Counterpoint by Margaret Press & Joan Noble Pinkham

Author:Margaret Press & Joan Noble Pinkham
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Addicus Books
Published: 1996-08-06T16:00:00+00:00

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The job of the state was threefold: identify the murderer, catch the murderer, and finally put him behind bars. The first two having been accomplished, the most difficult part lay ahead. The state had now to prove Tom Maimoni’s guilt to a jury. In the words of Assistant District Attorney Kevin Mitchell, assigned to try this one, “It’s a whole different case in the courtroom.”

It is an unfortunate fact that the guilty often go free. Just because a crime has been committed does not always mean that sufficient evidence has been left behind to prove it. This is not necessarily a reflection of the abilities of the investigators, the prosecution, the judge, or the jury. They could all be top-notch. The criminal simply may have left no traces.

Whatever happened aboard Counterpoint on July 12, 1991, it was clear that Tom Maimoni probably had spent the next twenty-four hours ensuring that no evidence remained. Since he was compulsive about his boat, the extraordinary amount of cleaning he did raised no eyebrows at the yacht club. The state essentially was left with two pieces of physical evidence: a few spatters of blood on the mainsail and a skeleton, which made very clear what happened after the event but shed no light on what had happened during the event. Kevin Mitchell worried that for lack of evidence Tom Maimoni just might get off.

And so in August 1991 and the months to follow, the investigation continued in earnest. Without knowing what would be stipulated in the trial, what would be Maimoni’s final story and ultimate defense, the prosecution could leave nothing to chance. Every point they wanted to make to the jury had to be backed up by witnesses. Jennifer, the hitchhiker from Rhode Island, was interviewed. So, too, was every other woman who had called about an encounter with Tom.

Police talked to each of Maimoni’s past wives. Prosniewski drove down to Rhode Island to visit Mary Cayer, whom Tom married fresh out of high school before joining the military. With Mary, Tom fathered two kids. After his discharge, however, the marriage fell apart.

Subsequently, Maimoni married Mary Ellen Bouchie. Although Tom later looked back at those years as some of his happiest, they were not long-lived. Mary Ellen left Tom after six months. Apparently, this was the breakup that had devastated him most.

It took a lot of digging and phone calls before Prosniewski managed to track down this wife. She had moved to Florida and was living under her new married name. Finally he was able to reach her by phone. The woman sounded scared but talked freely.

Mary Ellen was the wife who did in fact have cancer. However, she survived, no thanks to Tom. She told Prosniewski over the phone that Tom was remarkably unsupportive during her treatment. Their life together was not easy. He not only had bad credit, but also owed back taxes and child support. Mary Ellen had done some digging herself and had uncovered many of Tom’s lies. She also described Tom as having a violent temper and a desperate need to control.

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