By Michael Turton
At the Oct. 8 session of Cold Spring Justice Court, Judge Thomas Costello adjourned the case involving Putnam Valley resident Ray DiFrancesco until Dec. 10. DiFrancesco, who operates Whistling Willie’s American Grill, was charged on Feb. 12 with two counts of assault and giving a false statement after an incident in Cold Spring early on the morning of Jan. 1 of this year. The three charges are class A misdemeanors.
During the Oct. 8 proceeding, Laurence Silverman, DiFrancesco’s attorney, informed Judge Costello that his request to the Putnam County Court for a change of venue was being withdrawn. The case has been adjourned a number of times since DiFrancesco’s first court appearance in April.
Three other cases were also adjourned until December: three male youths charged with painting graffiti in numerous locations in Cold Spring on the weekend of Aug. 10; two male youths charged with trespass as the result of a break-in at Haldane School on Aug. 22; and two male youths and 20-year-old Allie M. Farwell charged with trespass at The Grove on Aug. 12.
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Why were the cases adjourned?
There is no justice to be had in our courts today. The system is broken as evidenced by all these delays. Whatever happened to “a speedy trial”?
I believe a speedy trial is to ensure the prosecution does not delay a case to gather evidence or to keep people in jail awaiting trial, it does not apply when the defense is the one delaying the trial, which seems to be the case here.
While I am not involved, I would imagine these cases are being adjourned to allow defendants to make restitution or possibly complete community service in order to satisfy a deal.