Boston Man Pleads Not Guilty to Rape at Oak Bluffs State Police Barracks

Boston Man Pleads Not Guilty to Rape at Oak Bluffs Barracks

Edward Joseph Brown, a 27-year-old Boston resident, pleaded not guilty to one count of rape during an arraignment at Edgartown District Court on Tuesday. Prosecutors state the alleged assault occurred this summer at the state police barracks in Oak Bluffs, where Brown was visiting while staying with a trooper.

August 15 Emergency Calls Prompt Investigation

Oak Bluffs police launched an investigation shortly before 1 a.m. on August 15 after county dispatch received two 911 calls regarding an incident on Temahigan Road, assistant district attorney Courtney Scalise told the court. Callers reported seeing a naked woman on the street outside the police barracks. A bystander transported the victim to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, where responding officers observed bruising on her legs and a large red mark on her neck.

The victim, a visitor from Ireland, had been spending time with friends at the Ritz bar earlier in the evening. Investigators learned that she initially could not remember events following her time at the establishment, later recalling waking up naked with a man on top of her in an unfamiliar location. A subsequent medical examination by a nurse corroborated her account that a man held her down by the neck and forced himself upon her.

Surveillance Footage and Rideshare Records Trace Movements

Investigators pieced together the timeline using local surveillance footage, rideshare data, and witness statements. Footage showed a man wearing a white hat approaching the victim before the two entered an Uber together. Records later confirmed that Brown took a rideshare at 12:27 a.m. on August 15 from downtown Oak Bluffs directly to the barracks. The driver told authorities that a man matching Brown’s description was accompanied by a woman who appeared highly intoxicated, while the male passenger did not.

A bouncer from the Ritz subsequently provided a photograph from an earlier summer night showing the suspect with a woman who previously dated Ryan Costello, a state trooper stationed at the Oak Bluffs barracks. When questioned by police, Trooper Costello identified the man in the photograph as Brown, his friend from Boston who was visiting for the weekend.

October Arrest

Oak Bluffs police secured search and arrest warrants on October 8. Boston police executed the arrest the following day at Boston Latin Academy, where Brown works. During the arrest, officers recovered suspected cocaine from Brown’s wallet, according to Ms. Scalise.

During Tuesday’s virtual hearing, prosecutors requested a $50,000 bail and a mandatory GPS monitor, citing other restraining orders filed against Brown by various women. Defense attorney Anthony Ellison argued against the high bail and GPS monitoring, emphasizing his client’s deep family roots in Boston, lack of prior criminal charges, and voluntary cooperation upon learning of the allegations. Judge Benjamin Barnes ultimately set bail at $10,000, declined the GPS monitor requirement, and ordered Brown to have no contact with the victim or witnesses. A pretrial conference is scheduled for December 3.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Oak Bluffs Case

Why was the investigation centered at the state police barracks?

Prosecutors state that Brown was visiting the Island for the weekend and staying with a trooper who was living in the barracks on Temahigan Road. Rideshare data and witness testimony placed Brown and the victim at that location during the early morning hours of August 15.

What were the specific arguments regarding bail in Edgartown District Court?

The Cape and Islands district attorney’s office requested a $50,000 bail and a GPS monitoring device, citing prior restraining orders involving other women. Defense attorney Anthony Ellison countered that Brown’s family could only pool $10,000, that he has no prior charges against him, and that he did not flee despite knowing about the investigation. Judge Benjamin Barnes set bail at $10,000 without a GPS monitor.

What is the current status of the legal proceedings?

Edward Joseph Brown entered a plea of not guilty to one count of rape during his virtual arraignment before Judge Benjamin Barnes. The court scheduled the next pretrial date for December 3.

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