Trial Set for Boy Trying to Sever Ties to Father

CANTON, Mass. — A family court judge Tuesday granted 14-year-old Patrick Holland the right to go to trial in his effort to sever ties with his father.

Daniel Holland is serving a life sentence for the murder six years ago of Patrick’s mother, Elizabeth Holland. The boy was 8 years old when he found his mother dead in their Quincy, Mass., home -- shot eight times and beaten by his father.

Patrick was not in the courthouse Tuesday when Judge Robert Langlois ordered a trial for July 26 because social services authorities feared his father might be brought to the hearing. The eighth-grader has not seen his father -- who did not attend the hearing -- since before his mother died.

Patrick’s guardian, Ron Lazisky, said after the hearing that the judge’s action was a positive step that brought Patrick closer to his goal of ending Daniel Holland’s parental rights. Lazisky said when he telephoned Patrick to tell him about the ruling, the boy said: “That’s awesome.”