Syracuse, NY - A Syracuse man who is trying to withdraw his guilty plea in connection with a fatal shooting lost one court round today. State Supreme Court Justice John Brunetti rejected Curtis Henderson’s request to suppress anything Henderson said to police when questioned two days after the Jan. 8 fatal shooting of Raymond Johnson Jr. Henderson, 18, of 545...
Syracuse, NY - A Syracuse man who is trying to withdraw his guilty plea in connection with a fatal shooting lost one court round today.
State Supreme Court Justice John Brunetti rejected Curtis Henderson’s request to suppress anything Henderson said to police when questioned two days after the Jan. 8 fatal shooting of Raymond Johnson Jr.
Henderson, 18, of 545 W. Ostrander Ave., pleaded guilty in May to first-degree manslaughter, admitting he killed Johnson as the victim sat in a vehicle in the 100 block of Richardson Avenue. He was to be sentenced to 12 years in state prison in what authorities said was a feud between rival drug dealers.
But Henderson last month told Brunetti he wanted to withdraw his guilty plea, accusing defense lawyer Michael Spano of not working for his benefit. He specifically complained that Spano did not hire an investigator to check out the statements of prosecution witnesses and did not seek a hearing to suppress any statements Henderson made to police.
Spano noted there was no need for a suppression hearing because Henderson did not make any incriminating statements to police. But Brunetti decided to hold a hearing anyway.
Syracuse police Detective Rory Gilhooley testified today that Henderson made no confession but only maintained his innocence and offered an alibi during the Jan. 10 interrogation at police headquarters.
After Henderson opted not to testify in his own behalf at the hearing, Brunetti ruled from the bench to deny any suppression motion.
The judge then gave Spano another two weeks to report back to the court on an investigator’s review of the witness statements.