Delaney cleared in Lexington Park assault

By George P. Hassett

An Essex Street man was cleared by police of taking part in a vicious assault at Lexington Park Sunday, but was mistakenly included as a suspect in a police report released to the media.

Steven A. Delaney, 20, of 8 Essex Street, was alleged in a police report and, consequently an article in the Somerville News, to have been a suspect in an assault that left a Medford man with a broken jaw, fractured nose and missing teeth.

"I should have deleted Delaney’s name from the report," said Lt. Paul Upton. "He was cleared as a suspect by the investigating officer. It slipped by me."

The Somerville News based its story on the incorrect police report and, thus, included Delaney as an alleged assailant in the assault after he had been cleared by police. The News also mistakenly reported that Delaney had been arrested, when in fact he had not.