The Robert H. Jackson Center (image from www.jamestownupclose.com)

JAMESTOWN – The Robert H. Jackson Center will host three separate events for the community in October. The events will feature an appearance by several coaches and athletic officials from St. Bonaventure University, a performance from a nationally known folk singer/songwriter, and an ongoing legal education seminar featuring recently retired Chautauqua County Judge John Ward.

Meet the Bonnies – Oct. 1

A meet the Bonnies event is slated for Thursday, Oct. 1 at 5 p.m. inside the Jackson Center. Featuring St. Bonaventure coaches Mark Schmidt, Jim Crowley, athletic director Tim Kenney, and members of the SBU admissions team. Hors d’oeuvres and soft drinks will be available.

Tom Rush at Jackson Center – Oct. 11

American folk musician Tom Rush will make a special appearance to benefit the Jackson Center on Sunday, Oct. 11 at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at $35 a ticket for general admission and $50 for a VIP ticket which includes a post-show meet & greet with Tom Rush.

Legal Education Seminar with Judge Ward – Oct. 20

The Jackson Center’s fall Continuing Legal Education Seminar titled “A Conversation with the Honorable John T. Ward, A 40 Year Retrospective” is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 20. The program is approved for NYS CLE credit for a maximum of 3.0 credit hours. The seminar and luncheon are free of charge, advance registration is required

For more information on all three events is available by contacting the Jackson Center at 716-483-6646 or visiting www.roberthjackson.org.

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY – It looks like current Chautauqua County District Attorney David Foley (R-Pomfret) won’t see much, if any, competition in his bid to become the next county judge.

The Chautauqua County Democratic Committee Monday unanimously nominated Foley for County Judge in the November 3 General Election.

Foley announced he would be running for judge in the special election after judge John Ward announced earlier this year he would be retiring at the end of July. Foley has served as county District Attorney since 2005, winning re-election on two separate occasions.

In addition to announcing its support for Foley, the committee also officially endorsed John Plumb for the 23^rd Congressional district in 2016. Plumb, a Lakewood resident, is a fourth-generation western New Yorker and Naval Reserve Commander. Born in Jamestown and raised in Randolph, Plumb has spent the past two decades in military and public service.

Current Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning) has already said he plans to run for reelection in 2016. Reed, who was first elected in 2010, has gone on record saying his goal is to serve a maximum of six terms – or 12 years – in congress.

David Foley

MAYVILLE – Chautauqua County’s top prosecutor wants to be the next county court judge.

District Attorney David Foley is announcing his intention to run for Chautauqua County Court Judge, following the announcement last week that current County Court Judge John Ward would be retiring at the end of this month.

In a phone call to WRFA on Monday, Foley confirmed that he would be running for election this November to fill out the remainder of the current ten-year term, which expires at the end of 2022.

Foley is a third generation attorney in Chautauqua County and has been practicing law in New York since 1993, when he began working for his family’s firm Foley, Foley and Passafaro. In 1995 he was hired as an assistant district attorney and ten years later, he was appointed by Gov. Pataki as Chautauqua County DA, to fill the vacancy left by then District Attorney James Subjack. Later that year he was elected to the office, and has been reelected two more times – being cross endorsed by both major parties as well as the Conservative and Independence parties.

So far, Foley is the only person to announce his intention to run for County Judge. If he is elected in November, Gov. Cuomo will then appoint a replacement to serve as DA until a special election can be held, most likely in November 2016.

Judge John Ward

MAYVILLE – Chautauqua County’s top judge will be stepping down from the bench.

After serving the county for more nearly 40 years, Chautauqua County Supreme Court Judge John Ward has announced he will retire with the state on July 30. Ward’s current ten-year term doesn’t end until 2022, but state law does require all sitting judges to retire by age 70. Judge Ward is 67.

Ward has spent 22 years on the bench. Prior to that he spent 15 years as the county’s District Attorney.

His retirement comes early enough in the year so there is no need for a special election. The candidates will appear on the ballot as part of the general contest in November. No candidates have to officially announce their intention to run.

Visiting judges from Erie County are set to finish out this year’s court calendar.

On Monday Chautauqua County Judge John Ward delivered the maximum sentence to 41 year-old Jason Wells, who was found guilty of first degree manslaughter during his trial in July. During the sentencing, Judge Ward said that Wells is a danger to society and he felt it necessary to give him the maximum sentence. In addition to the 25 year sentence, Wells will also be subject to five years of post-release supervision.

In February 2010, Wells beat and stabbed his 81-year-old neighbor – Ruth Fisk – while the two lived in the same apartment complex at Fredonia’s One Temple Square.

Davide Coggins

MAVYILLE – The effort to finalize the jury for the Davide Coggins double murder trial will continue Thursday in Mayville.

That after attorneys on Wednesday failed to select a 12 juror in the case against the Elmira man who is accused of driving with three others from Elmira to Wheeler Hill Rd. in the Town of Carroll to break into the home and kill the residents, Gordon and Joyce Skinner, in April 2013.

The Jamestown Post-Journal is reporting today that Judge John Ward has said that people are simply too familiar with the case, and as a result, already formed opinions about the defendant.

The three other men involved in the case have already struck a plea deal with the District Attorney’s office in exchange for testifying against Coggins – who is believed to be the ringleader of the group and the one who planned the crime.

Jury selection will continue today at 11:30 a.m.

Anthony Robert Taglianetti was found guilty in November 2013 of shooting and killing Clymer School Superintendent Keith Reed, Jr. on Sept. 21, 2012.

MAYVILLE – The man found guilty of shooting and killing a Clymer Central School superintendent will serve 25 years to life in prison for his crime.

Chautauqua County judge John Ward delivered the sentence to convicted killer Anthony “Rob” Taglianetti II Monday morning in Chautauqua County Court. In November, a jury found Taglianetti guilty of second degree murder after prosecution proved that he drove 350 miles from his home in Virginia to Clymer to confront and eventually kill Clymer Superintendent Keith Reed, Jr. The incident took place in September 2012 after Taglianetti learned that Reed was involved in an online romance with his wife.

In delivering the verdict, Judge Ward told Taglianetti that it was his fervent hope that he never again see the light of day as a free man. The sentencing came after Reed’s daughter delivered a statement to the court, explaining how the incident devastated her and the entire family and would be something they would something from which they could never recover.

According to a published report, Public Defender Ned Barone and his defense team rested its case on Thursday. Closing arguments were going to be made on the same day, but Barone made an impassioned request to hold off on closing arguments until today, citing an enormous amount of evidence to review. Judge John Ward asked the jury to decide how to proceed, and Barone and his team was granted the request.

John Ward also told the jury that it will likely receive the case by noon today.

Taglianetti is accused of driving over 350 miles from his home in Virginia to shoot and kill Clymer School Superintendent Keith Reed, Jr. The prosecution claims Taglianetti committed the crime upon learning of an online affair between his wife and Reed.

Jury selection began Tuesday morning for Tagianetti, who is accused of driving to Chautauqua County from Virginia and fatally shooting Clymer School Superintendent Keith Reed, Jr. one year ago. However, Jury selection was adjourned shortly after 10 a.m. Tuesday, and won’t resume until Thursday morning. The reason for the adjournment was because some information that was obtained by District Attorney David Foley had yet to be presented to attorney Ned Barone, the public defender assigned to handle Taglianetti’s case.

According to a story in today’s Jamestown Post-Journal, Baron said that he only recently learned that there was certain information that may have been provided to the district attorney’s office back in March or April, that was not presented to him and his defendant until Tuesday morning. Because he was only just recently made aware of it, Judge John Ward has adjourned jury selection in order to allow the defense an opportunity for review.

Neither Barone nor Foley would elaborate on what the information in question was. Foley would only say the information isn’t discoverable under the criminal procedure law, so his office was not under any obligation to disclose the information.

Taglianetti is facing a charge of second-degree murder for allegedly shooting and killing Keith Reed Jr. outside of his home in Clymer the evening of Sept. 21, 2012. On Sept. 27, Taglianetti was named as a suspect in the case and was apprehended by police in Virginia less than two days later.  He pleaded innocent in December after his extradition.

A total of 70 prospective jurors were called to Mayville Tuesday as part of the selection process. A total of 200 potential jurors were summoned to appear as part of the case.