NORWICH – Norwich City Court heard a jury trial over two days earlier this week concluding with a Norwich woman pleading to child endangerment charges.
Shannon Woods, 31, of Norwich appeared in Norwich City Court before Judge James E. Downey, accompanied with her attorney Rosemarie Richards.
First Assistant District Attorney, Michael D. Ferrarese, was present in court representing the people.
Woods was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, following an arrest that took place in her home on Mechanic Street.
Jury selection for Wood's case on Monday Oct. 26, with the full jury of six jurors and two alternates selected laster that afternoon.
Opening statements were made by both the prosecution and defense Monday afternoon, as well as the first witness of the prosecution, Norwich Police Officer Scott Germond, being called to the stand.
On Tuesday Oct. 27 at approximately 9:30 a.m., Germond was called back up to the stand to finish his testimony.
Germond testified that before entering the house he could hear yelling and noise from outside, and upon entering the house, he found a broken window and broken glass on the floor where two children were running around barefoot.
Per questioning from Ferrarese Germond stated, “My attention was drawn to the counter in the kitchen, where we found a box with prescription of Suboxone out and the box was opened.”
Ferrarese presented a substantial amount of photographic evidence to the court during his questioning, to which Germond attested that all pictures submitted were in fact taken that night, displayed drug paraphernalia and a glimpse into what residence looked like that night.
“Exhibit six is a picture we took at the police station of an uncapped syringe, burnt spoon, and drug packets we found on the counter at the residence,” said Germond.
Germond alleged that the kitchen counter height was in reach of the children as they freely ran around the residence.
During cross examination of Germond, Richards had the officer draw a sketch of the residence, which was placed into evidence, in order for the jury to get an accurate representation of the household.
“Did you observe my client intoxicated or stumbling, as you previously claimed in your testimony,” asked Richards.
“Correct I did, you can be intoxicated in your own home, so we don’t do a blood test then, but at points, yes, I guess I would say she was very high strung, we couldn’t get her to stop moving,” responded Germond.
Richards continued to ask a number of questions that had already been asked by the prosecution – which is beleived to have been an attempt get the Officer to retrace and make an omission on the record.
During recross, “The whole incident was a struggle to keep the children in one area, away from the glass and drugs on the counter, and to make sure they were safe, Woods wasn’t listening at first. She never mentioned her children,” concluded Germond.
The second witness of the prosecution, Norwich Police Officer Adam Francis, was then called to the stand.
After stating that a call came in about a disturbance on Mechanic Street of the night in question Francis attested that, “I observed a young child running around in the blood and broken glass on the floor. Then I saw Shannon rip the kid up from the floor by his arm to move him aside.”
Francis per questioning from Ferrarese gave his testimony which matched much of what Germond had already stated.
“Woods seemed under the influence of something at the time, at some points she was calm and rational, then she would freak out and couldn’t stay still. We asked her multiple times to remove the kids off the glass, and multiple times she responded with what about me. It took multiple times to ask some questions and then we'd get multiple different answers,” said Francis.
Francis did allege that he also observed the uncapped syringe, burnt spoon and prescription drug Suboxone on a counter that was reachable by the children.
Francis indicated that before the children were allowed back into the kitchen, he removed said items that the children could have accessed on the counter (waist level height to Francis).
Francis also did testify that all the pictures placed into evidence did correctly depict the state of the home and the drugs and evidence found on the scene.
During cross examination, Richards had Francis explain the layout of the residence before asking, “did you hear Shannon telling her kids to stay away from the glass at all.”
“Yes, I did hear Shannon say that to her children, but it was some time after we instructed her to do so,” answered Francis.
Francis also alleged that the one child was pulled up by his arm aggressively in an attempt to move them.
The prosecution and defense then rested for the time being, with the defense to soon call their first witness.
Richards then moved to ask the Court for a conference on the matter, and asked that the prosecution and testimony given thus far be dismissed due the Officers testifying wrongly and the evidence not rising to the occasion.
Ferrarese asked that this motion be denied entirely.
Judge Downey informed the Court that the court would adjourn for a lunch break until 1 p.m.
Before court was back in session, Woods and her attorney informed the Court that they would like to see if there was a plea offer on the table.
Judge Downey and Ferrarese did not oppose this move, and Woods was informed by the Court that if she pleaded guilty, she would be given three years probation, with an incentive of possible zero to 60 days in jail, depending on her performance in a drug treatment program and probation.
“On June 6, 2015, on Mechanic Street you acted in a manor that put your two children in danger,” said Downey.
Woods changed her plea to guilty at this time.
Ferrarese asked for a few more questions from the defendant, “You understand that on June 6, around 3:30 a.m. you admit that there was an uncapped syringe found, and that your two children were awake and moving throughout the house.”
“So now I just have to go with what you say is true. Ok I guess,” answered Woods.
“I didn’t ask for an okay I guess, were your two children moving throughout this house and barefoot,” asked Ferrarese.
“Yes,” answered Woods.
Woods was released on her own recognizance and instructed to report to Mr. Everard for the drug treatment and probation hearings and testing.
You’ve got to prove you can take care of your children, you’ve got to be drug and alcohol free, so if not for yourself, then do it for your children,” said Downey.
There was a surcharge of $200 and DNA fee of $50, which woods will be required to pay.
“The defendant has accepted responsibility for endangering the welfare of her two children. By doing that she has capped her maximum amount of time in the Chenango County Correctional Facility at 60 days, followed by three years probation. After hearing the evidence against her, the defendant realized the case was indefensible and that she did endanger her children. This is a serious case, anytime anyone endangers the lives of children it is. The police and the district attorney’s office take these crimes very seriously, and the community need to understand that,” said Ferrarese.
The matter was adjourned for sentencing purposes until Dec. 15, 2015 at 9:30 a.m.