NORWICH – A former part-time corrections officer at the Chenango County Correctional Facility, U.S. Marine and Iraq war veteran made an appearance in county court Monday for a review of his conditions of release.
On July 31, Edward J. Knuth Jr. was charged with second degree criminal possession of a weapon, a class E felony, and first degree unlawful imprisonment, a class D felony, for an alleged domestic dispute which occurred on July 30. Knuth is accused of detaining, choking and threatening his then-girlfriend during the incident. He was also charged with a trio of class A misdemeanors at the time: third degree assault, second degree menacing and criminal obstruction of breathing.
On Monday, defense attorney Frank Revoir requested on his client’s and the victim’s behalf that an order of protection issued by the court be terminated, which would allow the couple to resume their relationship. The alleged victim told the court she and Knuth “both have a lot of healing to do” and that he “deserves the chance to earn forgiveness.”
Knuth has voluntarily begun alcohol treatment and counseling since the incident, including counseling for post traumatic stress disorder at the VA hospital in Syracuse. According to Revoir, Knuth has remained alcohol free and both he and his girlfriend wished to live together once again.
District Attorney Joseph McBride, however, said there was “no downside” in reducing the order of protection from its current A-class to a B-class. As long as Knuth doesn’t act in a violent or threatening way – which would be considered a felony offense – the two can maintain contact, he said.
Judge W. Howard Sullivan agreed with McBride’s compromise and ordered the order of protection to continue as a B-class.
Knuth is scheduled to appear in court at a later date. Until then, Sullivan wished the couple “success until this matter is resolved.”