Local News

R.I. man charged for fight at Gillette that ended with fan’s death appears in court

John Vieira, 59, of Warwick, Rhode Island, was arraigned in Wrentham District Court on charges of assault and battery and disorderly conduct.

Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. Winslow Townson/AP

January 19, 2024

2 minutes to read

One of the men facing charges in connection with the fight at Gillette Stadium that ended with a fan’s death appeared in court Friday.

John Vieira, 59, of Warwick, Rhode Island, was arraigned in Wrentham District Court on charges of assault and battery and disorderly conduct. He pleaded not guilty and was released on personal recognizance, according to court documents. Vieira was ordered to stay away from Gillette Stadium and the family of Dale Mooney, the victim.

Mooney, of Newmarket, New Hampshire, was attending the Patriots-Dolphins game on Sept. 17. A fight broke out between him, Vieira, and Justin Mitchell, 39, also of Warwick, according to police. Mooney fell unconscious after the fight and later died.

Initial autopsy results “did not suggest traumatic injury,” but officials said in September that they did “identify a medical issue” related to his death.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled last month that Mooney’s cause of death was “probable cardiac dysrhythmia in a person with severe hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease during a physical altercation.” The manner of death was ruled to be homicide, Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey’s office said at the time.

But evidence reviewed by investigators did not show that there was a basis for criminal prosecution of charges related to homicide in Mooney’s death, according to Morrissey’s office.

Therefore, the charges against Vieira and Mitchell are related to the assault, and not Mooney’s death.

Many aspects of the fight were detailed in a police report made public last month. An argument broke out just before 11 p.m. in Section 310, where Mooney, Vieira, and Mitchell were all sitting. At one point, Vieira was physically pulled away from Mooney before the argument died down briefly, according to the report.

Mitchell allegedly got into an altercation with another fan, prompting a response from stadium security and Mooney. Vieira could be seen on security footage punching Mooney near his head with a “glancing blow” before Mooney grabbed Mitchell across his body from left to right and over the seats below, according to the report.

Mooney lost consciousness, and the altercation ended. Stadium security separated the men, and Mooney could be seen partially seated, “slumped back on top of the seats.” The entire fight lasted only about 25 seconds, according to the report.

Mooney, a lifelong Patriots fan, was rushed to Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro where he was pronounced dead at the age of 53.