Syracuse, NY - Assistant District Attorney Mike Price, the prosecutor with the longest recent tenure in the DA’s Office, worked his last day on the job Thursday after taking an early retirement incentive. “It’s been a great run,” Price said of his 31-year prosecutorial career - through the administrations of Republican DA Dick Hennessy, Democrat Bob Wildridge and Republican...
Mike Price Syracuse, NY - Assistant District Attorney Mike Price, the prosecutor with the longest recent tenure in the DA’s Office, worked his last day on the job Thursday after taking an early retirement incentive.
“It’s been a great run,” Price said of his 31-year prosecutorial career - through the administrations of Republican DA Dick Hennessy, Democrat Bob Wildridge and Republican Bill Fitzpatrick - after five years with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
As a prosecutor, Price worked in the City Court, grand jury, felony trial and homicide units before ending his career back in City Court. He also ran for a City Court judgeship back in 1986 and would not rule out a campaign for future political office.
“I haven’t ruled out anything for the future,” the 59-year-old Price said.
“It’s an uncharted course I hope to go down,” he said, adding he plans to approach that future with as much enthusiasm as his past.
A Syracuse native, Price graduated from Most Holy Rosary High School in 1968, Le Moyne College in 1972 and the Syracuse University College of Law in 1975. He’s also been a longtime coach with the South Side American Little League and Most Holy Rosary varsity CYO basketball.
Price is one of five veteran prosecution office employees who accepted the retirement incentive plan. The other were Investigators Bob Grudzinski (28 years) and Tony Nuzzo (22 years), and support staffers Judy Dydyk (39 years) and Sue Bishop (29 years).
New lawyer enters homicide case with minimal delay
It’s not unusual for a judge to assign a new lawyer to take over a criminal case. It is, however, very unusual to do that on the eve of trial and find a lawyer willing to handle the case with little delay.
Onondaga County Judge Tony AloiOnondaga County Judge Tony Aloi found himself in that position last week when lawyer Dana Van Hee reported a conflict would prevent him from continuing to represent Jamar Martin on a hindering prosecution charge in an October 2008 fatal shooting.
Frankie Hester, facing murder and gun possession charges, is accused of being the gunman who shot Cole Richardson in the Atlantic Avenue drive-by shooting. Their joint trial was to begin today but that changed when Van Hee reported he was also representing someone who might be called as a prosecution witness and it would be a conflict for him to cross examine a client.
Aloi contemplated going forward with Hester’s trial alone and delaying Martin’s trial. But after consulting with Senior Assistant District Attorney Bob Duncanson and Hester’s lawyer, Michael Spano, Aloi dropped that idea.
Wednesday, lawyer Eric Jeschke agreed to be Martin’s lawyer with only a week’s trial delay. Martin and Hester now are slated for trial next week.
Unintended two-hour lunch doesn't delay speedy trial
Onondaga County Judge Bill WalshIn one day, he got through jury selection, witness testimony, jury deliberations and a guilty verdict. Oh yeah, and a two-hour lunch.
Walsh said he misread the clock about noon when he told the jurors to be back from lunch around 2 p.m. He realized his mistake an hour later – about 1 p.m. – when he was ready to resume but there were no jurors.
Walsh said court staff in Syracuse would have interrupted to question his lengthy lunch break.
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