LOWELL, Mass. – A shopper accused of beating another customer for bringing too many items into an express checkout line surrendered Friday, but her lawyer said she was only defending herself.
The lawyer said the other customer swore at Karen Morgan, then spit in her face and lunged at her outside the Market Basket grocery store. Police say Morgan, 38, was the aggressor.
The Feb. 10 dispute began when the 51-year-old woman, who was not identified by police, brought 13 items into a 12-items-or-fewer checkout lane.
The woman said Morgan got in line behind her, complained she didn’t know how to count, then swore at her. She said that as she walked home with the groceries, Morgan drove up and the two exchanged words.
“Then she got out of the car and commenced a whooping on me,’ ” the woman told The Sun of Lowell.
Police say Morgan pulled the victim’s hair and hit her hard enough to knock her to the ground, then kicked her in the head. The woman took down the car’s license-plate number, and it was traced to Morgan’s address.
Morgan’s attorney, David LiBassi, said Morgan never kicked the woman or initiated any assault.
Morgan was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon – her shod foot. She faces up to 10 years in prison.
Friday’s surrender came after she failed to appear at an initial court hearing. Arraignment was expected later in the day.
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