All criminal charges have been dropped against a former Lowell (Mass.) High School athletic trainer Damon Amato, who was accused of touching student-athletes inappropriately.
According to The Sun, Amato was originally charged with three counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older. Those charges have been dismissed because two of the accusers are no longer willing to testify, and the district attorney decided they could not proceed without witness testimony. An earlier case against Amato ended in a not-guilty verdict for similar charges.
Former student-athletes alleged that Amato massaged them in inappropriate places on their bodies and asked them to remove clothing for treatment. They described Amato as massaging their buttocks when they came to him complaining of ankle pain. Several student-athletes are now declining to testify, citing the former case’s outcome and a fear that to testify would cause serious emotional stress.
“The Commonwealth will not compel these complaining witnesses to testify, given the therapeutic concerns,” the affidavit stated. “Without their testimony, the Commonwealth cannot proceed to trial at this time.”
In the previous not-guilty verdict, the judge in the case said he had “nagging reasonable doubt” about whether the described incidents met the legal threshold for assault and battery. But, the judge did call the behavior “disturbing” and “highly inappropriate.”
Following the dismissal of all charges, Amato’s attorney, Claudia Lagos, said, “Over the course of several years, Mr. Amato consistently maintained his innocence and never wavered in that position. Throughout an extraordinarily difficult and public process, he conducted himself with grace, patience, and respect for the judicial system. He faced the prospect of life-altering consequences while continuing to show compassion for others and gratitude for the support of his family and friends.”
Amato had worked in the Lowell, Mass., school district for more than 18 years before he was removed from his position in 2022 when the allegations were made.
