetts product might have had plenty of family and friends at TD Garden for the 18-year-old forward’s first game back on Causeway Street since his days playing for St. Sebastian’s.

But in a game against the No. 3-ranked UConn Huskies, Dybantsa and the No. 7 BYU Cougars were entering into enemy territory — with a majority of the Garden crowd donning Huskies gear.

“Just coming in as a freshman — it’s like a new environment,” Dybantsa said. “I mean, I’ve played in NBA arenas before, but I haven’t played in one feeling like this. And obviously they brought a lot of fans and everything like that. So I just had to stay calm, stay poised.”

Be it a hostile crowd, initial jitters in his return to Massachusetts, or a daunting matchup against an imposing UConn roster, Dybantsa labored out of the gate in Saturday’s heavyweight bout in the Hall of Fame series.

But not for long.

After posting four points in the first half, Dybantsa helped turn a potential blowout for the Cougars into a nailbiter — finishing with 21 points over the final 20 minutes of play en route to an eventual 86-84 Huskies win.

“That’s as high a level of shot-making as you’re going to see in college basketball,” UConn head coach Dan Hurley said of Dybantsa, who closed the game with a game-high 25 points, six rebounds, and two steals. “I mean, that guy with the threes — he hasn’t been making threes at least to start the year, he’s been a rim guy. But he had the whole bag going tonight.”

Despite Dybantsa’s heroics down the stretch, it wasn’t enough to topple a UConn squad that built an early lead and did not relinquish it — despite several attempts from the Cougars to claw back.

For all of the talk of Dybantsa’s return to Massachusetts, it was also a welcome homecoming for Huskies redshirt senior Alex Karaban — with the Southborough native standing as one of three UConn players to post 21 points to go along with three rebounds, two steals, and a block.

“I loved it,” Karaban said of playing at TD Garden. “I mean, I definitely had this game circled. … It was special. Some of my favorite games of my UConn career were the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games when we came here two years ago. So just being blessed to have the opportunity to come back here, play with another UConn squad was awesome. I loved every second of it.”

“I mean, AJ deserves it,” Karaban added of the hype around Dybantsa. “He’s one hell of a player, just what he’s done for Boston. … He deserved the homecoming too.”

That praise wasn’t necessarily shared by a boisterous UConn crowd, especially during the opening 20 minutes of action.

As his offensive game labored in the first half, Dybantsa was subject to jeers of “overrated!” as his shots continued to clang off the rim.

All it took was a couple of successful jumpers early in the second half to help the explosive forward start settling into a rhythm. Once Dybantsa’s shots from both midrange and beyond the arc started to fall, what was once a 20-point lead for the Huskies started to drain as Dybantsa’s confidence grew.

Even though he didn’t shred UConn in transition, Dybantsa used his strong frame to drive to the rim in crunch time — drawing fouls and finishing through contact.

With Celtics Jaylen Brown and Derrick White in attendance, Dybantsa and the Cougars cut the lead all the way down to two points with under 30 seconds to go.

But when handed a chance to take the lead, BYU’s Robert Wright III lost the handle on the ball — with UConn’s Silas Demary Jr. recovering the turnover to snuff out any hope of a Cougars comeback.

Despite the setback for Dybantsa and BYU, Hurley doled out plenty of praise for the future NBA star — whose stock should continue to soar as this season continues.

“Just the growth and his approach,” Hurley said of what has stood out about Dybantsa. “Sometimes you watch these kids, they come into college, these high draft picks, and it’s been over the course of years and years and years. You can see on film — the entitlement, the spoiled entitlement, the not guarding, the not being about the team. … I’m watching [his] evolution from game to game to tonight.

“I mean, this guy’s out there guarding, he’s on the backboard, he’s communicating with his teammates, and he’s playing with a level of desperation to win the game.

“For a guy that’s going to be maybe the number one pick — it’s a little refreshing to see this guy and the mental toughness. I mean, his first half was a mess, and for him to be able to put that behind him back home and putting that second-half performance on was as good as you’ll see from a freshman.”

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.

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Boston, MA

How To Watch and Listen To Georgia Tech vs Boston College

Published

1 day ago

November 15, 2025

Press Room

How To Watch and Listen To Georgia Tech vs Boston College

Latest — Sep 27, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback Robby Ashford (2) runs the ball against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive lineman Brayden Manley (11) during the first quarter at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images / Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

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Boston, MA

How to Watch Boston College Men’s Basketball’s Road Game at Temple

Published

2 days ago

November 14, 2025

Press Room

How to Watch Boston College Men’s Basketball’s Road Game at Temple

The Boston College Eagles (1-2) men’s basketball team is looking to get back in the win column as it travels to Philadelphia, Pa., to take on the Temple Owls (2-0) on Saturday afternoon.

The Eagles are coming off a 60-59 loss to the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils at home on Tuesday night. CCSU scored a layup with 3.2 seconds left to take the lead and BC missed a jumper as time expired to cement the loss.

Boston College also lost its season opener at Florida Atlantic 83-78 in overtime on Nov. 3 and won its home opener over The Citadel 76-47 on Nov. 6.

Temple, on the other hand, has won both games it has played so far this season, both at home. The Owls earned a 83-65 win over Delaware State on Nov. 5 and a 90-63 win over La Salle on Tuesday night.

This is the second game of a home-and-home series for the two teams. In the first game on Nov. 15, 2024, Boston College defeated Temple 72-69 at Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

It will also be the first time that Boston College has played at Liacouras Center since 2003.

This is the sixth all-time meeting between the two teams. Temple leads the all-time series 4-1.

Below is all the information for the upcoming matchup.

How to Watch: Boston College Men’s Basketball at Temple:

Who: Boston College Eagles and Temple Owls

When: Saturday, Nov. 15 at 2 p.m. ET

Where: Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, Pa.

TV: ESPN+

Radio: WEEI 850 AM

Last Outing, Temple: The Owls earned their second win of the season over the La Salle Explorers 90-63 on Tuesday night.

Last Outing, Boston College: The Eagles suffered their season loss of the season at the hands of the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils 60-59 on Tuesday night.

Last Meeting: The last time these two teams met was during the 2024-25 regular season on Nov. 15, 2024. Boston College defeated Temple 72-69 at Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Boston College’s Next 5 Games: at Temple (Nov. 15), vs. Hampton (Nov. 18), vs. Davidson in Charleston Classic (Nov. 21), vs. Tulane/Utah State in Charleston Classic (Nov. 23), vs. Harvard (Nov. 26).

Temple’s Next 5 Games: vs. Boston College (Nov. 15), vs. Hofstra (Nov. 19), vs. UC San Diego in ESPN Events Invitational (Nov. 24), vs. Bradley/Princeton in ESPN Events Invitational (Nov. 25), vs. TBD In ESPN Events Invitational (Nov. 26).

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