NORWICH – Accepting a plea deal in lieu of murder, a defendant recalled the slaying of a 44-year-old Norwich woman in Chenango County Court on Monday, claiming the victim struck him first and that he killed her over a dispute relating to a dog.
Chaquasja "Qway" Veale pleaded guilty to first degree manslaughter as part of a deal made with prosecutors. Veale was originally charged with second degree murder.
During the proceeding, Veale recalled the events that led up to the death of Alisa Ann Martin and apologized to the victim's family. As part of his plea, Veale agreed to a sentence of 22 years in prison and waived his right to appeal.
Chenango County District Attorney Michael Ferrarese said he accepted the plea after consulting with the family.
Asked to identify himself during the plea, the defendant said he was transgender. Veale was referred to in court with male pronouns.
Chenango County Court Judge Frank B. Revoir explained the key difference between a a second degree murder charge and a first degree manslaughter charge was intent. He said a charge of murder meant a defendant was admitting to an intent to kill, and manslaughter was an admission to an intent to cause serious injury that resulted in death.
In court, lawyers discussed key comments Veale had made to a doctor carrying out an evaluation that amounted to a confession.
Before accepting the plea, Defense Attorney Benjamin Bergman confirmed his client would share the substance of that conversation with the court in his own words.
Bergman said the defense had evaluated possible mental and physical health related factors that might change the outcome of the defense's plea, but he determined not to seek that route in court. He said instead his client wanted to accept responsibility.
“He is extremely remorseful. He wanted to bring closure to the family and community,” said Bergman.
Defendant testimony
Veale began his remarks by saying, “First and foremost, I want to apologize to the family.”
He said that was the purpose of the day's proceeding.
He explained that Martin had allowed him to stay at her home because he had no where else to go and was homeless.
Veale said he was grateful she agreed. “I was like, cool, thank you,” he said.
He then began talking about the day Martin died.
He said there was an ongoing dispute about allowing his dog at the apartment and that Martin and he were texting each other at around 2:30 p.m. on July 6.
He said he was at the Department of Social Services in Norwich and left to go to Martin's apartment to get his dog at about 3 p.m.
When he arrived at the home, he noted a friend of Martin's was outside doing yard work.
Veale went inside the apartment and said he was confronted by an upset and unclothed victim holding up her arm to show him a dog bite. In response, he said he called his dog over and beat it.
After he stopped hitting his dog, he claimed the victim “back handed" him.
“I asked her not to do that seven times,” Veale said in court, repeating himself.
He said after making the remarks, there was a pause between himself and Martin, but he then attacked her.
“I two pieced her, punched her twice,” he said in court.
During the defendant's testimony a few members of the public got up from their seats in the packed courtroom and left.
Veale said he knocked Martin to the floor, got on top of her and choked with his bare hands.
He said he was in a “trance” but was awakened by a knocking at the door. Veale ignored the knock and the visitor eventually left without entering. Ferrarese asked Veale if he knew he had killed the victim at the time and Veale said he realized it right away.
Homicide investigation
After Martin was reported missing, her body was discovered three days later on July 9 when the Norwich Police Department responded to a welfare check at her home at 89 North Broad Street.
Police initially treated the death as a potential homicide due to signs of violence at the scene. An autopsy determined Martin's death was caused by strangulation.
A few weeks after police found the body, Veale was held at the Chenango County Correctional Facility on unrelated charges as the homicide investigation continued.
Five months later, investigators unsealed an indictment on December 15, 2023 charging Veale with second degree murder, a class A-1 felony. Veale had been held in jail since late July of 2023.
Prosecutors said if convicted of the charge, he faced a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
Ferrarese said he was concerned Veale would flee if released; he said Veale was homeless and had been staying with Martin in her apartment for around a month before her death.
The DA also said Veale had three prior misdemeanor charges in New York, and additional crimes in other states, including violent offenses, felonies, and gun possession.
In a prior court appearance, Ferrarese said police had intel that upon release Veale's plan was to flee to relatives in North Carolina.
Norwich Police Chief Reuben Roach and Ferrarese held a brief press conference outside the court following the proceedings.
Roach extended sympathies to the family and thanked the Chenango County Sheriff's Office and New York State Police for aiding the investigation.
“He [defendant] took responsibility and that obviously is a factor in how we got here,” said Ferrarese about the plea.
– Staff Writers Sarah Genter and Anna Ginelli contributed to this story.