This article by Jordan Cuddemi was published by the Valley News on Oct. 8.
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A 38-year-old woman pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to stabbing her boyfriend at their then-shared apartment on New Boston Road in Norwich last month.
Judge Elizabeth Mann ordered Amanda Zanis, now of Danbury, N.H., held without bail on charges of attempted second-degree murder and first-degree aggravated domestic assault in the alleged stabbing of Pete Juricek on Sept. 12.
Windsor County State’s Attorney David Cahill requested that Zanis, who he said has a lengthy criminal history, remain in jail while her case is pending.
Her attorney, Brian Marsicovetere, chose not to contest the state’s request on bail Tuesday and instead said he will file a motion on bail at a later date.
In requesting to have Zanis held without bail, Cahill said Zanis “appears to be mentally unstable” and has threatened to kill people in the past.
The probable cause affidavit filed in the Norwich case alleges that Zanis threatened to kill a Canaan police officer in December 2018 during a conversation about a court hearing.
“I hope you die, OK? I hope you die. And if it wasn’t illegal, I would kill you myself,” Zanis told the officer, according to a recorded phone conversation, which is transcribed and included within the affidavit filed in the Norwich matter.
Zanis didn’t comment during the brief hearing.
Mann ordered that she have no contact with Juricek. The two, who met online, had been living together in Norwich for about six months under the understanding that Juricek would provide Zanis with transportation and he lived for free in the apartment, according to the affidavit written by Detective Sgt. Jesse Robson.
Zanis first told police that she stabbed Juricek as he sexually assaulted her, but further investigation revealed inconsistencies in that story, the affidavit states.
Zanis allegedly stabbed Juricek out of jealousy after he told her he was getting back together with his ex-wife, according to the affidavit.
Juricek suffered a collapsed lung, a stab wound to his left shoulder area and a bite mark to his right shoulder area, the affidavit states. His medical condition wasn’t known on Tuesday.
Cahill said Zanis isn’t facing a count of making a false report about the sexual assault because that type of charge is a “misdemeanor and the charges we filed are much more serious.”
Zanis has at least 10 convictions for assaultive crimes on her record, Cahill said during the hearing. She also has made prior claims of sexual assault against men that didn’t materialize, the affidavit states, including an allegation against Juricek in July.
The date of her next hearing wasn’t known on Tuesday.
