NORWICH– Tammi L. Van Deusen said she asked for a lawyer and was not made aware that she was being tape-recorded during her police interview. Van Deusen also said she felt intimidated and signed many forms after her arrest on Aug. 4, 2000 that she did not understand or even read.

Van Deusen testified Friday on her behalf, saying, “I wanted an attorney from the beginning. They told me I had to wait until I got to Chenango County.”

The court dismissed two charges against Van Deusen, a second degree burglary charge and fourth degree conspiracy charge.

Van Deusen, who was 24 when sentenced in 2001 for her role in a drug-related murder, has been serving an 8 year sentence for her August 2000 admittance to robbery in the first degree. She was one of five defendants convicted in connection to the July 17, 2000 murder of Edward Pastore Jr., that took place at Pastore’s 118 Lewis Road Norwich home. The conviction was overturned by the State’s Court of Appeals. The plea was rejected because county court officials failed to fully inform Van Deusen of the terms of her plea bargain. Specifically, the court ruled that at the time of her plea, Van Deusen was not made aware that she was subject to post-release supervision. Her initial attempt to withdraw her plea was denied in 2000 by Judge Howard Sullivan and she was sentenced on Jan. 22, 2001.