Fall River's Jacqueline Mendes found guilty of manslaughter in Brockton road-rage killing

BROCKTON — A jury found Jacqueline Avelino Mendes, of Fall River, guilty of manslaughter in the road-rage killing of Brockton's Jennifer Landry.

The verdict came late Friday after jurors deliberated for nearly two days, the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office confirmed. Prosecutors had sought conviction for first-degree murder in the June 28, 2019, slaying of Landry. Mendes, 32 at the time, cut Landry's neck with a knife that investigators never found. Landry was 41.

Jurors decided against the higher charge of first-degree murder. They could also have found Mendes guilty of second-degree murder. Instead, they chose the lowest charge the law would allow in this case: manslaughter. They also found Mendes guilty of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

More:Road-rage turned deadly or self-defense? What happened in court in Brockton murder case

"To say we received justice, it doesn't fit," Landry's sister, Kristine Burke, said Saturday. "If it were up to our family, we would want her to spend the rest of her life in jail."

During the two-week trial, prosecutors and Mendes' defense lawyer put on evidence that the conflict began when Landry and Mendes nearly collided on Leavitt Street. Landry drove away. Mendes followed. According to the defense, Landry braked several times on Grafton Street, trying to trick Mendes into rear-ending her car.

Landry and Mendes exited their cars at Grafton and Belmont streets. Both women had folding knives, but evidence conflicted about whether Landry ever opened her knife. It was found, with the blade closed, covered in Landry's blood, in the crosswalk.

At trial, much of the case hinged on a 10-second video captured by a bystander that showed Landry pushing Mendes against Mendes' rental car. Mendes has her hands at her sides before she raises her hand to Landry's neck. Landry begins bleeding profusely.

Defense lawyer Rosemary Scapicchio argued that Mendes acted in self-defense to save her own life, even if she was mistaken whether Landry still had a knife at that moment.

Scapicchio did not return a Friday phone call. The Enterprise spoke briefly with a member of Mendes' family, but he declined to comment on Friday. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 4, according to spokesperson Beth Stone in the district attorney's office.

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