Wlasiuk trial postponed until May
NORWICH – Following an emergency conference called by the court Tuesday, the murder retrial case of Peter M. Wlasiuk set to begin Monday March 3, has been moved to the first week in May.
The motion to postpone the case came at the request of defense attorney Randel Scharf of Cooperstown.
Broome County Judge Martin Smith’s decision to adjourn the trial was made in a closed meeting and no information was provided as to why the motion had been approved, other than to say it was at the request of the defense.
District Attorney Joseph McBride said he could not comment on the case except to say it had been “postponed at the request of the defense.” The judge told attorneys at a pre-trial hearing in the spring not to discuss the case with the media after the defense raised concerns of public bias.
Scharf could not be reached for comment.
This is the fourth time the court has scheduled jury selection in the Wlasiuk case. Previous dates were changed due to the defense asking for additional time, and due to the court’s decision to dismiss Wlasiuk’s original indictment, which was not part of his trial appeal.
Wlasiuk has been incarcerated for nearly six years. His original conviction was overturned on appeal in August 2006 and for the last 17 months he has been held at the Chenango County Correctional Facility awaiting his new day in court.
Scharf has regularly complained in court that the prosecution has not been handing over all its evidence in a timely fashion or in its entirety. McBride has criticized the defense for its lack of readiness and assured the court at their last appearance Jan. 29, that his office had turned over all evidence in their possession.
More than 300 people were scheduled to appear Monday at the Chenango County Courthouse for jury selection in the murder retrial.
Wlasiuk, 39, is charged with the second degree murder for the death of his wife Patricia Wlasiuk, whose body was pulled from Guilford Lake on April 3, 2002. The couple had lived on New Virginia Road in Oxford and police arrested Wlasiuk on April 8, 2002. He was later found guilty of second degree murder by a jury. Judge W. Howard Sullivan sentenced Wlasiuk to 25 years to life on Jan. 3, 2003.
Investigators claim that Wlasiuk killed his wife at their home in Oxford and tried to cover it up by staging her drowning at Guilford Lake. Wlasiuk has maintained his innocence and claims that Patricia was the victim of an unfortunate motor vehicle accident. The couple was well known in the area and owned the Angel Inn in Guilford.
The motion to postpone the case came at the request of defense attorney Randel Scharf of Cooperstown.
Broome County Judge Martin Smith’s decision to adjourn the trial was made in a closed meeting and no information was provided as to why the motion had been approved, other than to say it was at the request of the defense.
District Attorney Joseph McBride said he could not comment on the case except to say it had been “postponed at the request of the defense.” The judge told attorneys at a pre-trial hearing in the spring not to discuss the case with the media after the defense raised concerns of public bias.
Scharf could not be reached for comment.
This is the fourth time the court has scheduled jury selection in the Wlasiuk case. Previous dates were changed due to the defense asking for additional time, and due to the court’s decision to dismiss Wlasiuk’s original indictment, which was not part of his trial appeal.
Wlasiuk has been incarcerated for nearly six years. His original conviction was overturned on appeal in August 2006 and for the last 17 months he has been held at the Chenango County Correctional Facility awaiting his new day in court.
Scharf has regularly complained in court that the prosecution has not been handing over all its evidence in a timely fashion or in its entirety. McBride has criticized the defense for its lack of readiness and assured the court at their last appearance Jan. 29, that his office had turned over all evidence in their possession.
More than 300 people were scheduled to appear Monday at the Chenango County Courthouse for jury selection in the murder retrial.
Wlasiuk, 39, is charged with the second degree murder for the death of his wife Patricia Wlasiuk, whose body was pulled from Guilford Lake on April 3, 2002. The couple had lived on New Virginia Road in Oxford and police arrested Wlasiuk on April 8, 2002. He was later found guilty of second degree murder by a jury. Judge W. Howard Sullivan sentenced Wlasiuk to 25 years to life on Jan. 3, 2003.
Investigators claim that Wlasiuk killed his wife at their home in Oxford and tried to cover it up by staging her drowning at Guilford Lake. Wlasiuk has maintained his innocence and claims that Patricia was the victim of an unfortunate motor vehicle accident. The couple was well known in the area and owned the Angel Inn in Guilford.
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