Inside the Tarrytown Courthouse: Brand Pleads Not Guilty, Spaced Out Defendant Almost Passes Out in Court

Here's a look at some of the cases that came before theVillage Court during its July 14, 2010 session.

Spaced Out, Drooling Defendant Almost Passes Out in Court

Ryan DeMichele of Sleepy Hollow was in Village Court on charges of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance.

DeMichele arrived in the courtroom at about 10 a.m. in a dazed state. When his case was called, he had left the courtroom and was sitting in his father's car in the Village Hall parking lot. His father, Joseph, tried to excuse his son's absence, stating that he had been talking to Ryan all night and that he was tired, but Village Justice Kyle McGovern told the man to bring his son into the courtroom.

When Ryan arrived, he was stumbling and incoherent, his father had to wipe drool from his lips as they awaited his case to be second called. 

When DeMichele, along with a co-defendant Samantha Agid, were again called before the judge, DeMichele began to sway back and forth. His father had to keep an arm on him to prevent him from falling.

DeMichele was arrested on June 22 with Agid for possessing the drug Alprazolam after a short investigation by the Greenburgh Drug and Alcohol Task Force. 

Since their first appearance in court on June 30, both DeMichele and Agid failed to comply with a court order to undergo evaluation with the Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC) program.

"I don't think he's in a position to understand the gravity of his situation," McGovern said of Ryan DeMichele.

"I'm sorry, I've been talking with him all night," Joseph DeMichele said again.

"I don't know what's been keeping him up all night," McGovern said.

Justice McGovern gave the pair one week to seek out treatment with TASC, or said they would both be remanded to county jail. Ryan was slowly led out of the courtroom with the aid of his father.

Sleepy Hollow Police Officer Wendy Brand Pleads Not Guilty

Wendy Brand, a police officer with the Sleepy Hollow Police Department, was in court on Wednesday facing charges that she harassed and smacked an individual at a day camp at Washington Irving School.

Brand was arrested last week after she turned herself in a Tarrytown Police Headquarters.

On Wednesday, Brand's lawyer entered a not guilty plea on her behalf.

Assistant District Attorney Robert Docherty noted that he had received over seven depositions regarding the incident at Washington Irving School.

Brand's case was adjourned for the day, she will be back in court on August 25.

Dozier Gets Non-Jury Trial

Charles Dozier was in Tarrytown court on charges of Harrassment in the Second Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

Dozier has been in jail since the end of last month with bail set at $7,500 cash or $15,000 bond, because, as Assistant District Attorney Robert Docherty noted, he has a numerous prior misdemeanors, as well as a probation violation in Yonkers.

Dozier's attorney asked the court for a non-jury trial to settle the matter. Docherty noted that the trial would likely be short, and that both sides would need about two weeks to make sure witnesses were served an appearance notice.

His trial will begin at 11 a.m. on August 4.

Cabreja Case to go to County

Darwin Cabreja was arrested in Tarrytown last month and charged with two courts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the third degree.

However, Cabreja also has a number of other cases pending against him in both Greenburgh and Dobbs Ferry, all involving sale or possession of controlled substances. 

Because of this, prosecutors in other jurisdictions have asked that Cabreja's case go to the County Supreme Court to settle all the matters at once. Tarrytown agreed to the move, and Cabreja will be back in Tarrytown Court on October 6 to check on his status.

Justice McGovern noted that Cabreja has been in compliance with TASC.

Cohen's Bail Forfeited

Steven Cohen of Monticello, NY, failed to show up in court on Wednesday for the third time in as many weeks. 

Cohen was arrested in May for a traffic infraction in Ulster County. A background check revealed that Cohen had skipped bail in Tarrytown over six years ago. He was originally arrested in Tarrytown way back on Oct. 3, 2003, by the Greenburgh Drug and Alcohol Task Force. He was found to be in possession of ten packets of heroin as well as two hypodermic needles. He was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and released, but he never returned for his court date.

A bench warrant was issued for Cohen last week, this week his bail was forfeited, all $2,500 that was originally paid in cash for his release from county jail.

Tarrytown Criminal Court is in session every Wednesday beginning at 9:00 a.m.