Firefighter Cleared of Assault, Kidnapping Charges

A Newton firefighter was cleared of all charges stemming from an incident in which he was accused of punching his girlfriend, threatening to kill her and stealing her keys.

Lee Gilliam, 33, was arraigned in February Newton District Court on charges of assault and battery on a family or household member, kidnapping, and threatening to commit a crime.

The victim alleged that on Thursday, Feb. 26, Gilliam came to her work in Waltham, punched her, threatened to kill her and abused her.

In a statement sent to Newton Patch from Gilliam’s lawyers Eisenstadt, Krippendorf & Galvin, the law firm said the 11- year veteran of the Newton Fire Department endured a “nightmarish ordeal” and that after reviewing the case the District Attorney’s Office filed a “Nolle Prosequi,” withdrawing all charges.

“[The victim] alleged that he had dragged her by her hair into his home where he threatened to kill her and then held her for hours until she could escape,” said lawyers in the statement. “Mr. Gilliam knew, however, that he had done none of those things. Nonetheless, he was to be arraigned on the serious charges of kidnapping, assault and battery, and threats.”

Gilliam’s lawyer’s said that within days of the arrest, they obtained phone records, interviewed witnesses and sent out investigators.

“Through those concerted efforts, we were able to pick apart the ‘victim’s’ claims and show – definitively – that they could not have, and did not happen,” said the press release.

The restraining order against Gilliam was also dropped the following day, said his lawyers.

“While he is grateful that the nightmare is effectively over for him, he is discovering the unfortunate truth that restoring a reputation that has been tarnished by such allegations, even when proven false, is a difficult process,” wrote Eisenstadt, Krippendorf & Galvin. “The events in this case should, hopefully, remind people that not all allegations are true, that being charged with a crime is very different from being convicted of a crime, and that the legal system can work for those falsely accused of crimes.”