Court begins calling hundreds of prospective jurors for Wlasiuk’s retrial
NORWICH – One hundred and fifty local citizens began filling the Chenango County Courthouse this morning as Broome County Court Judge Martin E. Smith began the process of juror selection for Peter M. Wlasiuk’s murder retrial.
Although officials would not speculate on how long the process may take, Commissioner of Jurors Mary Weidman said for each day of the proceedings, an additional 150 jurors would be called until all 450 in the total prospective pool were exhausted. Weidman said the number represented one of the largest groups ever requested in Chenango County.
The case begins just five days after the New York Appellate Division denied a defense motion to move it to a different county. If the court exhausts the jury pool, the case could be reconsidered for a change of venue.
The appellate division overturned the original murder conviction two years ago on Aug. 31, 2006.
Wlasiuk was originally arrested on April 8, 2002. He first claimed that his wife, Patricia, had drown in a truck accident at Guilford Lake. He was later found guilty of second degree murder. He was sentenced to 25 years to life on Jan. 3, 2003.
The appellate division stated in the appeal that although many of the procedural errors viewed by themselves appear “harmless,” taken as a whole, they could infringe on the defendant’s rights.
The decision slashed at a handful of procedural shortcomings indicating the partial responsibility of the judge, the district attorney and even the defense counsel.
The court criticized the introduction of some evidence and the conduct of the proceedings saying, “It is the judge’s responsibility to balance the case’s material worth of a person’s incriminating history against the prejudice it may generate with jurors.”
Wlasiuk is currently being held at the Chenango County Correctional Facility without bail.
Although officials would not speculate on how long the process may take, Commissioner of Jurors Mary Weidman said for each day of the proceedings, an additional 150 jurors would be called until all 450 in the total prospective pool were exhausted. Weidman said the number represented one of the largest groups ever requested in Chenango County.
The case begins just five days after the New York Appellate Division denied a defense motion to move it to a different county. If the court exhausts the jury pool, the case could be reconsidered for a change of venue.
The appellate division overturned the original murder conviction two years ago on Aug. 31, 2006.
Wlasiuk was originally arrested on April 8, 2002. He first claimed that his wife, Patricia, had drown in a truck accident at Guilford Lake. He was later found guilty of second degree murder. He was sentenced to 25 years to life on Jan. 3, 2003.
The appellate division stated in the appeal that although many of the procedural errors viewed by themselves appear “harmless,” taken as a whole, they could infringe on the defendant’s rights.
The decision slashed at a handful of procedural shortcomings indicating the partial responsibility of the judge, the district attorney and even the defense counsel.
The court criticized the introduction of some evidence and the conduct of the proceedings saying, “It is the judge’s responsibility to balance the case’s material worth of a person’s incriminating history against the prejudice it may generate with jurors.”
Wlasiuk is currently being held at the Chenango County Correctional Facility without bail.
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