Motions dismissed in Yellow House case

A federal magistrate judge this week dismissed one motion that each side recently filed in the case of two Lawrence store owners accused in a stolen goods case.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. O’Hara dismissed a motion from prosecutors to revoke the bond of defendant Guy Neighbors. O’Hara also dismissed a motion that Guy and co-defendant Carrie Neighbors filed without their attorneys asking a judge to dismiss cases against them, saying prosecutors have been vindictive.

The couple, who own the Yellow House Store, 1904 Mass., face federal charges in three cases, but for nearly three years they have maintained their innocence and accused prosecutors and law enforcement of corruption.

Prosecutors have tried three times to revoke Guy Neighbors’ bond, mainly because they say Internet blog posts he has written are untrue and meant to intimidate witnesses. The two sides reached an agreement in July to not speak publicly in the case.

O’Hara ruled this week that Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra D. Morehead did not include enough information in her motion. The magistrate judge also said based on the limited information he did not believe it warranted putting Neighbors in jail until the trial.

On the motion from defendants he dismissed, O’Hara said in a court order that Guy and Carrie Neighbors could re-file their arguments through their defense attorneys.