Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - - A prominent lawyer and sometime political figure was released on personal recognizance following his arraignment Friday morning in District Court on a felony charge of assault.

Keven A. McKenna, 64, was arrested March 30 and charged with assaulting his paralegal, a former lawyer, Sumner Stone, 62, after an incident in McKenna's Acorn Street office.

McKenna, who did not enter a plea at Friday morning's arraignment, was also ordered to stay away from Stone.

The alleged assault happened after Stone asked to be reimbursed if he drove to Cranston to obtain a signature for a subpoena. Stone said outside the courtroom Friday that he wanted assurance that he would be reimbursed because McKenna owed him $2,700 in back pay and had been refusing to pay his expenses.

Stone previously told the police that McKenna swore at him and said: "I'll show you about being reimbursed."

Stone alleged that McKenna grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him out of the office, injuring his neck and back.

McKenna told the police he had "escorted" Stone out with an arm around him ``like a grandfather'' might.

Said Stone Friday: "I don't accept what he did. It's beyond what anyone should have done, let alone an attorney. He just lost it."

He said , "I want my back pay and I want him to acknowledge this was entirely his doing. There was no justification for this at all."

McKenna wasn't immediately available for comment. Earlier he had said that Stone ``complained he's not paid enough. I said, 'You're paid more than you're worth,' I said, 'I don't need you anymore.'"

The case was continued until June 12.

This story was originally published at 7:24 a.m. and updated at 10:22 a.m.

 Tags  crime lawyer Providence RI

Comments

hadenough said:

Is this the same Kevin McKenna who is in his mid 60’s and felt the need to go public with his pre engagement to ex Mayor Cianci’s wife? Then embarrassed him self by going on the Cianci talk show to get more exposure about his pre prenuptials, after which he attempted to argue with Chief Justice Williams only to be embarrassed by him. This self proclaimed Constitutional scholar has had his fifteen minutes and is only using the media for free publicity. After hearing him on the radio, I would believe the other lawyer’s story before his.

Link | April 10, 2009 8:33 AM
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Dave said:

He should plead insanity! The whole Bar Assn. and Judiciary would back him up.

Link | April 10, 2009 9:28 AM
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Jimy Wilcox said:

McKenna is old enough to be somebody's grandfather so I can buy that defense.

Link | April 10, 2009 9:38 AM
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Only in RI said:

I too heard the Cianci show that day and couldn't agree more with the above contributor. He made an idiot of himself and from what I could tell would be hard presses to be an authority on dog houses let alone the Constitution. Cianci was equally funny and politely said, "good luck" with my ex... Didnt sound like Cianci was missing anything... And he never did get an answer from McKenna if he was invited or not... LOL

Link | April 10, 2009 6:35 PM
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