NORWICH – The case of James M. Maricle, 25, of Norwich, a man who stands charged with criminally negligent homicide and criminal contempt in relation to the death of 19-year-old Roxanne Shipman, appeared in front of The grand jury of the Chenango County.

When a case gets presented for a grand jury proceeding, the prosecutor will them explain the law to the members of the grand jury, and present the necessary evidence against a particular defendant. The members on the grand jury then decide based on what was presented, whether or not there is reasonable evidence to show that a felony was committed and if there is enough reasonable reasonable cause to believe that the defendant in question committed said felony offense.

Criminal Negligence is described in the NYS Penal Law as when a person “….fails to perceive a substantial and unjustifiable risk that such result will occur or that such circumstance exists. The risk must be of such nature and degree that the failure to perceive it constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would observe in the situation….”