Trial begins for former corrections officer accused of hate crimes
NORWICH – A bench trial for a former New York State Corrections Officer accused of attempted murder and assault in the first degree, both hate crime charges, will begin on Monday in Chenango County Court nearly two-and-a-half years after the incident took place.
In addition to the two hate crime charges, Wayne J. Spratley, of Greene, is charged with three other felony counts, including attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and first-degree criminal use of a firearm after a shooting that took place on July 19, 2015 in a parking lot on Lackawanna Avenue in Norwich around 3:30 a.m.
An African American victim is alleged to have been shot in his lower left abdomen by a Glock handgun that was fired by Spratley. It's further alleged that the act was preceded by racial epithets and was racially motivated.
Spratley will undergo a bench trial under the Hon. Frank B. Revoir, Jr. to determine if Spratley is guilty of the charges brought against him as a result of the incident occurred on July 19, 2015.
"Wayne Spratley was an off-duty, white corrections officer who's alleged to have gotten into an argument with an African American victim, and is alleged to have called him racial epithets to provoke him to come at him," said Chenango County District Attorney Joe McBride. "When the alleged victim came at him, he allegedly shot him and tried to kill him with his gun."
McBride said 10 witnesses will take the stand this week, and as it is a bench trial, the verdict should be delivered by Thursday.
Although Revoir initially dismissed the hate crime charges in December 2016, a mid-level state appeals court restored the hate crime charges on July 6, 2017, after determining "that the acts constituting the crimes at issue were motivated "in whole or in substantial part" by the victim's race."
Revoir will determine this week if Spratley is guilty of the charges brought against him, including the two hate crime charges.
If convicted of attempted murder as a hate crime, Spratley would face at least eight years and as many as 25 in prison.
In addition to the two hate crime charges, Wayne J. Spratley, of Greene, is charged with three other felony counts, including attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and first-degree criminal use of a firearm after a shooting that took place on July 19, 2015 in a parking lot on Lackawanna Avenue in Norwich around 3:30 a.m.
An African American victim is alleged to have been shot in his lower left abdomen by a Glock handgun that was fired by Spratley. It's further alleged that the act was preceded by racial epithets and was racially motivated.
Spratley will undergo a bench trial under the Hon. Frank B. Revoir, Jr. to determine if Spratley is guilty of the charges brought against him as a result of the incident occurred on July 19, 2015.
"Wayne Spratley was an off-duty, white corrections officer who's alleged to have gotten into an argument with an African American victim, and is alleged to have called him racial epithets to provoke him to come at him," said Chenango County District Attorney Joe McBride. "When the alleged victim came at him, he allegedly shot him and tried to kill him with his gun."
McBride said 10 witnesses will take the stand this week, and as it is a bench trial, the verdict should be delivered by Thursday.
Although Revoir initially dismissed the hate crime charges in December 2016, a mid-level state appeals court restored the hate crime charges on July 6, 2017, after determining "that the acts constituting the crimes at issue were motivated "in whole or in substantial part" by the victim's race."
Revoir will determine this week if Spratley is guilty of the charges brought against him, including the two hate crime charges.
If convicted of attempted murder as a hate crime, Spratley would face at least eight years and as many as 25 in prison.
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