Attorneys in the criminal trial of Beth Lynne Hoskins on 74 counts of animal cruelty tied to alleged neglect on her Morgan horse farm three years ago will offer closing statements at 9:30 a.m. today before Aurora Town Justice Douglas W. Marky.
The nonjury trial has been going on for more than a year, interrupted at times by adjournments, delays and scheduling conflicts.
Hoskins’ attorney, Thomas J. Eoannou, and two prosecutors from the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Michael Drmacich and Matthew A. Albert, will make their summations before the judge in what has become a high-profile and highly controversial case that has stretched well beyond what had been expected for a misdemeanor animal cruelty case.
Thursday, the judge heard additional questioning of two rebuttal witnesses called by the prosecution.
No decision was made on Hoskins’ recent request that the case be dismissed because of what she called prosecutorial misconduct.
She said Albert and Alex Cooke, an SPCA employee involved in the case, have been romantically involved as the trial has been under way. Cooke was never called as a witness.
District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III has called Hoskins’ dismissal request “yet another act of desperation” by the defendant. It is not the first time that Hoskins, through attorneys, has asked for the case to be dismissed.
The judge will hear arguments on the dismissal motion at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. Hoskins’ attorney on that matter, John Bartolomei, who was in court Thursday, has asked for time to review the response filed by the District Attorney’s Office.
email: krobinsion@buffnews.com
The nonjury trial has been going on for more than a year, interrupted at times by adjournments, delays and scheduling conflicts.
Hoskins’ attorney, Thomas J. Eoannou, and two prosecutors from the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Michael Drmacich and Matthew A. Albert, will make their summations before the judge in what has become a high-profile and highly controversial case that has stretched well beyond what had been expected for a misdemeanor animal cruelty case.
Thursday, the judge heard additional questioning of two rebuttal witnesses called by the prosecution.
No decision was made on Hoskins’ recent request that the case be dismissed because of what she called prosecutorial misconduct.
She said Albert and Alex Cooke, an SPCA employee involved in the case, have been romantically involved as the trial has been under way. Cooke was never called as a witness.
District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III has called Hoskins’ dismissal request “yet another act of desperation” by the defendant. It is not the first time that Hoskins, through attorneys, has asked for the case to be dismissed.
The judge will hear arguments on the dismissal motion at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. Hoskins’ attorney on that matter, John Bartolomei, who was in court Thursday, has asked for time to review the response filed by the District Attorney’s Office.
email: krobinsion@buffnews.com