Man accused of shooting at Syracuse Police officers arraigned

[00:00:04]So before the defendant comes out, I definitely need your help for just one second.

[00:00:08]Council or president we have with Mr. Vanderpool, Miss Carey, Miss Lovey, and on behalf of the people District Attorney Fitzpatrick, and uh Assistant DA Fitzpatrick and Assistant DA Kaufman.

[00:00:23]Uh the court I was advised by the deputies and Mr. Vanderpool refused transport today so I had to use I had to issue a use of force order.

[00:00:31]But before he comes out, I did want to address that we have a request for media coverage of today's proceeding. The indictment has been reported out so it's on for arraignment today.

[00:00:41]What is your position with respect to that, Miss Carey?

[00:00:44]>> I object, judge. As you know, this is a very high profile case based on the coverage that occurred in and around the claimed event. Um the more media coverage we have, the greater the risk of tainting the potential jury pool.

[00:01:02]I would object to any photographic or video uh taping or capturing of these events to be broadcast live or at a later date.

[00:01:13]Um I understand that media will cover the events in written media, but I object to our client's image being captured and broadcast live as this is occurring or shown at a later date as I believe it causes too much of a risk with regard to uh later obtaining an unbiased jury pool.

[00:01:35]>> Okay, thank you. I certainly understand that objection. What's the people's position?

[00:01:39]>> We have no objection to media coverage or anything.

[00:01:42]>> I uh it is on for arraignment today. Uh the court is going to grant the request for media coverage.

[00:01:50]If we could have the uh Mr. Vanderpool join us, please.

[00:02:03]>> Okay, the defendant is now present and the indictment has been filed in this matter. It is on for arraignment this morning, so why don't we proceed with that first, please?

[00:02:11]>> Thank you, Your Honor. Mr. Vanderpool, in indictment 2026-419, an Onondaga County Grand Jury has returned an indictment against you for 25 counts.

[00:02:23]The first 11 counts have to do with the alleged attempted murder in the first degree of 10 Syracuse police officers, as well as a member of the Department of Public Safety of Syracuse University.

[00:02:37]The next 11 counts allege that you committed the crime of attempted murder in the second degree against those same 11 victims.

[00:02:47]The 20 third count of the indictment charges you with criminal use of a firearm in the first degree.

[00:02:55]This is alleging that you possessed a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun.

[00:02:59]And the 24th and 25th counts of the indictment allege that you committed the crime of aggravated cruelty to animals by attacking two separate domesticated dogs with a machete. I'd ask Miss Carey if you'll waive a further reading of the indictment.

[00:03:17]>> I have not seen it, so I can't take that position yet. I would need to see the indictment.

[00:03:21]>> Okay, do copy for the defense?

[00:03:24]>> Handing her a copy of the indictment.

[00:03:26]>> One moment, please.

[00:03:27]>> Thank you.

[00:03:46]>> Acknowledge receipt of a copy of the indictment. Acknowledge receipt of a copy of the pre-trial notices. Enter a plea of not guilty as to all counts of the indictment.

[00:03:56]>> Okay, thank you. The People are also >> I'm sorry, waiting for the reading.

[00:03:59]>> Thank you.

[00:04:02]Uh are the People now ready for trial at this time?

[00:04:04]>> Not yet, Your Honor. We have some ballistic work that needs to be done. Uh we have been, I think, uh efficient with sharing discovery with Miss Carey. If she has any objection or any concerns, of course, she may address me or co-counsel who will be trying the case with me.

[00:04:22]>> I'm sure the discovery is voluminous in this matter, but have you received sealed discovery to date, Miss Carey?

[00:04:27]>> Uh yes, I have. I deposited a drive with the District Attorney's Office. I did receive a number of items and a lot of materials on that drive. We are still going through this one.

[00:04:38]>> Judge, uh vis-à-vis discovery, uh there are a number of civilian cars that were struck during this alleged incident.

[00:04:46]Those civilians, this has been over a month, uh are obviously very desirous of getting their vehicle back.

[00:04:55]I understand counsel's very busy with this and other cases, but I would uh announce my intent. I'm going to release these vehicles in a week. So, I would ask that defense, if they have a desire to inspect these vehicles, that they do so within 7 calendar days.

[00:05:10]My understanding is that counsel has already inspected the police vehicles that were struck during the encounter.

[00:05:18]>> Yes, and I take a little bit of issue with the way this is being presented. We were contacted by the District Attorney's Office with regard to the police cars and the patrol cars. We made We took immediate steps to arrange to meet with an officer at the at the garage where those cars were being held.

[00:05:35]We were allowed to inspect and photograph, and when I say we, I refer to Miss Levy and our investigative team.

[00:05:41]We were never told about civilian cars.

[00:05:43]We were never asked about civilian cars.

[00:05:45]We were only ever told about from the District Attorney's office, we were only ever told about the police vehicles. It was the officer at the the garage when we were investigating the police cars that told us about the civilian cars. We will take immediate steps as we did with the police vehicles to inspect those.

[00:06:06]I just need to know where they are. I've never been told where they are, where they're being held. I've been given no information about them except from the officer that was at the garage the day we viewed the patrol cars.

[00:06:15]>> Judge, I I'm not suggesting anything deleterious on the part of the chance. I'm just simply saying I'd like to get these cars back to the people. Well, >> And we will cooperate with you.

[00:06:26]>> I'll I'll make sure that she knows where the cars are and as long as we can do that we can >> within the week. As everyone knows, I was scheduled for trial next week. That trial is now no longer moving forward. I will take absolute haste to get it done. I need to know where these vehicles are and who I need to communicate with to have access to the vehicles and if that's not given to me, I can't arrange to proceed them. So, I am asking, we were very very expeditious in seeing the patrol cars. I would like to know where they are and who I communicate with to get access to the cars and then I can put together these schedules with my defense team to gain access and take the steps we need to take.

[00:07:09]>> Judge, if I may, I was in communication with Ms. Carey about arranging to get uh to the police cars. Um I am still waiting on her acknowledgement that those can be released as well. In that communication, I told her um about whatever other cars we'd inspecting and that uh we would need those to be released. Um she can communicate everything about this arrangement through the same sergeant that she met with with the police cars. He is awaiting her contact in order to make whatever arrangements he needs and that would be Sergeant Brian Brimmer.

[00:07:45]Thank you.

[00:07:48]>> Well, I can certainly understand both of your positions and the positions of uh Mr. Vice Center who's looking at the cars back. Uh I can put this on next Wednesday, July 1st, and make a determination on that if need be.

[00:08:01]>> Sergeant, I don't I don't think this is going to be necessary. I know Mr. Carrier A week is plenty of time to get over there and look at the cars.

[00:08:11]>> Well, would you like me to schedule it next week or >> No, Judge. I would like to schedule it about 3 weeks for a pre-trial conference.

[00:08:17]>> We don't need to come next week. I just don't want the cars released until we give verbal acknowledgement that they can be released. The problem with patrol cars has been communicated, and it has to do with the documentation of some of the evidence with regard to those cars.

[00:08:32]As soon as that is resolved, we can respond with regard to the patrol cars.

[00:08:36]I will communicate with my defense team today and with the sergeant that we've been dealing with to get access to the civilian cars as well.

[00:08:46]>> I will I'll leave that >> I would like I would like to make it clear that until we acknowledge we have everything we need. For example, when we view patrol cars, there were certain issues that arose that had to be worked out through emails back and forth and the prosecution obtaining the information that we needed to clear up.

[00:09:06]And that has been the issue with the patrol cars.

[00:09:09]If we view the cars and we have evidentiary questions and issues and it takes a while to resolve those, I don't want those just summarily released.

[00:09:18]We will acknowledge when we have what we need with regard to the examination of the evidence and our evidentiary questions and concerns are properly addressed. I don't want to get to the trial of this and find out that we can't finish a sentence or complete an examination of a witness because the car was been released.

[00:09:41]>> Well, I'm going to leave that to the all of you. You're all very experienced counsel. I trust you can resolve that.

[00:09:46]If you want or need court intervention, then contact the court and I'll schedule a meeting with >> Thank you, Judge. Otherwise, I'd like to put it down for a pre-trial conference and a report on the discovery.

[00:09:58]>> And uh I think given the amount of discovery we're talking about, how is July 9th for everybody's calendar?

[00:10:09]>> July 9th is acceptable to the people, Your Honor.

[00:10:13]>> We are available, Judge Thornton.

[00:10:15]>> Good.

[00:10:21]All right, I'm adjourning it to the next day, it'll be July 9th, 2026 at 9:30.

[00:10:28]You want to be heard on bail today, Ms. Carey?

[00:10:30]>> No, Judge, at this time we're requesting the conduct of an examination pursuant to Section 730 of the Criminal Procedure Law.

[00:10:40]>> So, you're reserving on bail for today purposes?

[00:10:42]>> Yes.

[00:10:44]>> All right, that's noted. You can renew your bail application in the future when you choose to do so.

[00:10:50]And the court is going to grant your request and the court is Was it CPL 730 exam previously ordered?

[00:10:57]>> This is my first involvement in the case.

[00:11:00]>> Not that I'm aware of, Judge.

[00:11:02]>> People have any information on that?

[00:11:05]>> Not that the people are aware of, Judge.

[00:11:08]>> All right, well, based on Ms. Carey's request, the court is going to order a Criminal Procedure Law 730 exam.

[00:11:23]So, we'll have a report back on that as well on our next status of that at our next court date.

[00:11:29]Anything else from the people for today?

[00:11:31]>> No, Your Honor.

[00:11:32]>> For the defense?

[00:11:33]>> Nothing, bro.

[00:11:34]>> And we're all set. Thank you all.

[00:11:42]Uh counsel, this is administratively.

[00:11:43]The other case is tracking along, I believe is unindicted.

[00:11:46]>> That is correct. It is currently unindicted. Um Martin Katz is handling that case. He'll reach out.

[00:11:52]>> Okay, so we'll just we'll put that on the schedule.

[00:11:54]>> Thank you.