One Dead, Two Hurt In Local Shooting

Two people were still hospitalized last night after, prosecutors said, an East Cambridge man brutally murdered his estranged half-sister and wounded two other family members on Friday.

The shooting rampage came just hours after a judge refused the alleged assailant's request to extend a restraining order against one of the victims.

John J. Hinds, 62, was arraigned late Friday in Cambridge District Court, charged by Middlesex County prosecutors with murder.

Police said the shootings occurred in broad daylight, on the corner of Fifth and Hurley Streets in full view of neighbors. When police officers arrived at the scene, they found two victims lying in the street, both with gunshot wounds to the head, said Cambridge Police Department spokesperson Frank D. Pasquarello.

The wounded were later identified as Joseph W. Beranger of Revere, who is Hinds' half brother, and Beranger's wife, Mary Beranger, 73, also of Revere.

Both victims were rushed to area hospitals. Mary Beranger was pronounced dead in the emergency room. Another 911 call alerted police to a third victim, just a few blocks away.

At 157 Fifth St., officers found Mary Hinds Pelo, the suspect's sister, in their mother's home. Pelo, police said, had also been shot. Police scrambled to search for the suspect. "It was very chaotic," Pasquarello said.

Police apprehended Hinds in the alleyway just outside his mother's home, Pasquarello said. Hinds' mother, who was inside the home, was uninjured.

Just hours later, Hinds, looking solemn and remaining silent until the judge spoke to him, pleaded not guilty Friday to one count of murder and six counts of assault.

Police said the family has had a history of domestic disputes over ownership of the Charles Street house where Hinds' mother lived. On several occasions officers were called to mediate.

Both the suspect and his half-brother had appeared in the Cambridge district courtroom of Judge George R. Sprague '60 just before 10 a.m. the day of the attack. A week earlier, Hinds alleged that Beranger tried to break into his mothers' home at 207 Charles St.

"He called again raving mad and said `John, I will get you' using profanity," Hinds wrote in his Oct. 7 affidavit. "He was irate."

"My half-brother is in California and lives in California and is here to causeproblems with my family," Hinds stated.

Hinds told the judge he feared for his life.

On Oct. 7, Sprague issued a temporaryrestraining order, barring Beranger from havingany contact with Hinds.

In the affidavit, Hinds alleged that Berangerpossessed two handguns. Sprauge ordered Berangerto turn his weapons over to the Revere PoliceDepartment.

But on Friday, Sprague refused to extend therestraining order.

Sprague declined comment, saying, "I'mprohibited by the cannons of ethics from sayinganything about [any] particular case."

As of late yesterday, Beranger was listed inserious condition at Beth Israel Deaconess MedicalCenter in Boston. Pelo is recovering atMassachusetts General Hospital.

Hinds' attorney, Joseph W. Monahan, was notavailable for comment.

Hinds is being held without bail.

A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Nov. 16.

-Georgia N. Alexakis, Andrew K. Mandel andthe Associated Press contributed to the reportingof this story.

Hinds told the judge he feared for his life.

On Oct. 7, Sprague issued a temporaryrestraining order, barring Beranger from havingany contact with Hinds.

In the affidavit, Hinds alleged that Berangerpossessed two handguns. Sprauge ordered Berangerto turn his weapons over to the Revere PoliceDepartment.

But on Friday, Sprague refused to extend therestraining order.

Sprague declined comment, saying, "I'mprohibited by the cannons of ethics from sayinganything about [any] particular case."

As of late yesterday, Beranger was listed inserious condition at Beth Israel Deaconess MedicalCenter in Boston. Pelo is recovering atMassachusetts General Hospital.

Hinds' attorney, Joseph W. Monahan, was notavailable for comment.

Hinds is being held without bail.

A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Nov. 16.

-Georgia N. Alexakis, Andrew K. Mandel andthe Associated Press contributed to the reportingof this story.