Syracuse, NY - Former lawyer Roger Scott failed to show up in Geddes Town Court today for sentencing in a recent shoplifting conviction. So after waiting two hours for the no-show defendant, Judge Daniel Mathews issued a bench warrant for the 76-year-old Scott. The judge also ordered Scott's $10,000 bail forfeited, according to Assistant District Attorney Brian Counihan. Counihan...
View full sizeRoger Scott didn't show in town of Geddes court Monday, so a warrant has been issued for his arrest.Syracuse, NY - Former lawyer Roger Scott failed to show up in Geddes Town Court today for sentencing in a recent shoplifting conviction.
So after waiting two hours for the no-show defendant, Judge Daniel Mathews issued a bench warrant for the 76-year-old Scott. The judge also ordered Scott's $10,000 bail forfeited, according to Assistant District Attorney Brian Counihan.
Counihan said he asked the judge to order Scott held in jail with no bail when he is found and arrested on the warrant.
A town court jury convicted Scott May 26 of petit larceny in the theft of $161.16 in merchandise from the Wegmans store in Fairmount last July 5. Counihan said a store employee noticed Scott acting suspiciously and monitored him as he went through the store and left without paying.
The defense contended Scott did pay for the items and argued that the store surveillance tape was doctored to eliminate any sign of Scott at the register. The defense also claimed the U.S. Postal Service lost the store receipt Scott had mailed to his previous lawyer.
The jury, however, rejected those arguments in convicting Scott of the petit larceny.
Counihan has indicated he was planning to ask Mathews to impose the maximum penalty of one year in the Onondaga County Correctional Facility in Jamesville given Scott's history.
Two weeks ago, Scott showed up in Onondaga County Court where he asked Judge Anthony Aloi to grant a stay postponing sentencing in the shoplifting case until the conviction could be appealed. Scott said any jail sentence would amount "virtually to a death sentence."
Aloi, however, rejected the request because Scott was free on bail.
That $10,000 bail was posted after Scott was taken to the hospital after his conviction. Counihan said Scott had acted like he was having a heart attack after Mathews ordered him taken into custody after the jury's guilty verdict.
Counihan said Mathews went through his entire calendar of cases this afternoon before issuing the warrant when Scott was not present just before 6 p.m. The court session started at 4 p.m., the prosecutor said.
Counihan said defense lawyer Robert Baska told Mathews he had no idea why Scott was not present and did not know his client's current whereabouts.
Scott, well known for losing his Skaneateles home in a zoning battle and then being disbarred, also has a number of charges pending against him in Clay Town Court involving an ongoing neighbor dispute in Elbridge.