ORANGE – The New Hampshire teen accused of stabbing a Massachusetts state trooper in New Salem after a high-speed chase has got a new lawyer.
Nghia Le was brought back into Orange District Court Monday morning, and a new attorney, Steve Rappaport from Lowell, entered his appearance as counsel moving forward, according to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office.
Le will be undergoing a further competency examination at the Franklin County Jail and will be returned to court next Tuesday for an update on his competency and possible dangerousness hearing, according to a DA spokesperson.
Le remains held without bail in the meantime. He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment in Orange District Court last Tuesday.
Le, of Manchester, N.H., is charged with assault with intent to murder, armed car theft, resisting arrest and a slew of other crimes committed during a chase that ended in New Salem on Oct. 19.
Le is accused of stabbing 47-year-old Massachusetts State Police Trooper Mark Whitcomb before an Erving police officer shot and apprehended him.
Police say Le was involved in a motor vehicle crash in Walpole, N.H., and then stole the Toyota Camry belonging to the other driver, a 72-year-old woman. He allegedly then fled to Vermont, and then south down Interstate 91 to Massachusetts.
Pursued by state and local police, the vehicle Le was driving came to a halt after crashing into an object near the intersection of Route 202 and Fay Road in New Salem. Whitcomb parked his car strategically “nose to nose” with the vehicle Le was driving, police said.
According to the DA’s office, Le then exited the vehicle, went over to Whitcomb’s police cruiser, opened the door and began stabbing him, lashing out with “seven or eight swings of the knife.”
Gagne said it’s believed Le would have continued to flee, and that he attempted to steal Whitcomb’s cruiser after Whitcomb was able to exit the vehicle and escape the attack. Le was unable to put the car into gear, Gagne said, and Erving Police Officer James Loynd fired into the vehicle.
Le then exited the vehicle, disobeying Loynd’s orders to show his hands, and moved toward Loynd, who fired another four shots at Le, hitting him in the torso.