James E Burgess

American white male who was allegedly stabbed to death by his son, Steven Burgess, in late April 2000. James Burgess had his mentally troubled son evicted from his home by the police in 1996. On 2/23/2000, Steven was arrested for allegedly assaulting his father. James obtained a restraining order against his son later that month. On 3/13/2000 James requested that the restraining order be amended to enable his son to live with him again. A week before the murder, James took Steven to a hospital where an examination indicated he might have bipolar mental illness. Steven refused to make an appointment for treatment. At the time of his death, James had recently retired from his job at Canal Electric Company and had sold the Trading Post bar and restaurant he had owned, but reportedly still owned the property. The Burgess family lived in a neatly tended home in a quiet, affluent subdivision in Plymouth, Massachusetts where they had lived for more than 20 years. Mr. and Mrs. Burgess were divorced. Steven’s mother lives out of state, and his 24-year-old sister lives in western Massachusetts.