JURY FINDS W. YARMOUTH MAN NOT GUILTY OF 2011 HYANNIS MURDER

ABOVE: Curtis Collins being led into Barnstable District Court in shackles on March 8, 2023, charged with one count of murder for the February 27, 2011 homicide of Todd Lampley   BARNSTABLE, MASSACHUSETTS – The Barnstable Superior Court clerk’s office confirmed yesterday that Curtis Collins was found not guilty of murder after four hours of Jury deliberation on Thursday, May 22, 2025.  The trial ran from May 5 to May 22, 2025, according to Attorney James Caramanica, who defended Collins.  Prior to being found not guilty on the murder charge, the prosecution had dismissed 2 firearm charges against Collins before the case went to the jury for deliberation, according to Attorney Caramanica.  Collins was accused of having telephoned the suspected shooter before and after the shooting to arrange for the killing.  Collins was subsequently arrested and charged as a conspirator in connection with the murder in 2023.  “Collins fully cooperated with the police and voluntarily spoke with the police on 5 occasions, and steadfastly maintained his innocence.  Despite that, he was indicted in 2023 by the new Cape & Islands District Attorney, with virtually the same evidence that existed in 2011,” according to a written statement from Attorney Caramanica.  Attorney Caramanica’s entire written statement sent to HN after his client was found not guilty is published at the end of this article… Also in his written statement, Attorney Caramanica states that “The state police involved in the investigation lost a firearm they believed to be associated with the shooting…” BACKGROUND The following is the March 8, 2023 media statement from District Attorney Robert Galibois: “Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert J. Galibois today announced that Curtis L. Collins Jr., 31, of West Yarmouth, was charged today in the Barnstable District Court with one count of murder for the February 27, 2011 homicide of Todd Lampley, then 31, of Hyannis. Collins is the second individual charged in connection with Lampley’s death. In February, Devarus Hampton, 40, of Mashpee was charged with murder and arraigned in the Barnstable District Court. Collins is scheduled to be arraigned [today], March 8th at 9:00 am at the Barnstable District Court. On February 27, 2011, Barnstable Police Officers were dispatched to 42 Fresh Holes Road, Hyannis, for a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they found Lampley unconscious, bleeding, and suffering from gunshot wounds in a bedroom at the residence. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The charges stem from an investigation by the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office and the Barnstable Police Department. The Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office will make no further comment on the charges against Collins at this time. The Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office reiterates that all defendants are presumed innocent.” CLICK HERE for an earlier HN report with details surrounding the nearly 12-year investigation leading up to the aforementioned arrests… HN REPORT: DETECTIVES: DNA & SWEET POTATO BITS FINGER DEVARUS HAMPTON, TWELVE YEARS AFTER 2011 MURDER OF TODD LAMPLEY HN images from initial story… ALSO, the following two HN Videos show both suspects being whisked into Barnstable District Court to face murder charges at their separate arraignments in 2023. [CURTIS COLLINS ARRIVING AT BARNSTABLE DISTRICT COURT – 3/8/2023 – PRESS PLAY] [DEVARUS HAMPTON ARRIVING AT BARNSTABLE DISTRICT COURT – 2/27/2023 – PRESS PLAY] THE FINAL WORD The following is a written statement from Attorney James Caramanica, who defended Collins against the charges in Barnstable Superior Court: “The trial ran May 5 – May 22, 2025, a jury deliberated for almost 4 hours before finding Curtis Collins not guilty in the murder of Todd Lampley which occurred in 2011.  Attorney Michael Bergeron represented Curtis with me. As you know, in 2023, Collins was arrested and charged as a conspirator in connection with the murder.  Collins was alleged to have telephoned the suspected shooter before and after the shooting to arrange for the killing.  Collins fully cooperated with the police and voluntarily spoke with the police on 5 occasions, and steadfastly maintained his innocence.  Despite that, he was indicted in 2023 by the new Cape & Islands District Attorney, with virtually the same evidence that existed in 2011. The state police involved in the investigation lost a firearm they believed to be associated with the shooting in 2020 – however, they claimed to have only learned the firearm was lost in 2024, when preparing for the Collins trial.  Ultimately, before it was lost, the state police [ballistician] could not link the item to the shooting anyhow.  No forensic evidence linked Curtis to the shooting.   At trial, the prosecution withheld from the jury all but one of the statements given by Collins – that being his very first interview.  That is not unusual in criminal cases.  Such a strategic decision by the prosecution almost always prevents a jury from hearing all of the evidence unless a defendant elects to testify.  That decision by the prosecution is a classic example of why a person charged with a crime should not speak with the police without an attorney.  Helpful statements of a defendant will rarely be told to the jury by the prosecution – yet any statement remotely harmful will be repeatedly used against a defendant.” P.S. – Today’s Hytown Vignette is a brought to you by Bernard Herrmann [CLICK IT/CRANK IT!]