Mount Holyoke prof denied bail in attempted murder case

GREENFIELD — A Franklin County Superior Court judge on Wednesday denied a request from a Mount Holyoke College art professor to be released on bail prior to her trial for attempted murder.

Judge Mark Mason ordered that Rie Hachiyanagi be held without bail for up to 120 days while she awaits trial in connection with an attack on a 60-year-old woman in her home in Leverett on Dec. 23-24.

Hachiyanagi, 48, of South Hadley, is charged with three counts each of armed assault with intent to murder a person over age 60 and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and single counts of mayhem, home invasion, and nighttime breaking and entering.

She previously entered an innocent plea at her arraignment.

The court appearance Wednesday was a dangerousness hearing, and it was scheduled to determine under what conditions Hachiyanagi could be released back into the community prior to trial. Mason’s ruling indicates he did not believe there were any.

She will be held at the Franklin County House of Correction until her next court appearance on April 22.

She is accused of attacking a 60-year-old woman in the woman’s home sometime between Dec. 23 and 24. Police said the woman was repeatedly hit with a rock, gardening sheers, and a fire poker.

The woman, who was severely injured in the attack, has not been identified, but the college has confirmed that she is also a member of the Mount Holyoke faculty.

Hachiyanagi is a professor of art and chair of the art studio at Mount Holyoke College. She has been with the college since 2004. She is now on administrative leave and is not allowed on the South Hadley campus.

It has been reported that the police report indicates that Hachiyanagi had been friends with the victim for years and had developed romantic feelings toward her. The victim told state police that she was unaware Hachiyanagi felt that way until the night of the attack when Hachiyanagi told the victim that she loved her and that she should have known of her feelings.

At court on Wednesday, Hachiyanagi’s lawyer, Thomas Kokonowski, argued that she has long-term ties to the community as a homeowner and as the chairwoman of the Mount Holyoke Art Department.

He said she had never demonstrated violent behavior prior to the Leverett incident, “and she denies the violent behavior on that date.”

He also said the motives for the attack alleged by the prosecution do not make any sense.

“The motive that the commonwealth is putting forth is that my client, out of the blue, shows up and says to the alleged victim, ‘I love you, therefore, I’m going to kill you.’”

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