Judge Jeffrey Karp Acquits Former North Andover Officer Kelsey Fitzsimmons, Cites Missing Body-Camera Footage

The single most important new development in this case is the acquittal of former North Andover police officer Kelsey Fitzsimmons on the assault-with-a-dangerous-weapon charge, decided by Judge Jeffrey Karp after a bench trial that the judge described as hinging on a narrow, fact‑intensive question and was conducted without body-camera footage from the scene.

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The verdict, reached after less than three days of deliberation, effectively shifts the narrative from a presumed guilt to a credibility contest between two close witnesses, with the judge noting that a lack of body cameras likely hindered the Commonwealth’s ability to prove its theory beyond a reasonable doubt.

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This is paired with Fitzsimmons’s own testimony about a suicide attempt and her assertion that she never aimed the gun at Officer Noonan.

Digging into the legal mechanics, the trial was explicitly framed around a narrow question: did Fitzsimmons point a firearm at Officer Noonan for any perceptible amount of time during the doorway confrontation when they were there to serve a restraining order?

The Globe describes the ruling as a detailed bench decision in which the judge credited both Fitzsimmons and Noonan while emphasizing the challenge of a rapid, cramped confrontation.

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The defense framed Fitzsimmons as overwhelmed and in crisis, including her testimony that she aimed the gun at herself, while the prosecution argued the physical and testimonial evidence supported a guilty finding, even as the absence of video footage complicated the assessment.

The third big thread is the evidentiary battleground: prosecutors contended that Fitzsimmons pulled the gun on Noonan and attempted to reload, while the defense argued the firearm’s condition and the limited time frame made that sequence scientifically and mechanically impossible.

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Boston 25 News

The Eagle-Tribune cites explicit language that the physical evidence contradicted Fitzsimmons’ version, while CBS News notes the factual centerpiece that there was no bullet in the chamber when the events unfolded.

The Globe corroborates that prosecutors leaned on firearm condition to challenge the defense account, and the defense argued that Noonan’s testimony was distorted by the high-stress moment.

Contextual factors also mattered here: the absence of body cameras in North Andover’s protocol left the prosecution with a partial record, a reality highlighted by multiple outlets and echoed by local officials.

The Eagle-Tribune notes that North Andover police do not use body cameras, and WHDH underscores the absence of body-cam footage from the incident.

Boston Herald

The Essex County District Attorney, Paul Tucker, stressed that he respectfully disagreed with the verdict, signaling ongoing debate about policing practices and evidentiary norms in restraint-order cases.

Finally, the post-verdict reflections reveal what the acquittal means for Fitzsimmons personally and for the broader public conversation about police accountability.

“Lawrence Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Karp found North Andover police officer not guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon Thursday following a bench trial that lasted less than three days”

CBS News

Fitzsimmons told reporters that she had endured a difficult stretch—being shot, detained, and separated from her child—before describing the acquittal as a chance to breathe again, even as she cautioned that her fight to reunite with her son continues.

CBS News

Coverage from Boston outlets anchors this emotional dimension with her explicit statements: I got shot, I went to jail for 103 days, I haven’t seen my son... this is my first breath of fresh air.