Northport Court Report: Probation and Dispositions

The June 6 Northport Court session saw numerous defendants return to court for administrative purposes.

18-year-old Zachary Baum, facing , re-appeared in court following a chamber's conference between defense attorney Richard Langone, Suffolk County ADA Maria Troulakis and Judge Paul Senzer.

It was revealed during his court appearance that a toxological report supplied by the DA's office revealed the presence of THC in Baum's blood at the time of the arrest.

Also noted was a potential disposition offer of three years' probation, with the requirement of an ignition interlock device being installed in the vehicle in question. Baum will next appear in court on June 27.

William Merschoff also re-appeared in court on  two . There was discussion that a Huntley hearing might be needed in his case, but there were questions about whether the statement requiring the hearing, made by Merschoff, was directed at a public official. It was ultimately decided that it wasn't, and defense attorney Andrew Wolk requested the case be marked ready for trial. The case was adjourned to June 20.

Erik Knudsen, who pleaded guilty to issuing a bad check last July, was back in court after a Suffolk County probation officer sent a letter to Judge Senzer saying that Knudsen failed to show up to court-ordered interim probation five times. Knudsen attempted to submit notes from Huntington Hospital covering three of the five failed appearances, but those notes were determined to come from a non-existent doctor in a fraudulent Patient Information Department. Knudsen also failed to pay $2,150 in restitution in the case, and stated that it would not be possible to pay as he is permanently disabled with leukemia. He will next appear in court on July 25, when his interim probation was originally scheduled to terminate.

Erin Englehardt's one-year interim probation on a DWI charge was due to expire during her June 6 court appearance, with a plea to a lesser charge offered if there was a good pre-sentence report. However, the probation department did not file a pre-sentence report before her appearance. A new pre-sentence investigation was issued, and Englehardt will have to return to court on August 1.

Two defendants were issued adjournments in contemplation of dismissal. Two separate ACODs were offered to Marc Greene on charges of third-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child. Those ACODs will expire on June 5, 2012, so long as Greene abides by their conditions. A six-month ACOD was issued to William Beener, charged with removing a tree without a permit (in violation of the Northport Village Code). The ACOD was granted after Beener agreed to pay $1,260 to the Northport Village Tree Fund.

A seventeen-page decision was issued by Judge Senzer in the case of Jaye Racanelli, who faces DWI charges. Racanelli's attorney, Stephen Politi, expressed with the process during his last appearance in March. A subpoena was issued for Northport officer Alan Bakker for a trial date of June 27.

With preliminary jurisdiction over felonies and general trial jurisdiction over misdemeanors, traffic infractions and local ordinance violations, Village Court is in session every Monday at 7 p.m. except state holidays in . The Clerk’s Office is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and can be reached by calling 757-0935.

Other helpful numbers:

• Suffolk County District Attorney (criminal, traffic & all state offenses): (631) 853-7500
• Northport Village Prosecuting Attorney - Karen Kerr, Esq. (local ordinance matters): (631) 271-7560
• Suffolk County Legal Aid Society: (631) 853-5212
• Suffolk County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Information Service: (631) 234-5511