Matthew Niro’s Court Appearance: DNA Evidence at Stake

Matthew Niro, a New Jersey attorney facing allegations of raping and sexually assaulting several women in Boston over 17 years ago, was in court Monday. His defense team is pushing to dismiss DNA evidence that stemmed from an undercover FBI operation at a restaurant in Manhattan.

Accompanied by his fiancée, Laura Griffin, Niro, age 38, attended a hearing in Suffolk High Court. Griffin has consistently shown her support by being present at the proceedings.

The focus of the hearing was on DNA evidence, which prosecutors claim connects Niro to assaults that took place in Boston in 2007 and 2008, when he was in his late teens. Niro’s legal team contends that the evidence was obtained illegally, as FBI agents collected it without a warrant during a 2023 surveillance operation at the Oscar Wilde Restaurant and Bar.

According to reports from court testimony, FBI agents followed Niro from New Jersey to the Manhattan restaurant after being tipped off by Boston authorities. They spent hours observing him and coordinated with restaurant staff to collect items he had used, including glasses and utensils.

Niro’s lawyer argued that his client did not abandon these items—he simply didn’t have a genuine opportunity to take them when leaving the restaurant. His attorney, Joseph Cataldo, previously expressed concerns about the legality of the evidence collection, stating, “The Commonwealth is alleging that there is some link between Mr. Niro and the DNA from 15 years ago, but that evidence was probably taken without a warrant.”

In response, prosecutors contended that Niro had relinquished any expectation of privacy for the items after they were left behind and cleaned by the restaurant staff.

The FBI’s Boston Special Agent in Charge stated in May 2023 that Niro’s arrest resulted from utilizing genetic genealogy techniques to generate leads in previously unsolved assaults and violent crimes.

Prosecutors revealed that DNA profiles from three victims matched a relative of Niro who had uploaded their information to a public genetic genealogy database. They then connected that DNA to a sample taken from a glass he used at a corporate event in New York.

Niro has been out on bail throughout the legal process, with his fiancée steadfastly supporting him. Initially arrested in May 2023, he faced multiple serious charges, including aggravated rape and kidnapping. Further indictments in July 2023 added several more charges against him.

As of now, Niro remains free as the legal proceedings continue, with his attorney confirming they are actively challenging the admissibility of the DNA evidence in court.