A Plymouth man walking along Court Street early Saturday was seriously injured in an apparent random attack by a man heard muttering that he was going to stab somebody, according to Plymouth police.
The alleged assailant, Michael A. Figlioli Jr., 42, of Plymouth, pled not guilty in Plymouth District Court Monday to seven charges including armed assault to murder, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
The knife-wielding man also said, “The moon’s good for a serial killer,” a witness told police.
He was ordered held at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility pending a dangerousness hearing on May 8.
The alleged victim, James Clayton, was walking with a female companion at around 1 a.m. Saturday, May 3, when Figlioli allegedly began taunting them.
Figlioli allegedly tried to punch the woman, and Clayton stepped in to defend her, the police report said.
Figioli then allegedly stabbed him, “causing serious life-threatening injuries,” according to Patrol Officer Zachary Sweeney, who arrived at the scene — at the entrance of the Mobil gas station north of the Samoset Street traffic lights — while the two men were on the ground fighting.
Clayton was severely wounded, with a deep laceration stretching from the back of his neck to his mouth, Sweeney wrote. He was slipping in and out of consciousness.
Figlioli was still holding the weapon — a black folding knife with a three-inch blade. Clayton was unarmed, Sweeney wrote.
Clayton was taken to South Shore Hospital in Weymouth for treatment, the police report said.
A witness interviewed by Sweeney said he was walking downtown near the Mexican restaurant Anejo when he noticed Figlioli in front of him.
“He was talking pretty crazy,” the witness told police. Figlioli said he was going to stab somebody, the witness said.
He said he saw Figlioli yelling random things and “derogatory words” to the couple, trying to “rile them up.”
He saw the two men square up like they were going to fight, but he didn’t see the eventual attack, according to police.
Clayton was interviewed by Sweeney on May 5. He told the officer he knew he was “very lucky” because the knife just missed critical arteries, the police report said.
He couldn’t recall exactly what happened but remembered Figlioli swinging a knife at his friend, Amanda Horrigan.
He stepped in to protect her and said he punched and tackled Figlioli, the police report said.
In addition to assault to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, Figlioli was also charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a dangerous weapon, disorderly conduct, mayhem, and assault with a dangerous weapon.
Only disorderly conduct is a misdemeanor. The other charges are felonies, which carry the potential for lengthy prison sentences.
Figlioli’s lawyer, Pamela Churchill, could not be reached for comment.
Andrea Estes can be reached at andrea@plymouthindependent.org.