Kelsey Fitzsimmons Cleared in Bench Trial; Judge Calls Case ‘Exhausting’
kelsey fitzsimmons was acquitted of assault with a dangerous weapon following a bench trial in Lawrence, Massachusetts, after a judge concluded there was reasonable doubt about the events that unfolded at her home on June 30, 2025 (ET). The judge said he found both the shooting officer and kelsey fitzsimmons credible and declined to weigh collateral issues such as the restraining order or custody matters. The decision came after hours of deliberation in a courtroom the judge described as emotionally charged.
Kelsey Fitzsimmons: Verdict and Rationale
Judge Jeffrey Karp delivered a written explanation alongside his bench verdict, calling the case “one of the more exhausting, hardest things I’ve had to do as a judge. ” He noted there is no legal requirement for a judge to explain a bench decision but said he would do so here because the parties deserved one. Karp framed his analysis narrowly: whether kelsey fitzsimmons committed the assault, whether she intended to do so, and whether a dangerous weapon was used.
Karp said he found both North Andover Police Officer Patrick Noonan and kelsey fitzsimmons to be credible when they testified. The judge emphasized the rapidly evolving and tragic emotional circumstances in the home, and he pointed to the absence of body-worn camera footage — not part of department policy at the time — as a factor that left him with reasonable doubt. He explicitly set aside questions about the legality of the restraining order and custody disputes, saying those issues were not for him to decide in this proceeding.
Key testimony and courtroom moments
Prosecutors had presented multiple witnesses, and the case turned largely on dueling accounts from Officer Patrick Noonan and kelsey fitzsimmons. Fitzsimmons, who had been an officer with the North Andover Police Department at the time, told the court she raised a gun to take her own life as events escalated. Noonan testified that Fitzsimmons pointed the gun at him and that he was forced to shoot at her twice.
Defense lawyer Tim Bradl questioned Noonan about post-incident comments and possible departmental rewards tied to his cooperation. Bradl pressed Noonan on whether Fitzsimmons was attempting suicide or posed an intentional attack; Noonan maintained that she “tried to kill me. ” The trial also included testimony from Officer Timothy Houston, who said he left Fitzsimmons and Noonan alone because he feared the presence of a third person might escalate the situation, and a ballistics expert from the Massachusetts State Police weighed in on the shooting.
Immediate reactions and what’s next
Judge Jeffrey Karp warned the courtroom that it should remain a place of law rather than a sports arena, saying, “I understand that this case has generated a lot of passion and emotion, but you must remember this is a courtroom and not a sports arena. ” He added, “There is no requirement that a judge explain their reasons for reaching a verdict in a bench trial. I do in this case, because I think Ms. Fitzsimmons, Officer Noonan and all of the people involved in the tragic events of June 30, 2025, deserve an explanation. ”
Defense counsel pressed that kelsey fitzsimmons had acted out of despair and presented that she had been jailed for more than 100 days after she was unable to provide a breath sample on an alcohol detection device. Prosecutors emphasized their witnesses and the seriousness of the shooting. With the acquittal, legal focus will likely shift to whether departmental policies on body-worn cameras and procedures for serving restraining orders will be reviewed by the police department and other local officials.
The courtroom reaction was mixed and emotional; supporters of kelsey fitzsimmons were present throughout, and the judge’s detailed explanation signaled that further public and departmental scrutiny is likely as officials and the community absorb the verdict.
