ALFRED — Rory Holland of Biddeford, charged with two counts of murder, has been ordered to be held without bail at York County Jail.
Holland, 55, is charged with fatally shooting brothers Derek Greene, 21 and Gage Greene, 19, in front of his 58 South St. home at approximately 1 a.m. on Tuesday.
Maine Assistant Attorney General Lisa Marchese said on Wednesday that at next week’s bail hearing, scheduled for July 8, she will ask Superior Court Justice Roland Cole to keep Holland in jail during the duration of the murder trial. No plea was entered on Wednesday but it is expected that Holland will plead not guilty.
The Greene brothers, both from Biddeford, were pronounced dead early Tuesday morning at Southern Maine Medical Center. Both had attended school at Bonny Eagle and Thornton Academy. They were the sons of Tammy L. Cole.
Visiting hours for the deceased Greene brothers are scheduled for this afternoon at the Bibber Funeral Home in Kennebunk. The funeral is to be held Friday.
Since the shootings, there has been an outpouring of grief over the death of the two young men, who had many friends. More than 100 people gathered for a candlelight vigil in their memory on South Street Tuesday night. Mayor Joanne Twomey attended and spoke at the event.
A fan page in honor of the Greenes was created on the Web site facebook.com, a popular social networking site.
“These boys are my cousins. And I miss them so much,” wrote Kerri Chambers on fan page. “It really hurts me that they are gone. They were always there for me when I needed them. I loved them very much.”
On the night of the Greene brother’s deaths, according to court documents, witnesses say that the brothers had been drinking and were walking home around 1 a.m. The brothers lived in separate residences, both near Holland’s house.
On their way home, they passed by Holland’s residence. Holland was out that evening and Gage Greene and Holland got into an argument, according to documents. The argument got physical when, according to witnesses, Gage Greene shoved Holland. Witnesses allege that Holland retrieved a gun from his pants waistband and shot Gage Greene.
Derek Greene, who was across the street, ran to his brother’s side. Witnesses say that Holland then shot Derek Greene.
After the incident, Holland retreated to his home and engaged in a five-hour standoff with police until he left his home, dressed in a suit, at 6 a.m.
According to Marchese, the events leading up to Tuesday’s shootings stem from an encounter about a month ago.
Elijah Copeland, a friend of the brothers, said a May 12 incident was at the root of the dispute between Derek Greene and Holland.
That day Holland touched Derek Greene in a sexual manner, said Copeland, at which point Derek Greene struck Holland. Derek Greene left and shortly afterward asked Copeland to come back to the neighborhood with him, said Copeland. Then Derek Greene struck Holland again. Copeland said he tried to pull Greene back.
As a result of this incident, police charged Derek Greene with assault and Copeland with criminal threatening. Both were ordered to stay away from Holland.
When the shooting took place on Tuesday morning, the Greene brothers “were outside walking by,” said Marchese.
During Holland’s first court appearance at the York County District Court on Wednesday, Justice Roland Cole said he would not allow bail at this time because Holland is charged with capital crimes.
Assistant Attorney General Marchese said she wants to keep it that way.
“We’ll certainly be fighting vigorously to keep him in jail,” said Marchese.
However, Holland’s attorney, Clifford Strike, of the law firm Strike, Goodwin, & O’Brien, said he will seek to get his client released from incarceration during the trial, which will likely take more than a year.
Holland has a checkered past. The former mayoral candidate in Biddeford has been tried in various criminal cases. He was convicted in the 1970s of trying to kill his young daughter, but only served a short portion of his 50-year sentence.
Many said they have been intimated by Holland.
Some, including Kristie Anderson, said they left the city because of him. About 12 years ago, Anderson said Holland had forced her and her then 1-year-old son into his South Street home at gunpoint. She and others said Holland should have been imprisoned on prior charges years ago.
In the past, Holland has also sued the cities of Biddeford and Portland.
A criminal mischief case may come into play in the current case, Holland stated in the court proceeding on Wednesday. An appeal of that case is before the Maine Supreme Court. Holland said there is a constitutional issue regarding the make-up of the jury pool in the prior case that may be relevant in his murder trial. He would like attorney Thomas Connolly, who is handling that case, to handle this portion of the current case.
On Wednesday, Justice Cole said that the court will review Holland’s financial situation to determine whether he is indigent. This finding will be a factor in deciding who will represent Holland.
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.
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