Tuesday, February 20, 2001
Assault suspects to be in court
Staff Report
ONEONTA Three of the five suspects charged in the Feb. 10 assault on Oneonta college student Joseph Olivo are scheduled to appear in city court this week.
Court dates were scheduled for this morning for Colin Davidson, 21, and Eric Andrews, 24. They were arrested on felony first-degree gang assault charges last week and were arraigned Friday by Oneonta City Court Judge Walter L. Terry III. The men were sent to Otsego County jail on $250,000 bail each.
Davidson is being represented by public defender Andrew Van Buren. Oneonta lawyer Andrew Puritz was assigned to represent Andrews.
A felony hearing for Elvis Rodriguez, 20, has been set for Wednesday in city court. Originally scheduled for last Friday, the proceeding was postponed because Rodriguez's attorney, Albany lawyer, Terence Kindlon, wanted more time to review the case.
Rodriguez, who sustained a broken arm during the fight, was the first to be arrested; Oneonta police charged him with first-degree assault.
Two other men, Rasheen Nelson, 22, and Michael C. Lawson, 23, were arrested on parole violations last week and were subsequently charged with first-degree gang assault. Neither man has been arraigned, police said.
Meanwhile, Olivo, 20, remains at Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown in critical condition with severe head injuries.
Oneonta Police Detective Sgt. Joseph Redmond said he met with Otsego County District Attorney William "Jack" Gibbons over the weekend to review the case.
Both Gibbons and police have said the key to the case will be pinpointing who among the five suspects hit Olivo.